While Pakistan and the Philippines are members of the US-led coalition against international terrorism, both are also confronted by extremist violence at home, though of different varieties. The issue, therefore, figured prominently during General Pervez Musharraf's visit to Manila. Addressing the Philippines Congress on Tuesday, he said that terrorism poses a threat to modern societies, and that it has to be confronted with force.
Since the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has been engaged in a bloody fight with Manila for the establishment of a separate homeland for the Muslims of southern Philippines, and some of its activist have also been employing mindless violence against civilians, General Musharraf's words must have fallen on very receptive Philipino ears.
But what he said is even more relevant to our own situation. Terrorism poses a serious threat to peace and security of this country. Extremist elements in the northern areas have been challenging the writ of the state. For several years now, sectarian terrorists have been regularly killing innocent people, including small children. Others have murdered French and Chinese engineers and experts who had been helping this country build important defence and development projects.
They have also been responsible for launching at least three assassination attempts on the life of the President, and one suicide bombing against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz during his election campaign. Luckily, the two leaders escaped unhurt, but dozens of bystanders lost their lives. The unfortunate truth is that no one is safe from the hate-filled agendas of extremist elements.
Anyone can happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, to the peril of life or limb. The government must not hesitate to employ its full force to provide safety and security to the people against senseless violence perpetrated by extremists of different hues.
So far as the wider problem of international terrorism is concerned, the President rightly noted that the fight against terrorism should aim not only at addressing visible manifestations of the menace but also its root causes. In this regard, he reiterated his fair stance that while Muslim nations need to "do more to reject extremism and intolerance, and promote socio-economic development" the Western nations have to help settle long-standing political disputes "that have caused so much pain in the Muslim world." It is important that all these factors that contribute to the spread of extremism must be addressed simultaneously.
The governments of Muslim countries must make conscious efforts to discourage extremism and intolerance, and also address the problem of poverty for the sake of peace and progress of their own societies. For their part, the Western nations must play their role in the resolution of political disputes. As it is, Western political and media leaders tend to present the whole issue in a single dimensional perspective of poverty, conveniently ignoring the political disputes that are at the root of the spectre of terrorism.
True, poverty provides a fertile recruitment ground to those pursing violence as an instrument for the achievement of political ends. But the credentials of a number of alleged terrorists incarcerated in western prisons amply show that most of them are well-educated individuals from relatively affluent backgrounds, not jobless poor looking for something to do. Just resolution of outstanding disputes involving Muslims can take away the causes for which such people are willing to kill or be killed.
In fact, Pakistan itself has set a good example in this regard. It has played a leading role under the OIC auspices to initiate peace talks between Manila and the Moro Liberation Front, paving the way for the two sides to start peace negotiations and a two-year cease-fire agreement.
According to reports, the Moro fighters have requested President Musharraf to send a Pakistani contingent to help the cease-fire monitors currently headed by Malaysia. His country having acted as an even-handed intermediary President Musharraf was able to urge the Muslims - of course to a resounding applause from Congress members - to "shun the path of confrontation, to suppress extremism" and also to tell the government to respect the rights of the Muslims.
If only the Western countries, especially the US, could adopt such an even-handed approach in the resolution of simmering international disputes involving Muslims that would prove to be lot more effective in combating terrorism than military assaults, immigration restrictions, and curbing of civil liberties.