Some countries, like India, have struggled with the demon of terrorism for many years and have probably lost more civilians to terrorism than any other nation. But ever since our allies and we have declared "war on terrorism," the character of terrorism has changed substantially and its incidence around the world has increased tremendously.

Terrorists are now using methods of communication that are difficult to intercept. They are employing weapons that are hard for the security forces to detect. They are choosing targets that are easier for them to access. Besides, terrorists are attracting more willing recruits than ever before.

Our "war on terrorism" has led to steady encroachment upon our civil rights. Around the world, we are losing friends and making enemies.

Methods that complicate our problems rather than resolving them need to be re-examined. Also, we need to revise our strategy, as well as our philosophy, which drives it.

In this context, recommendations of the Second International Roundtable on Constructing Peace, Deconstructing Terror may be helpful to us. The conference was held June 26-27 at Brussels, Belgium, according to a press release from Semu Bhatt of the Mumbai-based think-tank Strategic Foresight Group.

Thirty-five eminent leaders from many Islamic countries as well as Europe and the Americas participated in it.

The group defined terrorist act as "any politically motivated action that is intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants, when the purpose of such an act, by its nature or context, is to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act."

They declared, "No cause or grievance, no matter how legitimate, justifies the deliberate killing of civilians and non-combatants." They recommended that all such acts must be "totally rejected" and punished in accordance with relevant international conventions and laws of the affected state.

They suggested that eradicating terror and cultivating peace require a global, multidimensional strategy.

The roundtable was of the view that religion is often "misappropriated" by individuals or groups for a violent purpose, and that it is "inappropriate and misleading" to identify any religion with terrorism.

The participants noted that often punitive and coercive measures are used exclusively to deal with terrorism. They recommended that the strategy be based on principles of justice and human dignity, and should reflect an appreciation of conditions that engender terrorism. It should include dialogue, negotiation and persuasion as well.

The participants called for a summit of world leaders to deliberate on their recommendations, labeled "The Brussels Consensus."

The Brussels roundtable was part of the Sustainable Global Security Initiative of Strategic Foresight Group (SFG). It was co-hosted by SFG and Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament and Strategic Foresight Group, in co-operation with Friedrich Naumann Stiftung.

Pritam K. Rohila of Keizer is the executive director of the Association for Communal Harmony in Asia. He can be reached at[email protected].