"Terrorism has become the most unnatural dehumanising and political destabilising phenomena in the region (South Asia)...I come from a country, which experienced the effects of terrorism for nearly three decades," she said.
The former Sri Lankan president was delivering a lecture, titled 'Reconciling Divided Societies, Building Democracy and Good Governance: Lessons from Sri Lanka' organised by Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) at its auditorium on Tuesday.
Kumaratunga said any revolution seeks radical changes in social and economic structures, and even the power structure of a country, while it enunciates a new vision and programme of action. "But, terrorists are like that radical, not revolutionaries."
Stressing the need for identifying the deep-rooted causes of terrorism, she said it is said the modern phenomena of a terrorist movement is born after frustration and disparity caused by social marginalisation, economic depravation and political alienation.
Kumaratunga suggested not only looking inequality, discrimination and disparity as economic terms, but also considering those as social, political and cultural terms to effectively deal with terrorism in a society.
Highlighting the Sri Lankan experiences in reconciling a divided society, Chandrika Kumaratunga, a member of Global Leadership Foundation, said with the birth of new independent states, different communities, even though with a state, have experienced different types of social and cultural practices and even different sub-economic systems.
The former president said the challenges of the 21st century for South Asian countries are the managing of pluralistic and multiple cultures, and accepting and celebrating diversity, not rejecting it. "We must respect and celebrate diversity," she added.
About the importance of democracy, she said all social problems will get addressed in a country if democracy is ensured.
Kumaratunga highlighted different aspects of Sri Lanka's civil war reconciliation and peace-building process and discussed her country's present state of democracy and governance as well.
BIISS chairman ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad and its director general major general AKM Abdur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
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