VIOLENT EXTREMISM

Global Impact
❖ Millions of people have been killed, disabled, displaced, widowed and orphaned as a result of
acts of violent extremism.
❖ An entire generation is at risk of unemployment and social exclusion.
❖ The intolerance toward minority groups is on the rise in many countries and there is growing
insecurity and fear among them.
Internal (Sri Lanka) Impact
❖ Extremism has become part of one’s belief system when it is not checked, condemned and
disapproved by family, the larger community and the state itself which will definitely be difficult in
countering it due to common acceptance in the country.
❖ Extremism will cause to mass religious separatism, ethnic violence, sectarian and political
unrest in the country.
❖ At the same time, cultural intolerance will divide once united communities on the narrow lines
of sectarianism, religion, ethnicity and language.
❖ So that, communities that have been living together peaceably, sharing religious and cultural
festivals and supporting each other in time of sorrow and joy, now live under the shadow of doubt and
suspicion of each other.
❖ People who have been living in an uncertain situation due to the regular occurrence of violent
extremism, will develop fear of everything and internalize suffering.
❖ So that, it can lead to a psychological sickness, mental breakdown and loss of confidence.
❖ Increase the chance of developing PTSD and depression of citizen.
❖ The economic impact of extremism is the closure of many businesses in the affected areas.
❖ So that, it results in an increase in poverty, unemployment and various types of crimes.
❖ Extremism also has a devastating impact on women’s mobility, social protection and services.
❖ Many women are left as heads of households and a significant number as widows.
❖ The loss of loved ones also has a psychological and social impact on these women.
❖ Young women face greater isolation as their mobility in many places have been restricted,
affecting their access to education and employment opportunities.
Regional Impact
❖ Due to widespread religious, ethnic and sectarian intolerance, people have less heterogeneous
peer groups, they are more critical of others’ behaviour and faith, and they do not feel free to express
themselves because of the fear of negative consequences which will exploit by the extremism group
for violence act in the region.
❖ Massive displacement of people from their area of origin to other places, as a result of incidents
of extremism, is changing the fabric of society and it is undermining traditional coexistence.
❖ There may be some positive changes. like, some communities may be developed a strong
resilience against the ideology of hate, suspicion and exclusion by lessons learnt in the region.
❖ Further they may be formed effective regional structures and mechanisms to create social
cohesion and intra-faith harmony.
❖ Education institutions may be introduced the Inclusive Peace Curriculum to teach the value of
tolerance, pluralism and peaceful coexistence.
 RECOMMENDATIONS
Short Term Recommendations
▪ The current constitutional reform process should give greater attention to ensure constitutional
safeguards that protect and promote historical, cultural multiplicity, fostering equal constitutional
guarantees to all religions and cultural values.
▪ There is a crucial need in the post war context to create a common identity among all segments
of this country.
▪ Robust measures are needed to effectively implement ongoing civic education subjects in
schools.
▪ Effective monitoring, assessment and follow up are needed to make a meaningful change
through civic education which is an important subject to nurture a culture of respect for human rights,
democracy, diversity, pluralism and peace.
▪ The government should take necessary action to strengthen the independent functioning of state
bureaucrats, law enforcement authorities, and the judiciary.
▪ The authorities should review, redefine and resolve the age-old social exclusion and the
intentional or unintentional structural discrimination in institutional frameworks at all levels towards
preventing violent extremism.
▪ Public institutions and officials should uphold the key principles of the quality of government
such as impartiality, fairness, equality before law and accountability in exercising public power and
taking decisions that affect citizens of this country. Such a mindset should be inculcated among public
officials.
▪ Authorities should pay careful attention to the composition of specific public institutions that
are mandated to take decisions affecting the multi-cultural sentimentalities of people.
▪ Minority representation in civil service should not be symbolic, rather it should be active and
provide for proportionate representation which will increase the legitimacy over government decisions
and increase trust in government on the part of minorities.
▪ There is no proper mechanism in place to effectively regulate social media which currently
provides substantial avenues for promoting violent extremism so that there is an urgent need to address
this shortfall.
Medium Term Recommendations
o Establishing an independent "National Reconciliation Commission."
o Should initiate a program to inculcate the significance of embracing own and other religions'
genuine and spiritual meanings.
o Primary and secondary education sector reforms are needed to include appropriate subjects or
integrations into an existing subject/s that will build the knowledge and understanding of diverse ethnic
and religious cultures.
o The government should take necessary action to evaluate the socio-economic and
psychological impact, and cost of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act and
regulations thereunder and abolish the implementation of inappropriate provisions so as to foster
national cohesion and co-existence.
Long Term Recommendations
o Implementation of substantial recommendations made by the LLRC in relation to peace and
reconciliation.
o Key stakeholders on Preventing Violent Extremism in the Sri Lankan context must also make
a shift in addressing the roots and causes of violent extremism rather than an approach such as
countering terrorism.