Round The World

New Delhi, 23 September 2008

Combating Terror

PAK-INDIA-KABUL MUST COOPERATE

By Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra

School of International Studies, JNU

Pakistan, long considered the epicenter of international terrorist training, has tragically itself become a battleground of terrorism. The Marriott Hotel bombing that killed over 50 and wounded more than 100 people has been described by some analysts as Pakistan's 9/11. While certainly it is much less spectacular and stunning than the terrorist attacks on America's World Trade Centre, it heralds in a new era of uncertainty, instability and chaos in Pakistan.

Remember, it was not the first time that terrorists attacked this hotel.About five years ago Al Qaeda had attacked the Marriott Hotel in Mega Kuningan, Djakarta, capital of Indonesia. A suicide bomber detonated a car bomb outside the hotel’s lobby and killed a dozen and injured about 150 people. All those killed were Indonesians with the exception of a Dutch businessman, a Dane, and two Chinese tourists. The hotel represented a Western symbol, and had been used by the US Embassy for various events. The Marriott in Islamabad also was popular among international tourists and was popular with US officials for various events.

The bombing in Islamabad is a challenge to Pakistan's nascent democracy. It is a reminder to foreign dignitaries and upper class international travelers of the danger of visiting Pakistan. If a hotel close to the Prime Minister's residence, the National Assembly and high profile embassies is unsafe, which other area in that country would be secure? Besides, it is a sneer at the US efforts to rid Pakistan of terrorism through military adventures.

Of significance is the death of the Czech Ambassador in the bombing and that even before the dust settled the Afghanistan Ambassador-designate was kidnapped by terrorists in Peshawar. Add to the list, another unprecedented event in Pakistan and one which had never happened before in South Asia. About 300 school children were taken hostage by alleged suicide bombers in Dir district of the North West Frontier Province. The area is close to the notorious Taliban activities in Swat valley, where the Pakistani Taliban reportedly burnt down about 100 girls' schools to prevent the girl child from receiving education.

The last time we heard of such repulsive terrorist activities in our extended neighbourhood was in Chechnya. A fierce gun battle between the Russian forces and the terrorists, however, helped end the hostage crisis. The NWFP incident is truly alarming as it has happened in South Asia. In fact, after Pakistan a similar incidence could well take place in India, or Sri Lanka or Nepal or even Bangladesh. There are hundreds of thousands of schools in the region and if terrorists or even ordinary criminals in the guise of militants begin to pick on such soft targets, hell will break loose for sure.

What is bizarre is that the terrorists are able to scare people from going to the markets to shop, from visiting places of worships to offer prayer, from travelling by bus, train and metro transit systems. If they can now also disrupt educational institutions, it is guaranteed that South Asia will catapult itself back into the Stone Age. Schools, colleges and universities are open places and are easy targets of attack. If places of worship are not spared, who then can protect the temples of knowledge?

Importantly, at their age, students are vulnerable to propaganda, brain washing, blackmail and even allurements. Before terror spreads into educational institutions, both the Government and the civil society need to develop a blueprint for preventive action. Today Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh—six out of eight members of SARRC have been witnessing a tremendous rise in terrorist activities.

International agreements, intelligence efforts and police actions have proven highly ineffective. In the case of Afghanistan, international military action against the Taliban and other terrorist outfits has produced no tangible positive outcome. To the contrary, counter-terrorist operations by the United States have spread to the Pakistani side of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

It is doubtful if the US or NATO military action against terror elements in Pakistan would be any better in tackling terror in this region. It has the potential for further alienating the people and additional expansion of terrorist groupings. All said and done, the US is no longer fighting terrorism at home. Its Homeland Security Department has achieved the distinction of preventing another terrorist attacks of the 9/11 variety.

But while expanding combing operations in other parts of the world, it is essential that local implications of such operations are kept in mind and factored into decision-making. Ideally, no country should have any objection to anti-terror campaigns by another State. Every country should rather extend a helping hand. But the issues are more complicated than what meets the eyes.

The Pakistani Government is unable to extend its support to the US operations in Pakistani territory. There are limits to the US-Pakistan anti-terror alliance. It is more visible now than ever before. And, the recent Marriott Hotel bombing is undoubtedly a response to this anti-terror alliance. The timing makes it crystal clear.

Such events in Pakistan have obvious implications on India. The latter itself has been a victim of terrorism for decades. The moot question is: Will Pakistan be now more serious in extending a cooperative hand to India in tackling terror? The bilateral mechanism idea, broached in the recent past, needs to be energized. ISI of Pakistan should also be reminded that while terrorism it promoted abroad may have been far too easy and caused misery to others, preventing terrorism at home is so much difficult.

The top leadership of ISI requires serious soul searching. After all, the US has repented for its follies in Afghanistan committed during anti-Soviet war. The ISI needs to repent and atone for its sins. The need of the hour is for Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to join hands in tackling terror. And the new beginning of such trilateral cooperation can come only through reforms in the ISI. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)