Counter-terrorism experts confab at Shangri-La

The first Counter-Terrorism Experts' Conference will definitely be held at the Shangri-la Mactan Island Resort and Spa on April 20-22.

Ambassador Benjamin Defensor, Jr., chairman of the CTEC Task Force, in a meeting here recently said, "counter-terrorism is a security issue worldwide and the Philippines can make a difference in trying to produce a middle ground approach in developing an anti-terrorist culture in the country."

The three-day workshop-cum-conference is hosted by the Philippines for the international counter-terrorism experts from 40 countries with diplomatic ties with the country.

Defensor said he is expecting 200 to 300 delegates who are counter-terrorism experts from the public sector, academe and civil society to attend.

Key objective of the 1st CTEC is to come up with a Cebu Declaration on counter-terrorism that will extensively explore a realistic middle ground to counter-terrorism.

The conference will also try to design a strategic policy response that takes into account sub-regional approaches, address peculiar causes and conditions that allow developing countries to strike a balance between receiving counter-terrorism assistance and protecting their cultures and religions.

To ensure quality discussions and outputs, experienced counter-terrorism practitioners, policy makers, civil society leaders and renowned scholars have been invited to participate in the 1st CTEC.

Defensor mentioned prominent names as special guests that include the Prime Minister of Norway, Frances Townsend and Condoleezza Rice of the U.S., officials of the UN-committee on counter-terrorism, Kumar Khrisna of Malaysia, Dr. Alawi of Indonesia, and Davao City Mayor Ronald Duterte of the Philippines, among others.

With the theme, "Defeating Dilemmas in Counter-Terrorism," the 1st CTEC will carry substantive discussions on the following topics: "Strengthening Understanding on the Basic," "Understanding Regional and Sub-regional Approaches to Counter-Terrorism," "Dilemmas in CT," with panel discussions on finding a realistic middle ground; bridging gaps in CT capacities; balancing CT assistance, among other topics and sub-topics.

According to the CTEC Task Force, the conference will follow the plenary-panel discussion-plenary format that will feature two distinguished speakers for each plenary session.

Selected experts are invited to anchor and moderate the panel discussions.

The 1st CTEC hopes to come up with the following outputs: (a) Workshop Papers that convey stronger appreciation of the root causes of terrorism and their underlying conditions in the context of third world societies; clearer understanding of recent regional developments and corresponding ad hoc responses at sub-regional levels; clearer view of the various policy approaches to countering the spread of radicalism in current and future settings and list of relevant policy recommendations. (b) A Cebu Declaration that sums up the experts' positions and policy recommendations and (c) A collection of the workshop conference papers that will be revised and published in a book, with a foreword from the President, and will be distributed to the participants three months after the event. - Gregg M. Rubio