The world is experiencing a global rebirth of attacks, eventhough terrorism has occured throuhout our history. Terrorism can be defined as "the deliberate creation of fear to bring out political change." Such acts or the threat of such action have been in existence for millennia. In my opinion no amount of outrage and condemnation can suffice to express the anger and frustration one feels when faced with such mindless brutality and violence. Terrorists and extremists know no borders. It has perpetrated brutal attacks in every part of the world. Terrorists attempt not only to create panic but also to weaken confidence in the government and the political leadership of the target country.
The religious and political extremism is playing a major role in various forms of violence. Religious extremists often reject the authority of secular governments and view legal systems that are not based on their religious beliefs as illegitimate. Terrorism is an act of indiscriminate violence that targets innocent people. Nobody knows when, where, and who will suffer next time. The worst about terrorism is that ordinary innocent people die. We must all be concerned about the loss of life and consider acts of terrorism are harmful to the whole international order and a challenge to humanity. It is a serious threat to democratic values and to international peace and security. The global security challenges of today cannot be fought effectively by one country alone -- no matter how powerful. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, regional conflicts, organised crime and environmental disasters are long-term international problems, and they require long-term multinational solutions. International terrorist networks pose a serious threat to our peace and security, and to the smooth functioning of the international system. Terrorism is the epitome of injustice because it targets innocent people. Ends do not justify means, and innocent civilians should never pay the price for the misdeeds of others or be used as pawns in settling political or military conflicts. Thousands of people die each year to terrorist attacks.
Countries that are troubled by these horrific acts have pondered an answer to the problem of terrorism for centuries but there is no universal agreement for a solution. A definition of terrorism has yet to be finalized, but Cindy C. Combs' book "Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century," she tries to define terrorism as: "a synthesis of war and theater, a dramatization of the most proscribed kind of violence-that which is perpetrated on innocent victims-played before an audience in the hope of creating a mood of fear, for political purposes." Peace, security, freedom and justice for all , irrespective of one's faith and nationality, can be the best solution to terrorism. We must and should achieve these aims by meaningful dialogue towards all cultures and civilizations. Resolving terrorism will inevitably require responding to the politics of other countries.
United States of America is a global power and with global interests. It must be abundantly made clear that the problem of terrorism cannot be addressed only from the perspective of United States politics. America needs to start dealing with other communities' interests. Terrorists today have become more global because of freedom of movement. One solution is to hold international conference convened by the United Nations in which countries are brought together to deal with the issue of terrorism as a global problem. We must together build and develop this major crisis in the name of humanity because no country can ignore the influence on social, economic, and political structures around the world. We must all realize that the war against terrorism does not in itself solve micro- or sub-regional problems.
Violence in response to violence can only lead to further violence. I recall when Rev. John Dear a Catholic peace activist led a group of Nobel Peace Prize winners to Baghdad. Dear's profound account on his trip to Baghdad is summed up very eloquently: "We asked everyone the simple question, “What do you want us to do?” Everyone we met, from the Papal Nuncio to the Muslim Iman to the non-governmental organization leaders to hundreds of high school children to the hundreds of mothers holding their dying children, said: “Don’t kill us!” That sounds so obvious, but they said it with tears. If you want to help us, don’t kill us! If you want us to live in peace, don’t kill us! If you want us to be friends with you, don’t kill us! If you want Iraq to create a new democracy, don’t kill us! Send us food and medicine instead, and fund.
Then, we will live in peace with you. Violence cannot stop violence. We have to break the cycle of violence, renounce violence, start practicing creative active nonviolence on a level that the world has never seen, and reach out and embrace the world’s poor by meeting their every need. Then, we will win over the world, and no one will ever want to hurt a Westerner again. On that new day, we will sow the seeds of love and peace and discover what a world without terrorism, war, poverty, and fear is like".
In the final analysis to this grave problem, there is a vital need to cultivate amity and trust among fellow beings. Better intelligence, better policing and a deeper understanding of the phenomenon will go a longway to overcome this suffering. The international community must be resolute in countering terrorism, it must be scrupulous in the ways in which this effort is pursued. Greater respect for human rights, accompanied by democracy and social justice,will in the long term prove effective measures against terror. Terrorism is like cancer which has already reached a metastatic stage. It is spreading rapidly and must be rooted out from our history with every means in our command. If unchecked, it will be a threat to our civilization.
About the Author: WARIS SHERE was educated at the Aligarh Muslim University, University of London and Technische Hochschule, Aachen Germany. He has authored eight books in the field of Applied Mathematics, International Affairs and Academic Futures: Prospects for Post-Secondary institution. He has taught Applied Mathematics at the University of Manitoba, Canada and Red River College, Canada for several years. His work on critical issues of International Affairs has been published globally. His main interests are Emerging International Order, Security and the Prospects for East-West relations and Dilemmas in Policy-Making for Education.
