Let’s unite against terrorism, defeat ideology of hate

Saturday’s attack in London was disturbingly familiar as terrorists used vehicles as weapons, running down pedestrians. Those who managed to escape were pursued and stabbed. It is the third time terror has struck the heart of the UK in less than three months. Eight people have been killed so far, and several maimed near the British Parliament, where the rallying cry has been to make borders tighter and more secure. Such attacks often push xenophobic agendas and embolden vitriolic arguments of the far right. The populist right in the UK and across the Atlantic wasted no time in criticising the idea of an open and liberal world. US President Donald Trump tweeted: “We must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security of our people.” But is that a solution? Not really. British Prime Minister Theresa May is right in saying that the country needs to “defend British pluralistic values that are superior to anything offered by preachers and supporters of hate”. Military interventions are important. Yet, they alone cannot work. It’s no more a question of having ironclad security, or launching a counter terrorism operation that’ll prevent terrorists from attacking innocents.

To foil terrorism in the UK, and for that matter globally, governments need to come together and ensure greater cooperation on intelligence. In this virtually connected world, international efforts need be poured into strengthening cyber security. The Internet has diminished distances and allowed terrorists to spread their tentacles far and wide. No one seems safe, especially after the terror unleashed by groups like Daesh who are thriving by exploiting the vulnerabilities of economically marginalised people. From the US to Europe to Philippines in the Southeast Asia, more countries are at the receiving end. The West has been the beacon of values like tolerance, inclusion and plurality. But every new attack challenges these sets of values. It is important for world leaders now more than ever to come together and defend the values that bind them and not fall victim to divisive forces.