The Terrorism - Its Roots and Dangers

Photo Source: Flickr under creative commons license.

When organized and large scale terrorism first punched Europe, the nations were shocked. Terrorist groups like Germany's notorious Baadar Meinhof gang, Italy's Red Brigade and various Palestinian Organizations were early surprise and shock; plans were carefully developed to counter the terrorists. The effectiveness of such anti-terrorist squads has partly been responsible for the gradual turn down in terrorists' activities at least in Europe though the problem has not yet been licked. There was a time when many Europeans gravely felt that the terrorists threatened the democratic system and the way to tackle them is to suspend some of the rights at least provisionally. Council of Europe's report on the defense of democracy against terrorism said, "Terrorism aims to over throw and destroy pluralist parliamentary democracy and half the scope for political, economic and social development. Terrorism could in certain circumstances prompt states to take legislative, judicial or administrative measures that might prevent the very character of democracy. In the face of this threat we need reassert our conviction that democracy must overcome terrorism while remaining true to itself." Those experiences of Europe in this respect are appropriate to other countries. Terrorism is anti-democracy, anti-people and anti-progress. The government has to curb such activities by working out suitable methods. Each and every country can be taught much from other's experiences in this respect.

Photo Source: TinyPic.com

Photo Source: tinypic.com

Now-a-days, approximately 70 percent of the world's terrorist activities occur in Asia and insurgent outfits function across the globe from this continent. The entire focus of global terrorism has changed from Europe to South Asian Countries. This focus of terrorism had mainly shifted because of the surfacing of three Asian giants - China, Japan and India - as global superpowers. Terrorist outfits like Lasker-e-Tayyaba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Al Qaeda, Harkatul Jihad-al-Islami (Huji), ULFA, Naxalites (India) and many others are centered in Asian countries. And these terrorist organizations are not aiming at any military power, but they are attacking innocent civilians.

This is also the psychological and the emotional aspect of the problem which in many ways, interconnects with the economic and political. Psychologically speaking, the feeling of alienation has encouraged the terrorists. Indeed quite a few who may strongly disapprove of the terrorists and their methods still have a sneaking admiration for them largely because of their feeling of alienation. The most important thing is that democratic right should not be prostituted to perpetuate terrorism. Moreover terrorism cannot be finished with appeals or appeasement; it will have to be dealt with greater force and strength.

Photo Source: Flickr under creative commons license.