World of Philosophy

SR No.: 007005
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 1002
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

Page 435

SAARC. The year 1991 and the Colombo declaration were of significance to the region. Sri Lanka President Ranasinghe Premadasa, whose Nation badly hit by LTTE terrorism focused on the danger posed to the region by terrorism in the respective member states. Thus all the Heads of states or the governments expressed serious concern on the spread of terrorism in the region, that affecting the security and stability of all member states and unequivocally condemned such acts, methods and practices of terrorism. They recognized that cooperation among SAARC nations was vital if terrorism was to be prevented and eliminated from the region. In this regard they urged the member states to take all necessary measures to give full effect to their obligations under the SAARC regional convention on suppression of terrorism. They stressed in particular, the urgent need for expeditious enactment of enabling legislation by those member states which had not yet done so, for the implementation of convention and the need for a constant dialogue and interaction among the concerned agencies of member states, including the submission of periodic recommendations to the council of ministers. The leaders of the seven nations of SAARC who met in Dhaka in 1993 for the seventh summit stressed the need to give high priority to the enactment of enabling legislation at the national level to give to the SAARC convention of the suppression of terrorism urging all members states to make every effort to finalize the matter before the eighth SAARC summit. The eighth summit was held in New Delhi (May 2-4), 1995. Though two years lapsed after expressing grave concern calling for the urgent enactment of the convention for suppression of terrorism, all member states appeared to have overlooked that the urgent call made by the leaders at the previous summit. Once again at the New Delhi summit, the leaders called for the urgent need to have it done. All leaders were aware of the growing menace of terrorism in the region which had claimed the lives of a Pakistani President, an Indian Prime minister and also the Sri Lankan President who represented their respective nations at SAARC summits. They were also aware of the threat posed on all incumbent leaders of SAARC nation as a result of terrorism. In the tenth SAARC summit, all leaders once again stressed the need to observe and implement the SAARC Regional convention for the suppression of terrorism. In the eleventh summit, all leaders reiterated their support to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 of September 28, 2001 and affirmed their determination to redouble efforts, to collectively as well as individually to prevent and suppress terrorism in all its forms. All declarations issued and conventions signed should not be allowed to look dormant. It is an urgent and appropriate that SAARC should adopt a practical system to address urgent issues confronted by member states if all eight nations are to uphold the policy of peace in the region. No member or the state should turn a blind eye when the security of another member state is threatened by terrorism. The SAARC convention of terrorism, should not be confined to the cupboard. There is an urgent need to transform the South Asian region into a zone of
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