CHANGES ON THE TERRORISM SCENARIO: OLD AND NEW ACTORS OF TERRORISM
Colonel Chandana Wickramasinghe RWP RSP psc MA(IR)
SEQUENCE
• Introduction• Definition of Terrorism and it’s ambiguity • Old vs New Terrorism • Possible factors for Terrorism• Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
North –South Gap
Term used to describe the economic gap between the rich northern countries of the world and the south poorer countries of the world.
Understanding the revolution
Source: Raymond Tantor, Theory of Revolution, Journal on Conflict Resolution
INTRODUCTION
• What is terrorism? • Why is it there? • Who are terrorists?• What are the ways to deal
with it?
These are the major questions that concern researchers who studied this social phenomenon
Definition of Terrorism and it’s ambiguity
Terrorism is the threat or conduct of violent and premediated attacks on political, economic or civilian targets with the intention of spreading fear and achieving a (usually political) goal.
“The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological” -U.S. Department of Defence.
“Terrorism is “the use of violence against random civilian targets in order to intimidate or to create generalized pervasive fear for the purpose of achieving political goals.”
-Yonah Alexander
WHAT IS TERRORISM?.....
13
The Three Paradigms of Security
National Security
International
Security
Human Security
Regional
StateWorldwide
ACTORS
• State actors : Government Local. Provincial. Central Inter Governmental
Sectors UN ? SAARC? EU?
• Non stat e actors Individuals Civil society Religious Leaders
(Indoctrination ) NGO’s/INGOS (RED
CROSS) Media Extreme groups Diaspora
Contemporary values for State GovernanceGood Governance:1. Rule of Law, 2. Transparency, and 3. Accountability
Eight Millennium Development Goals
1. Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger,
2. Achieving universal primary education,
3. promoting gender equality and empowering women,
4. reducing child mortality, 5. improving maternal health, 6. combating HIV/AIDS,
malaria, and7. other diseases, 8. ensuring environmental
sustainability,
Old vs New Terrorism
NEW TERRORISM OLD TERRORISM
Old terrorism: Used to refer to more secular groups before 1990 and end of the Cold War.New Terrorism: A new kind of terrorism believed to have begun with the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing and dominated by religious doctrines that emphasize transformational and apocalyptic beliefs
Goals Old Terrorism: Limited, specific, tangible, local oriented goals. nationalist, independent movements, separatists. Understandable, comprehensible, realistic, rational and prone to compromise.
New Terrorism: Goals can be ambiguous, unlikely or unrealistic, seeking maximum destruction, having transnational, regional and systematic ambitions
Old vs New Terrorism
Factors Old Terrorism New Terrorism
Organizational Structure Hierarchical Networked
Operational Change Within home region (Territorial Orientation
Outside home region(Transnational Orientation
Motives Political/ Nationalist ideology Religious Fanaticism
Tactics Restrained Violence Extreme Violence
Attitude towards Westphalia System System- confirm System- Threating
CONTRAST …“OLD” AND “NEW "TERRORISM
• Lack of democracy, civil Liberties and the rule of law• Weak states unable to control territory or monopoly of violence• Rapid modernization, in the from of high economic growth• Extremists ideologies of a secular or religious nature• Experience of social justice• Hegemony and inequality of power • Illegitimate or corrupted governments • Presence of charismatic ideological leaders
Possible factors of terrorism in new scenario!
ACTORS
• State actors : Government Local. Provincial. Central Inter Governmental
Sectors UN ? SAARC? EU?
• Non stat e actors Individuals Civil society Religious Leaders
(Indoctrination ) NGO’s/INGOS (RED
CROSS) Media Extreme groups Diaspora
The black swan theory or theory of black swan events is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of perception.
PARADIGM SHIFTS IN SECURITY STRATEGY –REALITY CONCEPT
Homeland security missions:
1. Prevent terrorism and enhancing security;
2. Secure and manage our borders;
3. Enforce and administer our immigration laws;
4. Safeguard and secure cyberspace;
5. Ensure resilience to disasters;
Three key concepts form the foundation of our national homeland security strategy designed to achieve this vision:Security,Resilience, andCustoms and Exchange.
US DHS MissionThe vision of homeland security is to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards.
There is no accepted consensus on the definition of Terrorism It is an ancient behavioral tactic used by discontented groups and individuals The term is often used pejoratively and is a matter of perspective The term used to demonized , suggesting that the group or individual is
beyond reasoning The resolution provide a saving clause high preserve the rights of persons to
“struggle legitimacy” for self determination Knowledge of terrorism most certainly is deficient but the field shows no
clear ability to improve this situation. Based on the researches conducted, many aspects of terrorism are still not clearly explained and hence further researches are still required to have a better understanding and prevention of terrorism.
CONCLUSION
THANK YOU
• Schmid, A. and Jongman, A. (1988): “Political Terrorism: A New Gide to Actors, Authors, Concepts, Databases, Theories and Literayure”, Oxford: North Holland
• Weinberg, L, Pedahzur, A, Hirsch Hoelfer, S,(2004), “The Challanes of Conceptualizing Terrorism and Political Violence”, 16: 4
• Hoffman, B., “Inside Terrorism”, New York; Colombia University Press, 2006• Daase, C and Kessler, O., “Known and Unknowns in the War on Terror:
Uncertainty and Political Constitution of danger, Security Dialogue”, 38:4,2007 • Martha Crenshaw , “The Debate over “New” vs. “Old” Terrorism”,
http://www.start.umd.edu/sites/default/files/files/publications/New_vs_Old_Terrorism.pdf
FURTHER READINGS
• Jerome P. Bjelopera , “The Domestic Terrorist Threat: Background and Issues for Congress” , https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/R42536.pdf
• Martha Crenshaw, “The Causes of Terrorism” , http://courses.kvasaheim.com/hist319a/docs/Crenshaw%201981.PDF
• David Tucker, “What’s New About the New Terrorism and How Dangerous Is It?” http://www.nps.edu/academics/centers/ctiw/files/The%20New%20Terrorism.pdf
• Mahdi Mohammad Nia , “From Old to New Terrorism: The Changing Nature of International Security”, https://gsj.stonybrook.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/0018Nia.pdf
Further Readings
THANK YOU
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