TERRORISM AND WORLD PEACE

On the dreadful day of 9/11, the USA suffered the deadliest terror attack. The attack on the World Trade Centre by Al Qaeda was not only intended to kill people but also to create terror in the hearts of the people. In response, the USA declared a Global War on Terror (GWOT). The USA attacked Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etc. to eliminate terrorism from the world.

The fight between the USA and terrorism culminated into a spiraling effect. It caused more radicalization, the use of terrorist organizations by states to wage proxy wars. The Middle East became the ground of battle which caused complete destruction in the region. GWOT turned the Middle East into a sanctuary for terrorist attacks. Now terrorism became catastrophic in nature. It is threatening world peace.

Hence, the egregious menace of terror is causing a decline in people’s trust in governance. This topic requires careful analysis. In this essay, we will analyze the definition of terrorism, types of terrorism threatening peace, how terrorism endangers global peace? And finally, the ways to tackle this menace.

Terrorism: The Definition
There is no universal definition of terrorism. Yet we can define it as an ideology demanding unacceptable and demanding at the gunpoint. It aims to attain political, ideological, or religious ends. Terrorism can be of various types.

For instance, religious terrorism (ISIS, Al Qaeda) is aiming to attain supremacy of one religion. They misuse religious prophecies to radicalize people. Similarly, socio-economic factors like underdevelopment, poverty, illiteracy, unemployment push youth to join terror groups. Further, state-sponsored terrorism is used as a foreign policy tool to attain national interests. For example, Pakistan uses LeT, JeD, etc. terror groups to avenge India as it cannot face India militarily.

Terrorism & Peace: A Major Threat
Since terrorists kill people indiscriminately to spread their ideology and to create a chill in the hearts of people, it threatens order and stability in society. The Christchurch attack & Ester attack not only created havoc in society but also suppressed individuals’ feelings in the governments.

Similarly, terrorism and development cannot go hand in hand. Terror organizations fight with the state. They cannot engage in direct war, hence they destroy infrastructures like roads, railways, schools, hospitals, etc. & push the entire society towards a vicious cycle of underdevelopment. For instance, the widespread destruction in the Middle-East, Kashmir, Afghanistan has pushed people towards poverty compelling them to join terror groups.

Moreover, terrorism hinders hard exercise of nation-building. Regular wash between terrorist groups & security personnel creates ‘security dilemma’ among people. Some demagogic leaders ‘securitize’ the act of terrorism to seek people’s support. It heads to a situation of ‘catch 22’ where neither security personnel win nor the terrorist organizations.

For instance, terrorism in Kashmir has hindered development in the region. Lack of development causes other socio-economic vicious cycles. It perpetrates terrorism.

Furthermore, in contemporary world human rights have become the basis of peace. However, terrorism flaunts the concept of human rights. The very right to life remains under constant threat. It prevents emergence of consciousness of cosmopolitanism, promotes regionalism, extremism & separatism threatening world peace.

Moreover, terrorist organizations have emerged as an instrument of state foreign policy. In the present age of nuclear weapons, direct confrontation is impossible. Hence, states are using terror organizations to fulfill national interests. Noam Chomsky calls USA as the first terrorist state because of its involvement in proxy wars. For instance, the birth of ISIS, Taliban, Hezbollah etc are traced back to proxy wars of one state against another. Regarding this threat, John Gaddis says that though we have killed the python but it has given rise to multiple venomous snakes which are threatening global peace.

Furthermore, with advent of globalization, terrorism has become global. Now terror organizations raise funds globally, radicalize people at massive levels through social media. The global terror has given birth to ‘lone wolf’ attacks (eq – Boston Killings). The internet has mingled state, terrorist organization etc very intricately. The family man web series captures the essence of the deep-rooted terror origins & supports.

Moreover, after Paris attack, France held that it will use nuclear weapons against the state from where terror attack had emanated. It puts world peace under severe strain. Furthermore, there is a risk of nuclear terrorism. Some pariah states like Pakistan, North Korea can self-nuclear weapons to non-state actors putting the entire world under threat of extinction.

Additionally, when we talk about terrorism, it is not alone. It has several heads like mythical Hydra. Human trafficking, drugs menace, Arms trafficking, organized crime etc are other manifestations of terrorism. The recent refugee crisis fueled by terrorism has created social disorder worldwide xenophobia in Europe, Rohingya issue has created a security threat for India (IB report). Hence, terrorism has indeed endangered global peace.

Crushing Terrorism; Embracing Peace
Firstly, the focus of the global community should be on equitable and inclusive growth. The menaces like poverty, hunger etc which are giving birth to terrorists like Ajmal Kasab must come to an end. When people are prosperous, literate & conscious they will not get radicalized easily.

Secondly, it must be accepted that no superpower nation would be able to eliminate terrorism. There must be global cooperation at various levels. For instance, India & USA have signed multiple deals to share intelligence in order to curtail any terror attack in future.

Thirdly, the politics of good terrorists & bad terrorists must come to an end. India-sponsored CCIT must be passed in the United Nations to tame the menace of terrorism.

Fourthly, global institutions like United Nations, ICJ etc must be strengthened financially and institutionally to tackle issues of terrorism. Global players like USA, India, China, Russia etc must come together and mandate themselves to crush the menace.

Lastly, international politics must encompass ethics. Gandhiji’s principle which says that politics without ethics a ‘death-trap’ must become a guiding force. No state should be allowed to endanger global peace for narrow national interests.

Thus, world peace is essential for the evolution of our society and development of individual’s personality. The world peace has been won after long struggle should not be allowed to hold hostage this peace. Terrorism must be crushed in its all manifestations from the face of the earth. We as humans have eliminated various menaces like smallpox, polio etc. How time has come for the elimination of terrorism? Hence Victor Hugo rightly says that there is no greater force than the idea whose time has come.