Syndicate Groups Come Out with Their Suggestions & Conclusions on ‘Countering Violent Extremism’

As the proceedings in the ‘Colombo Defence Seminar 2017’ were reaching its final stage, delegates were segregated into four major groups for preparatory syndicate discussions after assigning four sub topics, i.e. ‘Balancing Hard Power and Soft Power,’ ‘Role of Military in Global Governance,’ ‘Empowering Communities to Counter Violent Extremism,’ and ‘Use of Fourth Generation Warfare to Counter Violent Extremism.’

Accordingly, Ms. Sashikala Premawardhane, Director General (Actg), Ocean Affairs, Strategic Security, Climate Change and Policy Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rear Admiral N.P.S Attygalle, Commander, Western Naval Area of Sri Lanka Navy as experts in the Group ‘A’ discussed their topic, ‘Balancing Hard Power and Soft Power,’ together with foreign representatives, Captain (Navy) Sheldon Williams, Australia, Colonel Konstantinos Kolokotronis, Greece, Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor, Maldives, Colonel Adi Ridzwan bin Abdullah, Malaysia, Commodore EO Ferreira, Nigeria, Colonel Asghar Ali Jatoi, Pakistan, Brigadier Ahmad Hamad Umair Al Shahwani, Qatar, Brigadier General Juma Saeed Juma Al-Kubaisi, Qatar, Lieutenant Colonel Angel Eloy Canales López, Spain, Captain (Navy) Sittichai Tangjai, Thailand, Colonel Oleh Hulak, Ukraine, Group Captain Frazer Nicholson, UK, Lieutenant Colonel Amos Maybin Muyanga, Zambia and Group Captain Stanley Goreraza, Zimbabwe and Brigadier D.A.P.N Dematanpitiya, Brigadier P.M.L Chandrasiri, Colonel A.K.G.K.U Gnanaratne, Colonel R.A.D.S Shantha Ranaweera and Lieutenant Colonel M.P.K Madurapperuma of the Sri Lanka Army. Their syndicate observations on Hard Power, Soft Power, Governance, Sequence/ Synchro, Legitimacy / Context, Listening/Understand 2nd Order reflect, Perspective, Narrative, Factors, 2nd Order Effects, Perspective, Narrative and Factors were presented by Group Captain Frazer Nicholson (UK) who acted as the Chairman of the Group ‘A’.

Meanwhile, Group ‘B’ syndicate discussions on ‘Role of Military in Global Governance’ were attended by panel experts, Admiral Dr. Jayanath Colombage (Retd), Dr. Maneesha S. Wanasinghe, Head, Department of International Relations, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, together with foreign participants, Colonel Mohammad Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh, Colonel Sebue Nlebgwa, Botswana, Staff Colonel Sherif Mohamed Fekry, Egypt, Captain (Navy) Marco Terrinioni, Italy, Major General DD Ahmadu, Nigeria, Commodore Thabit Al Zadjali, Oman, Brigadier Shahzada Shahid Nawaz, Pakistan, Captain Yasir Abdullah Alaskar, Saudi Arabia, Brigadier General Abdullah Shuga F Alharbi, Saudi Arabia, Captain (Navy) Karl Henriksson, Sweden, Colonel Prachaya Chimkhong, Thailand, Staff Colonel Mohammed Abdulla Mohammed Salem Almazrouei, UAE, Major Quinn Eddy, USA and Brigadier General Stephen Simusandu, Zambia and the Sri Lankan representatives, Brigadier H.H.A.S.P.K Senaratne, Brigadier H.P Ranasinghe, Colonel K.T.A.D.S Kolambathantri, Colonel T.C.L Ganepola and Lieutenant Colonel P.S.S Sanjeewa. They presented their syndicate presentation on Definition of Governance, Global Governance at a glance, Actors of Global Governance, Role of Military in Global Governance in 21st Century, Future Challenges of Military in Global Governance and addressing Violent Extremism.

In the meantime, Group ‘C’ in the syndicate discussion panel deliberated on ‘Empowerment of Communities in Countering Violent Extremism’ and the Group was comprised of Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Former Under Secretary General of the United Nations, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Major General J.R Kulatunga, Commandant, Defence Services Command and Staff College, Batalanda, Makola, Sri Lanka Army, Brigadier B V.D.P Abeynayake, Brigadier M.P Karunaratne, Colonel M.A Izadeen, Colonel B.K.G.M.L Rodrigo, Lieutenant Colonel G.J.N.W Fernando, Brigadier General Md Fakhrul Ahsan, Bangladesh, Colonel Keebine Kgakge, Botswana, Lieutenant Colonel Carsten Holscher, Germany, Major Ibrahim Naeem, Maldives, Colonel Ramnath Sharma Dhungana, Nepal, Brigadier General BE Etuk, Nigeria, Lieutenant Colonel Mohsin Salim Khamis Al Ambusaidi, Oman, Colonel Muhammad Ahsan, Pakistan, Brigadier General Hamaid Salem Rajeh Alanezi, Saudi Arabia, Lieutenant Colonel Khalid Abdullah Alhoushani, Saudi Arabia, Colonel Amri Salim Mwami, Tanzania, Colonel Wittawat Phothisuk, Thailand, Staff Colonel Navy Fahad Abcalla Ahmed Albaili Aihammach, UAE and Brigadier General Harry Ngusa, Zambia.

Definition of the term ‘Community’, fundamentalism (radical and extremist), nature of conflicts, peace, guiding principles and challenges were the main areas that had beee taken up for discussion in the Group ‘C’ as a follow-up of thematic concerns of the two-day Sessions.

The fourth ensemble, Group ‘D’, assigned to dwell on ‘Use of Fourth Generation Warfare to Counter Violent Extremism’ meanwhile presented their syndicate observations covering the first generation of warfare, second generation warfare, third generation of warfare, fourth generation of warfare and employment of fourth generation of warfare to counter violent extremism. Their focus was largely directed at different conflict scenarios including many methods used by the fourth generation. They also addressed the issues of international community as well as catalyst globalized partners and driver.

Group ‘D’ included Air Vice Marshal S.K Pathirana, Director Air Operations, Sri Lanka Air Force, Colonel Roy W. Speaks, Assistant Chief of Staff, G5, 8thTheater Sustainment Command, USA, Colonel MclHafizul Islam Khan, Bangladesh, Colonel Nioremedi Kereteietswe, Botswana, Mr. Dan Carmel, Israel, Brigadier General Kaji Bahadur Khatri, Nepal, Brigadier General HI Dada, Nigeria, Brigadier Said Bakheet Masoud Tabook, Oman, Major Hamedsaif Al Qassabi, Oman, Lieutenant Colonel Rommel Mundala, Philippines, Brigadier General Khalid Ayed S. Alqahtani, Saudi Arabia, Staff Brigadier General Khalid Abdulaziz Al Nmer, Saudi Arabia, Colonel Malick Thievy, Senegal, Colonel Preecha Suksomboonthana, Thailand, Staff Colonel Ahmed Ali Abdulla Ali Almansoon, UAE, Colonel Maselino Chiluba, Zambia, Brigadier A.M.S.B Atapattu, Brigadier W.M.G.C.S.B Wijeyasundera, Colonel L.C.R Jayasuriya, Colonel D.K.S.K Dolage, Lieutenant Colonel K.I.R.B Kodippili.