On Terrorism

The events of September 11, 2001 have served as a wake-up call for most nations and people in the world. The terrorist attacks have opened our eyes to the effects of terrorism and the importance of addressing this problem.

Acts of terrorism have been prevalent even before the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S. However, these acts were largely seen as regional or local in scope. I believe that the threat posed by terrorism to global order and security was only given greater emphasis after the events of September 11 in the U.S.

With the prevalence of terrorist activities and the growing awareness concerning this issue, it is only appropriate to have a better understanding of the concept of terrorism.

According to Thomas Magstadt and Peter Schotten, authors of the book “Understanding Politics: Ideas, Institutions, and Issues,” terrorism comprises a political effort to oppose the status quo by inducing fear in the civilian population through the widespread and publicized use of violence, including murder, injury, and destruction. Terrorism takes many different forms, for Magstadt and Schotten these include state terrorism, international terrorism, domestic terrorism and transnational terrorism.

Terrorist groups commit terrorist acts for a variety of reasons. Many groups seek to overthrow an existing political institution or dominate a particular territory. Others commit acts of terrorism to seek attention and express their grievances. Al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiyah, Abu Sayyaf and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam are just some of the groups designated by the U.S. government as terrorist organizations.

Efforts to combat terrorism have been made in the national, regional and international realms. The U.S. led a campaign against terrorism which it dubbed “War on Terror.” In Southeast Asia, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) adopted the ASEAN Declaration on Joint Action to Counter Terrorism at the 2001 summit in Brunei Darussalam. Bilateral and multilateral agreements have also been signed by national governments to counter terrorism.

Enhancing police powers, increasing surveillance activities, and intelligence-sharing among countries are just some of the ways to combat terrorism. However, I believe that the best way to deal with this issue is to address its root cause. There is a reason for the prevalence of terrorist acts as well as the rise of terrorist groups. It could be poverty, marginalization or imposition of a certain form of government. Each government and the international community must address the root cause of terrorism to contain, if not totally resolve, this problem.