Government of India. Second Administrative Reforms Commission
Combating terrorism: protecting by righteousness
- New Delhi Second Administrative Reforms Commission 2008
- 185p.
This is the Eighth Report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) which deals with the menace of terrorism and how India's legal and administrative framework can be refurbished to tackle it.
The nature of terrorism today is shifting from "traditional international terrorism of the late 20 century into a new form of transnational non-state warfare." An arc of extremism now extends across the Middle East and touches countries far outside that region including India. To defeat it, an alliance of moderation has to be carved out, one that points to visions for the future in which Hindu, Muslim, Jew and Christian, Arab and Western; wealthy and developing nations can make progress in peace and harmony. We will not be able to win the battle against global extremism unless we can win it at the level of values as much as force and unless we can show that we are fair, even-handed and just in our application of those values to the world.
This is a completely unconventional type of war. Several attacks in India, 9/11 in the US, 7/7 in the UK, 11/3 in Madrid, the countless terrorist attacks in countries as disparate as Indonesia or Algeria, what is now happening in Afghanistan and in Indonesia, the continuing conflict in Lebanon and Palestine, these are all symptoms of this disease. The underlying causes have to be confronted at the level of ideologies and values. What are the values that will govern the future of the world? Are they those of tolerance, freedom, respect for difference and diversity or those of reaction, division and hatred? This unconventional war can not be won in a conventional way. It can only be won by. showing that our values are stronger, better and more just, more fair and more humane than the alternative.