An increasing number of democratically elected governments are facing an unprecedented challenge in history - the challenge of terrorism. It grips the world today in its ability to strike, at places and times of its choice, with intent to cause maximum possible damage and destruction to property, and death to innocent civilians. Terrorism is now a common problem to both the developed and developing world. The United Nations has identified terrorism as a threat to good governance, the international order and the stability of nations. Under the aegis of the UN a number of treaties have entered into force, resolutions adopted and conferences organised and specialized offices established to counter terrorism in all its manifestations. Particularly after 9/11, the international community has shown an increased resolve to develop mechanisms to counter terrorism effectively in all its manifestations.

Yet, there is no sign of the abatement of this menace. Terrorism has shown a limitless capacity for mutative growth and infiltration into a variety of fields of human endeavour in the face of attempts by democratic countries to counter it.

The theme of this Conference will be

‘Terrorism: A Challenge to Democratically
Elected Governments’

It highlighted the challenges posed to democratically elected governments by terrorist movements and discussed strategies required to counter such threats. The Conference also discussed issues such as terrorist fund raising, threats posed by terrorist networks, socio – economic costs of terrorism, international and regional responses to terrorism, the domestic dimension of terrorism, the role of the media and civil society, and the prospects for transformation of terrorists, within an ambit of adherence to democracy and human rights. Given Sri Lanka’s particular circumstances as a nation besieged by terrorism of increasing sophistication and complexity, the distinctive terrorist threats confronting Sri Lanka, a democracy with an active and articulate civil society and free media, had been a particular focus.
Within the framework laid down by the UN Task Force on Terrorism, the Conference had pursued the following objectives:

• To share experiences in counter terrorism measures adopted by democratic countries
• To strengthen the long term structural stability of democratic nation states engaged in conflict with terrorist groups
• To promote public policies aimed at growth in development and protection of human rights while combating terrorism
• To evaluate strategies that are aimed at dissuading disenchanted groups from resorting to terrorism to achieve political goals and explore ways and means of transforming terrorists to embrace non – violent methods in seeking political ends and enter mainstream democratic society.