Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) and Institute of Ethnic Minority Groups Development Research (IEMGDR) jointly organized an international symposium on “Religion and Security” in Beijing, China, from October 16 to 18, 2007. A significant number of international scholars from diverse backgrounds attended the symposium. They discussed the different aspects of the issue and gave their recommendations about how to deal with security threats in the perspective of religions. Below are the highlights and agenda of the symposium:
Symposium Agenda
October 17, Wednesday
Introductory Session: Greetings and Introduction to the Issues
Zhao Shuqing, Director IEMGDR
Muhammad Amir Rana, Director PIPS
First Panel:
Influence of Terrorism on Regional Security
Panel Chair: Jin Yijiu (Professor, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
Panelists:
1.Muhammad Amir Rana
Regional Security and Dimensions of Terror Threat
2. Dr. Fang Jinying (Professor, Center for Ethnic and Religion Studies of Contemporary International Relationships, Beijing)
Development of Islam Groups in South Asia and Southeast Asia and their Influence on China
3. Dr. Perapone Manakit (Advisor to the Office of National Security Council, Thailand)
The Incident in Three Southern Border Provinces of Thailand
Second Panel:
Terrorism and Religion Extremism
Panel Chair: Jin Ze (Professor, Vice-President of Institute of World Religion, Chinese Academy of Social Science)
Panelists:
1. Jin Yijiu, (Professor, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)
Relation between Terrorism and Religious Extremism
2. Ranga Kalansooriya (Security Analyst, Sri Lanka)
Terrorism Networks in Asia- Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam
Third Panel:
Development of Islam Groups in China and Peripheral Area
Panel Chair: Muhammad Amir Rana, (Director, Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies)
Panelists:
1. Jin Ze (Professor, Vice- President, Institute of World Religion, Chinese Academy of Social Science)
Development Status of Chinese Religion
2. Mubasher Bukhari (Joint Director of Institute for Peace Studies)
Balochistan and Insurgent Groups
October 18, Thursday
Fourth Panel:
The Influence of the Terrorism on Beijing Olympic Game
Panel Chair: Zhao Shuqing
Panelists:
1. Dr Rohan Gunaratna (Head of International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research of Singapore)
Threat of al-Qaeda to the Olympic Games in Beijing
2. Acharya Arabinda (Analyst, International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research of Singapore)
Terrorism Threat to Olympic Game in Beijing
Fifth Panel:
The Extremism Threat to Ethnic Minority Area in China
Panel Chair: Dr Ruhanas Harun (Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of ASEAN Studies Programme in Asia- Europe Institute of Malaysia)Panelists:
1. Liu Hong (Professor of the Institute of Ethnic Minority Groups Development Research)
Tibet
2. Wang Jianming (The Institute of Ethnic Groups Development Research)
Xinjiang
Sixth Panel:
The Development Status of Islam in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Central Asia
Panel Chair: Mubasher Bukhari (Joint Director, Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies)
Panelists:
1. Ruhan Harun,
How to Deal with Terrorists: Malaysian Experience
2. Zhang Jianxin (Professor, Social Development Institute of Party School of Central Committee of CPC)
Islamic Development and Impact in Xinjiang and Central Asia
Discussion:
Panel Chair: Wang Hong (Professor, Deputy Director, Institute of Ethnic Minority Groups Development Research)
Conclusion:
1. Zhao Shuqing
2.Muhammad Amir Rana