1

JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

Stellah Awino Wesonga

HDC222-0328/2020

Bsc. Development Studies

Relief and Disaster Management

HDS 2403

Ms. Jackline Nziga

Discuss Terrorism as a Modern Day Disaster, the Places Mots Affected, and How to

overcome it
 2

Introduction

Terrorism is regarded as one of the most significant challenges facing the world today.

The phenomenon has caused widespread panic and fear in many parts of the world, leading to

significant loss of life, damage to property, and economic disruption. The actions of terrorists

have disrupted the daily lives of people in societies affected by the phenomenon. Despite the

widespread awareness of terrorism, the world appears unable to fully address the problem.

Terrorism is the systematic use of terror through suppressing and oppressing a country, whether

is be economically, physically, mentally, or politically (UNODC, 2018). But the spread of

terrorism is the most frightening of all. Be it in the small countries like Ireland and Israel, or in

the big ones like Russia and USA, terrorism has become the main challenge to most of the

governments today. Therefore, it is important to analyze terrorism as a modern-day disaster and

how it affects society, the places most affected, and how to overcome it by researching and

looking at different case studies to analyze how different countries and regions have attempted to

tackle this significant issue.

Definition of Terrorism

Terrorism is typically defined as the use of violence by individuals, groups, or

organizations with the intention of causing harm to civilians or government officials to achieve

political or ideological goals. Terrorism is a form of asymmetrical warfare that relies on fear and

intimidation to achieve strategic objectives. The use of terrorism as a means to achieve political

ends is often motivated by issues of power, identity, and ideology. Terrorist groups are often

characterized by their ability to operate outside the law and their use of methods such as

bombings, kidnappings, and assassinations (UNODC, 2009). Terrorists are very specific for what

they want. Terrorists mean to frighten and scare a crowd, such as a rival religious group or an
 3

entire countries political control. They know no friends and recognize no rules. Although

explosions and stray shooting are terrorist acts, flight hijacking has become their most preferred

target of spreading terror among countries. Previously it was assumed that terrorism in India

would be limited to Kashmir only. But this belief has been proved baseless, as terrorism has

nearly spread all over India.

Terrorism is usually caused by three things: political causes that creates panic on a large

scale, ethical causes that create religious struggles, or economical causes that cause the countries

employees and workers to suffer. For example political causes lead to the failure of the

government to control large-scale illegal immigration of Muslims from Bangladesh, to fulfill the

demand of economic benefits for the sons and daughters of the soil (Department of Homeland

Security, 2019). An example of ethical causes are those who want independence, project their

struggle as a separatist one, those wanting a merger with Pakistan project it as a religious

struggle. An example of economical causes is when the absence of land reforms, rural

unemployment, or exploitation of landless laborers by landlords.

Places Most Affected by Terrorism

Terrorism is a worldwide problem and by now, the governments throughout the world are

realizing that terrorism is a serious threat to deal with. They believe in the power of bombs and

guns over dialogue. Terrorist acts are well planned, and every terrorist acts usually takes days

and even months of preparation. Terrorist are usually young, but the brains behind them are old,

seasoned politicians. Terrorists mostly recruit younger people in their group because it is easy to

brainwash them. Freedom is the right to every individual, and our freedom is taken from us when

terrorism strikes.
 4

Terrorism is a global phenomenon affecting different regions of the world. However,

some places are more affected than others. The Middle East and North Africa have recorded the

highest number of terrorist attacks globally. Countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and

Syria have experienced frequent terrorism incidents in the past few decades (UNODC, 2018).

Terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS have been particularly active in these regions,

carrying out attacks on government facilities, military bases, and public places. Parts of Africa,

including countries like Kenya and Nigeria, have also been affected by acts of terrorism that

have targeted civilians, schools, churches, and other public places (Solomon, 2015). European

countries like France and the United Kingdom's capital, London, have also experienced several

terrorism incidents, resulting in fatalities and economic disruption.

In the recent years, USA was shocked when Afghanistan-based terrorist organizations

attacked on it. On September 11, 2001 a disaster took place in the New York City when two

hijacked planes were flown straight into the World Trade Centre. 6000 people were killed. The

bombing of the World Trade Centre is one of the most deadly terrorist episodes in the world.

This violent act of terrorism was mastermind by Al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden (Department

of Homeland Security, 2019). After this attack, many challenges took place in front of us, like

the old security systems were replaced by new and more complicated and expensive security

systems in airports. In India, government developed many security measures like making more

strict laws like POTA – Prevention of Terrorist activity Act, cracking down on their centers and

keeping an eye from where terrorist receive money. POTA is an anti-terrorism legislation

enacted by the Parliament of India in 2002. This act replaced the Prevention of Terrorism

Ordinance (POTO) of 2001 (Department of Homeland Security, 2019). There measures hardly

had any effect. These security measures had no effect on political terrorism but they had
 5

decreased criminal terrorism by ten percent. Due to these risks from terrorism, the security at

various places like airports, railway stations and government offices are kept more tightened.

One of the most recent attacks we have had is the Boston Marathon bombings. During the

Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, two pressure cooker bombs exploded at 2:49 pm, killing 3

people and injuring an estimated 264 others. The bombs exploded about 13 seconds and 210

yards apart, near the finish line on Boylston Street (Koehler, 2019). Although this is not as big of

an attack as the Bombay Bombings or 9/11, it is one that has changed many lives. One man said

the brothers were motivated by extremist Islamist beliefs and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,

and that they were self-radicalized and unconnected to any outside terrorist groups. This shows

us that whether it is a big attack, small attack, or a huge attack, an attack is an attack and we must

stop it. After this attack took place, not just America but worldwide security measures were

increased tremendously.

Effects of Terrorism

The impact of terrorism on society is far-reaching and broad. Loss of life, physical injury,

property damage, and economic disruption are some of the direct impacts of terrorism. However,

the psychological effects of terrorism are more far-reaching and long-lasting. Fear, anxiety, and

uncertainty are some of the feelings that result from the fear of future attacks. Terrorism also

destroys the social fabric of society and disrupts daily life (Solomon, 2015). The psychological

consequences of terrorism are often more severe than the direct physical consequences of the

attacks. After a terrorist attack, people may feel anxious, afraid, and helpless, which can lead to

severe health problems such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Social cohesion may

also become an issue after a terrorist attack, as people may feel more mistrustful, suspicious, and

isolated from each other.

 6

Through out the history we are familiar with the term terrorism but a global rebirth of

attacks is being expressed in the world today. Terrorism not only ends its existence within a

small society but also the whole world is becoming familiar with the Arab & Muslim names. It’s

a kind of torture on the country on the basis of its deed. Terrorism results in discriminate killing

of human lives for motives. Buildings and shops are blown up (UNDOC, 2009). Many innocent

people lose their lives and many more loss their limbs. It has become a global panic. Terrorism

takes people a step back in their civilized life. We generally say that it makes a great loss of lives

but the real effect is that it results in the death of a country. These attacks also weaken the

confidence in the government and the political leadership of the target country, which can cause

the laws to become stricter.

Overcoming Terrorism

It takes months and sometimes years for the government to demolish a terrorist group.

The best example for this can be the operation Neptune Sphere. It took months of planning and

investigation for the U.S.A. to kill Osama. Finally on May 2, 2011 at night in Pakistan he was

dead shot. The plan of this operation was not shared with Pakistan’s government. In many cases,

the leader of a terrorist group was once in favor of that country. For example- Osama Bin Laden

who was once promoted by the U.S.A. against Russia later became the greatest threat to the

U.S.A. Governments and civil society must work together to overcome terrorism (Department f

Homeland Security, 2019). International cooperation is a critical aspect of the fight against

terrorism. Countries must work together to share intelligence, improve border security, and

exchange information to track down terrorists and their financiers. Education and awareness

programs aimed at changing beliefs and attitudes that promote terrorism should be implemented
 7

in schools and other organizations. Education programs should also help young people

understand their religious beliefs and condemn violence.

Some actions we need to take against terrorism are, instead of politicizing, all parties of

government should work towards terrorism, and there should be no blaming anyone. The hardest

possible actions should be taken against terrorism. Another action we can take is prevention. We

need to strength our intelligence services, police forces, and well trained military, army, marines,

and so on. We should have a proper security plan in place and there should be routine check ups.

There should be proper coordination and government should take equal actions on terror. Not

necessarily terror against terror, but if there is terror, we should work together to find the terrorist

and punish the individual or group, not their entire country or religion (UNODC, 2018). To

overcome the issue of terrorism, besides international cooperation and education, it is essential to

address the root causes of the problem. Poverty, political instability, and lack of social and

economic opportunities are factors that contribute to terrorism's rise. Building strong institutions,

promoting social cohesion, and fostering economic development can help create a stable and

secure environment. Job creation and entrepreneurship programs can provide alternative

opportunities to potential recruits in

The fight against terrorism has been ongoing, and different countries have responded to

this threat in different ways. Israel, for example, is known for its stringent security measures,

including checkpoints, surveillance cameras, and highly-trained security personnel. As a result, it

has been relatively successful in preventing terrorist attacks. In contrast, the US has focused on

intelligence-gathering and military intervention, with mixed results. This includes the use of

drones in Yemen and Pakistan, which have led to the deaths of both terrorists and civilians. The

UK has also faced a significant threat from terrorism in recent years, with the Manchester Arena
 8

bombing in 2017 killing 22 people (Koehler, 2019). In response, the government has increased

police presence and invested in anti-terrorism measures such as CCTV surveillance and cyber

security. However, some measures such as the Investigatory Powers Act, which allows

intelligence agencies to intercept electronic communications, have led to concerns about civil

liberties violations.

Conclusion

Terrorism is a modern-day disaster that affects society in various ways, including

psychological trauma, economic damage, and loss of life. The impact is felt in specific locations

more than others, including the Middle East, Europe, and even the US. Efforts to tackle terrorism

must be a priority, but different countries and regions have different strategies. While some have

invested in security measures, others have focused on military intervention or intelligence

gathering. As the fight against terrorism continues, it is vital to balance security with ensuring

that fundamental human rights and civil liberties are respected.

 9

References

Department of Homeland Security. (2019). Department of Homeland Security Strategic

Framework for Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence. Homeland

Security. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/19_0920_plcy_strategic-

framework-countering-terrorism-targeted-violence.pdf

Koehler, D. (2019). Violence and terrorism from the far-right: Policy options to counter an

elusive threat (pp. 1-21). ICCT Policy Brief, 2019. The Hague: International Centre for

Counter-Terrorism.

Solomon, H. (2015). Terrorism and Counter-terrorism in Africa: Fighting Insurgency from Al

Shabab, Ansar Dine and Boko Haram (pp. 1-19). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

UNODC. (2009). Frequently Asked Questions on International Law Aspects of Countering

Terrorism. United Nations Office on Drugs and

Crime. https://www.unodc.org/documents/terrorism/Publications/FAQ/English.pdf

UNODC. (2018). Introduction to International Terrorism. United Nations Office on Drugs and

Crime. https://www.unodc.org/documents/e4j/18-

04932_CT_Mod_01_ebook_FINALpdf.pdf