The threat posed by the three vices of our time is the greatest single menace to the common developmental agenda and modern human civilization. Extremism, separatism and terrorism are related in their hatred for others and the use of force to achieve vague political goals. They are contagious and several regions of the world are infected by them. Their latest manifestation was the attacks on a Kenyan shopping mall and twin suicide bombing in the compound of a church in Pakistan's north-western city of Peshawar. The two incidents killed around 150 innocent people.

There is no single cause for people taking up weapons against unarmed civilians. Different groups have different reasons for violence. They all use violence to gain objectives which in most cases are political but are presented in colorful ideology to maximize outreach and support from the gullible people.

The most serious question related to violence is why people willingly become instruments of death and decimation. All violent organizations are groups of individuals who work as leaders, trainers, ideologues, bomb makers, suicide bombers and fiery speakers pushing the common people towards extremism and terrorism. So, it is important to concentrate on individuals, in order to deal with these heavy issues.

It has been often said that poverty, a misguided education system and fanatic religious tendencies are the prime reasons why people turn into extremists. Once someone starts thinking in extreme terms then he articulates demands which are usually political in nature. If a group of people find common ground for their grief, then they can easily pool their resources to fight for common objectives.

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