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Chapter 8
Winning counterinsurgency campaigns
Plenary session 5
Sunday 31 May 2009, 10.45 am
SPEAKERS
Rohitha Bogollagama
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Sri Lanka
Antonio C. Santos, Jr
Undersecretary for Defense Affairs,
Philippines
Lieutentant-General (Retd)
Syed Athar Ali
Secretary of Defence, Pakistan
Major-General Aye Myint
Deputy Minister of Defence,
Myanmar
Plenary session 5
Winning counter-insurgency campaigns
The Fifth Plenary Session focused on four par-
a ceasefire in the latter stages of the conflict,
ticular examples of dealing with insurgency.
this would have provided a lifeline to the ter-
Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Foreign
rorists, which the government consciously
Affairs, Sri Lanka, described the history of the
wished to avoid. But, although the LTTE had
terrorist campaign of the Liberation Tigers of
been defeated militarily, its international net-
Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which had lasted some
work remained largely intact, with political
25 years and caused thousands of deaths,
lobbies in certain capitals. He called on the
including of political leaders in Sri Lanka
international community’s help to eliminate
and India. The UN estimated that some 7,500
this global network. The way forward would
child soldiers had been conscripted during
entail reconciliation and a political process:
2002–05. Since July 2006 over 6,200 Sri Lankan
a presidential task force for resettlement,
security personnel had been killed and nearly
development and security of the northern
32,000 injured. The minister maintained that
province had been established together with
the welfare of some 280,000 displaced civil-
a roadmap which outlined the devolution
ians was one of the government’s highest
of power to regions as provided for in Sri
priorities. Although there had been calls for
Lanka’s constitution.
Rohitha Bogollagama,
Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Sri Lanka
66
The Shangri-La Dialogue
Antonio C. Santos,
Jr, Undersecretary
for Defense Affairs,
Department of
National Defense,
Philippines
Antonio C. Santos spoke on behalf of
within the framework of national laws, with
the Secretary for National Defense of the
the aim of changing these laws where neces-
Philippines, Gilberto Teodoro. He sug-
sary. Insurgents should not be regarded as
gested that insurgency in the Philippines
equals of government; they should first be
was both a reflection and a cause of the diffi-
disarmed. But the state intended to pursue
culties facing a country composed of several
its obligation to engage in dialogue with
ethno-linguistic national groups as it tried
those who were willing to pursue a negoti-
to develop its statehood. It was not, how-
ated political settlement.
ever, sufficient to win hearts and minds.
Lieutenant-General (Retd) Syed Athar
The government had to impose a structural
Ali presented a comprehensive perspective
and institutional political order within its
on the military campaign in Afghanistan and
own legal systems and, in doing so, assert
in Pakistan’s border areas. He drew a distinc-
its legitimate authority. ‘The use of armed
tion between terrorism, which needed to be
force against government by insurgents
confronted with military force, and extrem-
has to be addressed through a more pow-
ism, which, since it derived from political
erful response.’ In the Philippines, the
alienation and deprivation, needed a totally
New People’s Army, while professing a
different strategy. It was a misperception that
communist ideology, engaged in criminal
Pakistan was the source of the current prob-
activities and extortion and harmed the
lems. Actually, turbulence in Afghanistan
public. Nonetheless, insurgency could not
had trickled into Pakistan in the aftermath of
be addressed solely by means of armed
the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, creat-
operations but should also involve politi-
ing unrest and internal instability in Pakistan.
cal and economic programmes. And there
Solutions had to be sought in Afghanistan
should be channels for political dialogue,
itself. Pakistan’s sovereignty would be safe-
Plenary session 5
67
Lieutenant-General
(Retd) Syed Athar Ali,
Secretary of Defence,
Pakistan
68
guarded and its territory should not be
sions and decision-making about the future
used for attacks on other countries. All for-
of Afghanistan.
eign fighters would be expelled. Measures
Major-General Aye Myint described the
employed included de-weaponisation, reform
current situation in Myanmar. The govern-
of madrassas, immigration controls and the
ment had invited armed insurgent groups
proscription of jihadi organisations. The mil-
to exchange arms for peace. A total of 17 out
itary objectives were to re-establish the right
of 18 armed insurgent groups had done so,
of the state against militant attempts to estab-
with the exception of the Karen National
lish Taliban-style rule; to limit movement of
Union (KNU). Peace now prevailed through-
militants across the Pakistan border; and to
out the country. As a result the government
eliminate hardcore militants with minimum
was implementing projects to promote
collateral damage. So far Pakistan was trying
political, economic and social development,
on its own to manage three million internally
particularly in distant border areas. As part
displaced persons from Swat and adjoining
of a seven-step roadmap, after five meetings
areas, together with almost three million for-
of the national convention between 2004 and
eign refugees who had been in Pakistan for
2007 and the adoption of basic principles
the last 25 years. In respect of Afghanistan,
for the state constitution, the ensuing draft
its government, army and police should
was approved in May 2008 by 92.48% of the
include all ethnic groups. Afghanistan could
voters. An election law was currently in prep-
not be stabilised unless the issue of Pashtun
aration. Political parties would be allowed
alienation was addressed. NATO and ISAF
to be registered. Elections would be held in
should revert to their original mandate of
2010. There was no doubt that Aung San Suu
winning hearts and minds in Afghanistan.
Kyi had ‘committed a cover-up of the truth
Pakistan needed to be involved in all discus-
by her failure to report an illegal immigrant
The Shangri-La Dialogue
Major-General
Aye Myint, Deputy
Minister of Defence,
Myanmar
to the authorities concerned’. The police had
Ambassador Rajiv Sikri, former Sec-
filed a lawsuit against Aung San Suu Kyi in
retary, Ministry of External Affairs, India,
order to safeguard the state against the dan-
suggested re-linking Afghanistan economi-
gers of those desiring to cause subversive
cally to India by means of overland transit
acts. This was an internal affair of Myanmar.
facilities between Afghanistan and India, and
Countries should refrain from interfering.
that Pakistan and India should work together
in Afghanistan.
Questions and answers
Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Execu-
Gareth Evans, President and CEO of the
tive Director, Centre for Peace Alternatives,
International Crisis Group, expressed concern
Sri Lanka, enquired about possible action to
about possible multiple breaches of humani-
deal with the effects of counter-insurgency
tarian law during Sri Lanka’s campaign and
operations in Sri Lanka on human rights and
enquired whether the government would
governance.
establish an independent commission of
Salma Malik, Department of Defence and
enquiry and ensure that the previous commis-
Strategic Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University,
sions of enquiry would be allowed to complete
Pakistan, asked whether the government of
their processes in an independent way.
Sri Lanka had established a framework for
Dr Dana Allin, IISS Senior Fellow for US
post-conflict reintegration and rehabilitation
Foreign Policy and Transatlantic Affairs, and
and whether international actors would be
Editor, Survival, asked the Pakistan Secretary
involved. She also asked how Pakistan was
of Defence whether it was really the case
responding to India’s insistence upon greater
that there was no connection between the
anti-terrorist measures.
instability in Pakistan and the problems in
Afghanistan.
In response, Ali recalled that the
problems dated back to the Soviet inva-
Plenary session 5
69
(l–r): Dr Dana Allin,
IISS; and Ambassador
Rajiv Sikri, former
Secretary, Ministry of
External Affairs, India
(l–r): Dr Paikiasothy
Saravanamuttu, Centre
for Peace Alternatives,
Sri Lanka; and Salma
Malik, Quaid-i-Azam
University, Pakistan
sion of Afghanistan when Pakistan and
and India could cooperate, but Pakistan
Afghanistan together trained, equipped
must be included.
and helped in the execution of jihad
70
Bogollagama emphasised that the rec-
against the Soviet Union. At that time
onciliation
al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden were fund-
concerns of the civilian population through
ing, assisting and equipping the Taliban
a consultation process. The current enquir-
in consultation with the US authorities.
ies would provide their results very soon;
Subsequently the bigger actors abandoned
the investigative process was over and the
Afghanistan and the whole society became
judges were engaged. There had been great
destabilised. After 11 September 2001,
improvements in Sri Lanka’s legal system.
fighters fled to the border region between
The government intended to ensure that the
Afghanistan and Pakistan, so the problem
rule of law applied in all parts of Sri Lanka,
lay in Afghanistan. As regards India, it was
which had been hindered by the presence of
helping to rebuild Afghanistan. Pakistan
the LTTE. 
The Shangri-La Dialogue
process
would
address
the