COLOMBO, 19 October 2007 —- Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday called for concerted international efforts to fight terrorism.
Inaugurating a three-day symposium here the minister stressed the need for all countries to enact laws to fight terrorism.
“There is a strong need for all countries to go beyond subscribing to and ratifying international conventions concerning anti-terrorism and enact legislation that can give effect to their international pledges.”
He hoped that the symposium would provide anti-terror experts a platform to share their experiences.
Delegates from 23 countries including Australia, China, France, Germany, India, Russia, South Africa and the US were present at the meet, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute headquartered in Colombo.
The conference titled Terrorism: “A challenge to Democratically Elected Governments,” would deliberate on matters pertaining to issues of terrorism during the next three days.
The conference will include sessions focusing on international and regional responses to terrorism, the domestic dimension of terrorism, terrorist fund-raising, socio-economic costs of terrorism, the role of the media and civil society along with the prospects for transformation of terrorists.
Speaking to Arab News, Bogollagama emphasized the need to eradicate the menace of terrorism in all its manifestations and noted that the forum could act as a catalyst in reaching the desired goals.
“The Sri Lankan government is on the right track and would be able to defeat terrorism. It would defeat the LTTE and restore peace in the northern part of the country,” leader of TULF V. Anandasangaree told Arab News.
Dr. Gerard Chaliand, who served as the director of European Center for the Study of Conflicts in France, delivered the keynote speech. Judge Jean Louis Bruguire from France was the special guest of honor at the inauguration ceremony.
Other principal speakers at the three-day event would include former commander of the Indian Army Gen. V.P. Malik and Head of International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research-Singapore Dr. Rohan Gunarathne.
A panel discussion on the concluding day will be chaired by Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona.
