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Insurgency Module - VI
Insurgency and
Terrorism
21
Note
INSURGENCY
You will now learn about threats faced in the form of insurgency and terrorism by a
nation. You have learnt how people came together to form communities, janapadas
and how they chose a king and made armies. In modern days, instead of a king there
are Governments who make laws and policies for the welfare of the people. Within
this community that we live in there are people who don't like the way a government
works or the laws made. They form a group and rebel against it. This act of protest
usually starts peacefully like "Andolans" but can take violent forms if the demands are
not met. You know of the Satyagraha Andolan started by Gandhiji for independence.
That was a peaceful protest asking the British to leave India.
Ever since our nation's independence in 1947, we have faced numerous external and
internal threats. A number of small groups in the NE states of India started a rebellion
to have a separate country for themselves. Such movement became violent and they
took to arms to achieve their demands & aspirations. This action by a few people
acting against a nation and its government is called insurgency.
In ths lesson we will learn what is insurgency and how it has affected our country. The
measures that the Government takes to counter the insurgency and how the army gets
involved to stop it. You will also learn the difference between Insurgency and Terrorism.
Objectives
After studying this lesson you will be able to:-
differentiate between insurgency and terrorism;
describe the insurgency in World and India
explain the causes of insurgency and
list the counter insurgency measures to be taken by a country.
21.1Insurgency and Terrorism
Insurgencies and Terrorism are sometimes used interchangbly. However, there is lot of
difference between the two. Terrorism is a comparatively new phenomenon and it is
used to terrorise the population to support the cause of terrorists. Where as, insugency
has a specified political aim and ideology, usually atleast in the begining.
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MILITARY HISTORY 77
