EDITORIAL: The world should unite to avert all forms of terror

Paris, France, has again been a theatre of a terrorist attack from suspected Islamist extremists. It was another indication that violence knows no boundaries; no racial or religious beliefs. It has no known formula other than being on the alert. But more importantly, nations must come together to stop its escalation. Terror comes in different forms and has a nebulous head; cut off one and another sprouts up. Only unrelenting efforts can cope with attempts to contain it. Robust efforts, not half measures, are the only answer. As the eyes of the world are all glued towards the French capitals, other parts of the globe are also under the risk of terror, homegrown or imported. Today, terrorism is mostly regarded as the fruit of religious differences, forgetting that others are as old as terror itself. Political and ethnic differences have been at the heart of many losses of lives. Neighbouring Burundi quickly comes to mind. The fear that the simmering threats of widespread violence could explode has finally forced the world to act. It has woken out of its stupor regarding the explosive Burundi situation. This time, the UN Security Council has gone just a bit further than the usual “condemnations”. It contemplates sending in peacekeepers and taking unspecified action against political leaders who are inciting violence. That is the kind of robust response that is needed in averting the carnage of innocent people by people with warped minds. It is everyone’s hope that attention on Burundi will not be averted in favour of what is happening in Europe. They all need equal attention.

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EDITORIAL: The world should unite to avert all forms of terror