Terrorism, Insurgency and Naxalism - a conceptual difference (series A)

Of the three G’s, viz:
· Global population increase
· Global warming
· Global terrorism,
……..the emergence of terrorism is the gravest danger which mankind faces in the 21st century and India is no exception to it.
However, one needs to keep in mind that all types of violence are not the terrorist acts. There lies a very thin line of difference among these heinous forms of crime against humanity, viz. Terrorism, Insurgency and Naxalism.

Terrorism
· It is a well thought-out and premeditated use of violence against civilians, armed personnel and the nation by some persons or groups to promote a political cause.
· It can be across the border and against one’s own or other country.
· It may or may not have the support of the local people.
· Some of these groups are:
Al Qaeda, Harakat ul-Ansar, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Jaish-e-Mohammed (Army of Mohammed), Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (Army of the Righteous), Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam etc.
http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/terrorist-groups.cfm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/world/issues/terrordata/
http://in.rediff.com/news/2003/apr/04spec.htm

Insurgency
· It is violent action or intensive agitation by a group in the form of uprising against a constitutionally formed government.
· It is confined within the national boundary and is directed against one’s own elected government.
· It is often operated with the support of a section of the local people.
· In the Indian context they were / are:
National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), Kuki National Army (KNA), Kuki National Front (KNF), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Bodoland Liberation Tiger Force (BLTF) etc.
http://news.oneindia.in/tags/insurgency+naxalism


Naxalism
· It is an ideology based violence which has created a serious law and order problem before the nation through killings, blasts, extortions and kidnappings.
· It is basically confined to the tribal belts. However the network of naxalists has widened to urban India for logistics, finance and manpower through global terrorist links.
· It has voluntary / involuntary rural support.
· In the Indian context they are:
The People’s War Group (PWG), Maoists Communist Centre (MCC) etc.
http://static.ibnlive.com/pix/sitepix/naxalite_map_india.gif
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0428/p99s01-duts.html

Infact, the involvement of foreign agencies and state sponsorship compounded by the misuse of advancement in IT has diluted the very differences among these.
These inhumane acts aim to weaken the nation and its people for its territorial division.