EDITORIALS & ARTICLES

The scourge of terrorism is a grave challenge to national security. What solutions do you suggest to curb this growing menace? What are the major sources of terrorist funding? (UPSC MAINS GENERAL STUDIES2017)

Terrorism is a systematic use of strategy and force to threaten a population or a government for bringing about political, religious and ideological change. Terrorism has struck almost all nations of the world in form or another. India has been hit by terrorism for a long time, like, 1993 Bombay blasts, attack on Parliament in 2011, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Pathankot attacks etc.

  • State-sponsored terrorism: many nations are resorting to use of terrorism to achieve strategic or diplomatic goals.
    • It creates an environment of fear and insecurity among people.
    • It leads to increased expenditure on state security machinery diverting precious resources from social and economic development.
    • Countries struck by menace of terrorism fail to attract foreign investors and their domestic economy to faces decline.
  • Technology used: Terrorist groups such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda are becoming more sophisticated with time adopting social media, cryptocurrency, ransomware to further their agenda.

Solutions to curb the growing menace of terrorism

  • Stability in government: It is often seen that regions with unstable government become fertile ground for terrorist groups. Example Iraq came under ISIS control after the civil war in Syria.
  • Acknowledge and address the circumstances which lead to the spread of terrorism, make the best use of UN strategies of conflict prevention, negotiation, peacekeeping, promotion of dialogue among civilisations.
  • Cooperation between intelligence and security agencies of different nations,
  • Countries should agree on “UN-backed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism” as soon as possible.
  • Countries should refrain from supporting any rebel or terrorist activity or create any proxies to effect regime change in other nations.
  • Empowering and engaging with civil society and local communities can help in countering radicalization and to stop the spread of violent extremism.
  • Enhancing security presence along the international boundaries and seal the porous borders.
  • Terrorist organizations have successfully taken advantage of the Internet and social media. Hence, countering radicalization on digital media must be given priority.

Major sources of funding for terrorist activities are:

  • NGO, charities and donations collected in the name of religious appeal, coercion or fears of victimization.
  • Collaboration of terrorist groups with organised crime and arms smuggling.
  • Drug financing is also a major source of terrorism financing.
  • Counterfeiting of Indian currency not only funds terrorism but, more importantly, it is used as a tool by neighbouring states to destabilize the Indian economy.
  • Extortion is another important tool for financing terrorist activities.

Steps taken to curb terror

  • FATF – Financial Action Task Force is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering.
  • RATS – Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Terrorism is increasingly becoming a global menace for the internal security of nations. There is an urgent need for global collaboration to curb the fundamental causes giving rise to terrorism.







POSTED ON 22-03-2023 BY ADMIN
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