http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_29706.shtml Terrorism - How to combat it? By Justice Gour Gopal Saha Sat, 5 Aug 2006, 10:20:00 Although the world community has so far failed to come to a consensus to give a precise definition to the term" terrorism," yet it has come to be passed on as an organised system of violence and intimidation, especially for political ends or religious ostentations. In ordinary parlance, it is understood to denote deliberate and systematic acts of murder, maiming and menacing of innocent men, women and children designed to inspire fear and instability in the society for political or pseudo-religious purposes .
Terrorism, both political and religious, in some form or the other, existed at all levels of human civilisation but it never posed any real threat to shake the foundation of the society. But the task for ensuring peace, progress and harmony in the world today has assumed a new character in view of the current rise in acts of terrorism on an unprecedented scale and ferocity, all in the name of religion, The action programmes of the militant fundamentalists clearly indicate a grim prospect for the future of the mankind. In fact, the threat emanating from the coordinated and internationally operated network of religious extremism is a potential one out to destroy the very fabric of the human society and it is dangerously high and perilous to human existence at present than at any other time of recorded history. Thus it calls for immediate attention of the world community to urgently address the emerging menace and deliberate and devise ways and means on a war-footing to contain and combat terrorism in all its manifestations. The gospel of universal brotherhood presupposes peace, fraternity, tolerance and magnanimity and eulogizes the supreme necessity of spiritual and temporal excellence of man and negates all kinds of extremism, violence and intolerance as means of settling disputes. It also stands against all forms of injustices meted out to all sorts of people across the world. Injustices and deprivations, howsoever high and cruel they may be, cannot be obviated by terrorism and violent outbursts. Universally acclaimed fundamental rights such as the right of self-determination or statehood for the suppressed populace cannot be shelved by terming these as internal matters of a state, leaving the struggling people at the mercy of the oppressors and the subjugating predators ,asking them to do their own rounds by peaceful and constitutional means. In such cases, terrorism for political purposes is almost the inevitable consequence arising out of the dominant will and aspiration of the oppressed and subjugated people to make room for their own salvation by having recourse to arms. Insurgency and genuine struggle for emancipation from the yoke of the subjugators and the armed struggle of a bondaged populace cannot be equated by any ethical standard . The international community, particularly the United Nations, cannot avoid their responsibility by acting as idle spectators in such grim and cruel ordeals and indirectly abet the perpetrations of more injustices on peoples struggling for survival and universally acclaimed human dignity. It must be understood in unqualified terms that brute force applied to suppress fundamental human rights and liberty cannot be successful in defeating the indomitable spirit of a people fighting for justice, fair-play and liberty when they are ready to pay any price for it. It is disheartening to notice that some state powers publicly championing the cause of highsounding and lofty idealism, like human rights, rule of law, justice, equity and good conscience and virtues of democracy, very often hide their evil designs to perpetuate their agenda of exploitations and subjugations and this is often regarded as the basic reason for not solving many a intriguing problem affecting the human society, especially when it counters the national interests of the big powers. Men's unsatiable lust for abundance and domination always undermine the indomitable march of the humanity towards a higher plain. It is only true enlightenment that can pave the away for a peaceful and satisfying life on earth. Violence originates from a wounded spirit, spirit burned and blistered and frayed by the frustration and powerlessness, a spirit parched with an unequenched thirst for real meaning of life, a spirit shrivelled and shrunk by feelings of inferiority. The rage that emanates from injured self respect, from humiliation and deprivations and injustices at times erupts as violence. A culture of violence, which delights in crushing and beating others into submission, spreads throughout the society ill-will to dominate the order of the day. The injury inflicted on the human psyche cannot be expected to be cured with only soothing words, acts of parliament, executive and judicial orders. It is possible only through compassion, pure and fraternal feelings flowing from the clear realisation that human beings are invariably inter-related and inter-dependent as brothers and sisters belonging to the great family of humankind. But before any enduring peace is achieved, it must be seen that justice and fair-play perform their assigned role in settlement of all disputes, social, religious or political, affecting all segments of the mankind. There is no doubt that "religious terrorism ," better to term it as terrorism in the name of religion', has of late made heavy inroads in societies infested with abject poverty, social backwardness and insecurity, coupled with political instability. People deprived of the basic needs of human life and detracted from the real teachings of religion often exhibit a greater propensity to be intolerant and aggressive. Out of utter desperations arising out of failure to vindicate their ancient grievances, nationally and internationally, they find solace in religious extremism to combat injustices and injuries being ceaselessly meted out to them. Deceipt and fabrications of facts reign supreme in the field on which religious fundamentalism and extremism find fertile grounds to thrive. People engineering violence and terrorism, sitting at a safe distance in position of power and veneration, find it easy to play with the burning sentiment of the youth and the uncritical public indoctrinated by superficial exhortation and surcharged with glittering religious passion for an "assured berth in the heaven" and free wheeling on earth. Young band of indoctrinated religious cohorts fall easy prey to the fascinating call of a 'holy war' and often indulge in wanton destruction to life and property of innocent people with no mind to think of the dreadful consequences flowing from their actions and ostentations. In reality, no country of the world is completely free from the menace of terrorism, home-born or imported from outside, but magnitude of the problem is not the same everywhere. In advanced countries of the world there exists a liberal social and political environment where it is difficult to draw any large number of people to the extremist fold. But countries infested with social backwardness, abject poverty, scant facilities for modrn liberal and scientific education, rendering of reverential allegiance to the sayings and teachings of the half-literate educated clerics by a large section of the populace, present a common scenario, portraying an altogether grim picture. Because of slow progress in social and economic fields, many people get frustrated and disgruntled and turn towards militancy in their fancy to get over their material woes over night, with the alluring prospect of free food and shelter and a gurantee for heavenly bliss on the completion of their sacred mission. In such circumstances, people propagating the glory of sacrifice in the name of religion, find it convenient to fire the imagination and burning religious zeal of the disgruntled youth to join the extremist war-camp for their assigned noble cause. The out-modeled religious schools and institutions in which the new recruits are ordinarily accommodated and trained are obviously ill-equipped to impart any modern and humane education to them. Instead they are made to be submerged into dogmatic and restricted vision of the world. These religious institutions riding on glorified fiery rhetoric are widely believed to be the breeding grounds for 'religious extremism' and terrorism. The danger from dreaded terrorists, who are willing to kill themselves to kill others for what they consider "religiously ordained", is all too real for creating havoc of unprecedented scale and magnitude , where religious extremism is glorified and globalised and the local forces of terror can count upon support from rich and powerful allies at home and abroad. The abortive experiment made by some rich countries of the Middle East, with orthodox background and clinging stead-fast to mediaeval perceptions of life and nobility, to export religious extremism has already proved counter-productive. The designing elements trading on religion and religious sensibility have always used narrow and perverted interpretations of the tenets of religion by highlighting the supreme orthodox way of looking and doing at things, opposing all liberal and secular ideas and ideals. The terrorists of the day are highly motivated, well-organised and well up with funds on the basis of their international contacts with rich and powerful patrons glorifying the cause of extremism, in keeping with their tradition and anti-progress inhibitions. Material supports are channeled to the terrorists through charitable institutions and socio-religious and cultural missions and organisations . It would be fool - hardy to underestimate the ability of a determined band of extremist to exploit ordinary people's sentiments and susceptibilities in achieving their cherished objective. There can be no controversy to the fact that the present day terrorism is not confined to any particular religion or geographical region. It is by now a global phenomenon urgently calling for address by the world community in an effective and meaningful manner. It would also be totally unjust and imprudent to blame the members of a particular religious community indulging in more acts of vandalism and terrorism than others. Since terrorism is now evidently a world phenomenon it has to be treated and addressed as such by the international community in the spirit and with the pragmatism that it commands. We must make sure that the language of reason prevails over the language of violence and bigotry to prevent us from sliding into an ungovernable scenario. From reports gleaned from the international press it is abundantly clear that religion-based terrorism has by now become a hydra- headed monster and is out to take its toll. It is, therefore, imperative that politicians, intellectuals, social activists and religious leaders of the world get up from their slumber bordering a pathological hibernation and work hand in hand to make people belonging to all faiths, races, colours and cultures aware of the danger of the devastating eventuality of terrorism unleashed by dreaded extremists. It is high time that there be a consensus in the world community as to what we must do on top-most priority basis to meet the extremist challenge threatening mankind . It is no longer a wild imagination to hold that even a handful of dreaded and determined terrorists are now capable to procure sophisticated weapons of mass-destruction and use these gleefully in canying their mission into reality and thereby land the world in catastrophic nightmares. The culpability of the main streams people standing for peace and tranquility stems mainly from their lack of will to openly ask searching questions in matters of religious ordinances vitally affecting the well-being of the humanity at large. This is perhaps the most potent single factor that creates a favourable environment for extremism to thrive. Mainstream people of the community where religious extremism is visibly on the rise cannot avoid their responsibility to act by simple pleading that their religion and religious tradition do not support extremism and terrorism. It is imperative that we must act promptly and decisively in publicly denouncing all forms of terrorism and vandalism in the name of religion resorted to by the misguided miscreants. To meet the exigency of the circumstances, it is indeed necessary to treat the cancerous syndrome resolutely, else we fall victim to the treacherous fallacy of complacence, escapism and negativism. The politicians, intellectuals and activists of the civil society must take serious note of the impending danger of global terrorism and its devastating power to disrupt world peace and tranquility and deliberate urgently and dispassionately to devise effective means and measures to wipe out the root of terrorism. Meaningless rhetoric and orchestrated hyperboles will serve no purpose. The crying need of the moment for the world is co-operation and co-ordinated actions of al1 fighting the war against terrorism and religious extremism to contain the burning menace to manageable limits, before we are able to wipe it out. To successful1y meet the challenge of terrorism of all hues we must profess and practise peaceful co-existence, inter-religious harmony and tolerance cutting across races, castes and communities. The spiritual and religious leaders who command almost ready audience and reverential treatment from the common people have a greater role to play by bringing home to all the real message and true sprit of religion by forging unity amongst themselves for successfully spear-heading human dignity, good neighbourliness and universal brotherhood. As a matter of practical proposition, the clerics should be drawn to the mainstream of the society genuinely believing the unism of the creation and human fraternity. Religion in its manifest sublimity can conveniently the used as an effective weapon of defense in the war against terrorism. Let, all unite to fight out terrorism and religious extremism to make the world a happy abode in which we are able to sing the glory of humanism and the unity of the creation. It must be clearly understood by all that there is no magic prescription at hand to exterminate the menace of terrorism. Religious frenzy leading to terrorism is a deep-rooted psychological malady that needs well co-ordinated and sustained treatment. Immediate task before the world community is to openly discuss, debate and deliberate on the multi-faced impact of terrorism on the human society. Popularly welcome slogans eulogizing the supreme value of peace, harmony and respectful co-existence of religions and religionists for the common good of the humanity. As a short term measure, all states must gear up their administrative and legal machinery to meet the challenge of terrorism on war-footing and do everything possible on their part to check the rot in no time. As a long term and permanent measure, it must be ensured by the comity of nations that they promptly introduce modern, secular and scientific education for their students in educational institutions, including the religious schools, and themselves practise an acceptable standard of modernity and catholicity in all national and international dispensations and deliberations. Suspicion and mistrust everywhere, the first and fore-most task before US is confidence building. Unless confidence, which has already been rudely shaken by devastating extremist overtures, must be restored to its normal shelf and mistrust removed. We must make a bold transition from mistrust to trust, from discord to concord, from hatred and tension to love, peace and progress before we succeed in containing and combating terrorism. (The author is a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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