CHANGES ON THE TERRORISM SCENARIO: OLD AND NEW ACTORS OF TERRORISM

Colonel Chandana Wickramasinghe RWP RSP psc MA(IR)

chandanagr@gmail.com

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