Paris Attacks: City of love is burning and the stress of being a Muslim in Europe is showing

LONDON: What does one write about something so dastardly that anything you say is inadequate?  Of course, it reminds you of Mumbai and London but so what? How does that help? We are so busy worrying about Tipu Sultan and eating beef we do not realise the real enemy has passed the gate and is our neighbour whether we live in Paris or Pune, Capetown or Caracas. Terrorism is a given. It exists. And it thrives because we do nothnig but throw words at it. [caption id=“attachment_2506856” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Peace for Paris sign goes viral/ AFP[/caption] I read the piece by Wajahat Qazi on Firstpost and it hurt that he had to hurt when he and a million others had to ‘apologise’ for deeds in which they had no hand. He wrote most poignantly that Islam does not grow form the barrel of a gun. But people are frightened and when they are frightened they need to protect their families and they cannot differentiate the point one percent from the 99.9 per cent and therein lies the rub. All we can do is preach the gospel of common sense and logic and hope the outraged listen. Don’t take it out on the wrong targets. How does anyone make sense out of the senseless? Where are the words…in which language can you express anguish of this magnitude? The six attacks in Paris killed 150 people and injured 200 of which over 80 are in critical condition. The ripple effect is yet to start. Expectedly, the ISIS has taken ‘credit’ for this cowardly act, and the rage is so [caption id=“attachment_2506808” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] London’s Tower Bridge lit up in French colors/ AFP[/caption] intense that even moderate leaders, especially in the EU, will now find it difficult to widen their arms to the hundreds of thousands of refugees. The fear that the innocent will have to pay a heavy price for these assaults is palpable and very real. We know that as winter falls the agony of these men, women and children will be compounded by a chilling retribution as aid and support slow down. Those who masterminded this series of attacks on innocents have not got even with France as a nation fighting in Syria, if that was the provocation, but have actually placed a vast swathe of the human race in jeopardy. Not only is there the political fallout but the stress of being a Muslim in Europe this morning is scary. Why should thousands of hardworking and sincere good citizens, fathers and mothers providing for their families have to be afraid to go down the street? Why will children have to avoid school or face taunts from others? [caption id=“attachment_2506520” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] France under siege/ Reuters[/caption] Why on earth engage in this killing spree at a time when the world is struggling with the largest refugee problem ever? Nothing is resolved, there is no  upside, no positive intake, nothing but grief and shock and pure horror. If this tragedy does not unify the world against terrorism per se in any form or fashion and make the comity of nations open the doors on sharing data and cracking down on militants and all those who target civilians, we are doomed to keep mumbling clichés of condemnation that ring hollow and are not even band aids on gaping wounds. What has happened cannot be undone. Even the best of intelligence cannot be failsafe. Someone will always get through if they are ready to die for their cause and take innocents with them. Now, all that can and must be done is to end the talking and create a collective defence. Failing to do that and holding talks in Brussels and making promises of intent have worn thin. This is the chance to turn things around…these  gun toting criminals don’t care who they kill or how much misery they spray. There has to be a new order and a realisation that terrorists speak for no one, no religion, no faith, no belief. If there is no concerted move with every battle such as this our planet comes closer to losing the war.