Medieval murderers in an age of digital democracy
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In 2013, Islamist groups in Bangladesh circulated the names of 84 "atheist" bloggers in their country who they demanded be tried for blasphemy.
Last Friday, Niladri Chattopadhyay Niloy became the fourth blogger on that list to be murdered.
All four killings have taken place this year and the masterminds remain unidentified.
Unless something drastic is done to check the trend, a large number of people in Bangladesh remain exposed to what has the look of a well-coordinated effort to silence those deemed guilty of crossing the line while expressing their opinion.
Many at home and abroad accuse the Bangladesh government of failing to recognise the seriousness of the situation.
Niloy had complained to the police of receiving death threats, but he received no protection. Apparently his killers didn’t have to spend too much time planning their act, either.
They approached his house posing as potential tenants, took him to a room, hacked him to death, and disappeared.
Viewed against the background of global protest that greeted earlier killings of bloggers, and given the promises made by Dhaka to stand by its avowed secular ideals, this latest extermination of the “unwanted” was far too easy for the killers.
And while cautious voices are counselling restraint on the part of the bloggers, these must be measured against the ultimate argument: the human response to words must come in kind.
Violence is less equipped to control thoughts and opinion today than it ever was.
There are so many convenient tools of expression available in this digital era. Blogs are one option that a growing number employ as a very personal means to inform and comment.
They are too numerous and too firmly rooted in modern society. Debate might defeat online expression. Violence will never silence it.
