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South Asia Terrorism Portal

SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
[SAIR]

Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 17, No. 43, April 22, 2019
 
Data and assessments from SAIR can be freely published in any form with credit to the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

ASSESSMENT

  • INDIA: Declining Terror, Persistent Vulnerabilities - Ajit Kumar Singh
  • BHUTAN : Oasis of Peace - Giriraj Bhattacharjee


INDIA

       Print

Declining Terror, Persistent Vulnerabilities
Ajit Kumar Singh
Research Fellow, Institute for Conflict Management

For the seventh consecutive year, beginning 2012, overall terrorism-linked fatalities across multiple theaters of conflict in India remained in three digits, with 2018 registering a total of 935 fatalities, including 216 civilians, 183 Security Force (SF) personnel, and 536 militants. Such fatalities remained in the four digits for 18 consecutive years between 1994 and 2011, with year 2001 registering a peak 5,839 fatalities (1,693 civilians, 721 SF personnel, and 3,425 militants). 

However, annual fatalities declined for seven consecutive years, between 2006 and 2012, but have followed a cyclical trend thereafter. Terrorism-linked fatalities in 2018 (935 fatalities) increased in comparison to 2017, at 803 fatalities (206 civilians, 170 SF personnel, and 427 SF personnel). In 2016, there were 898 fatalities, as against 722 in 2015, 976 in 2014, 884 in 2013, and 803 fatalities in 2012.

Meanwhile, 84 Districts recorded terrorism/insurgency linked fatalities in 2018 (the same number as in 2017), down from 94 in 2016, 93 in 2015, 100 in 2014, 103 in 2013, and 122 in 2012. Fatalities have already been reported from 37 Districts in 2019 (data till April 21, 2019).

Moreover, the total number of Districts afflicted by chronic conflict variables was down to 170 in 2018, as against 184 in 2017. There were a total of 191 such Districts in 2016; and 205 in both 2014 and 2013.

India presently has a total of 719 Districts.

These numbers clearly indicate that there has been considerable overall improvement in the security situation, but an analysis across different theaters of conflict demonstrates that the gains are not similar.  

Islamist terrorism outside Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) has been contained to a large extent. Pakistan-backed Islamist terror formations, as well as Islamic State (aka Daesh) and Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), the last two of which have been attempting to make inroads since 2014, have failed comprehensively in their ambitions [al Qaeda has, in fact, trying to create a network in India at least since 1996, and established AQIS, dedicated to the South Asian region, in 2014). There was just one Islamist terrorist attack in India, outside J&K, through 2018. It is useful to recall that, in 2008, Islamist terror formations operating out of Pakistan had carried out 10 attacks in India, outside J&K, resulting in 352 fatalities, the largest number recorded in a single year since 2000, when the SATP database commenced tracking such incidents. There is, of course, little room for complacence, particularly in view of the intermittent 'lone wolf attacks' by Daesh-inspired individuals across the globe, and the continuous stream of IS-linked conspiracies and arrests over the past years. According to the SATP database, a total of 167 Daesh sympathizers/recruits have been arrested and another 73 persons have been detained, counselled and released, in India (data till April 21, 2019). Another 98 Indians were believed to have travelled to Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan to join IS – microscopic numbers in terms of the country's huge Muslim population. Of the 98 who travelled abroad to join Daesh, 33 are confirmed to have been killed. The increasing trend of fringe Islamist terror formations in several countries associating with Daesh is a source of concern for India as well.

Insurgent violence in the Northeast region has seen a continuous downward trajectory  with 2018 recording the lowest insurgency-related fatalities since 1992. Incidentally, except for Arunachal Pradesh, all the other six insurgency affected states – Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura – registered a declining trend in fatalities.

The region did, however, witness multiple and widespread agitations and a tendency to increasing ethnic and communal polarisation through 2018 and thereafter due to several factors, most prominently including the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of India’s Parliament) on January 8, 2019, and the preceding troubles over the National Register of Citizens. The agitations even jeopardised ongoing peace talks with the ULFA-Pro Talks Faction (ULFA-PTF), and also saw a number of other erstwhile militant organizations across the region strongly opposing CAB.

The Maoist insurgency is also on a decline, though fatalities increased from 333 (109 civilians, 74 SF personnel, 150 Naxalites) in 2017 to 413 (109 civilians, 73 SF personnel, 231 Naxalites) in 2018, essentially as a result of increasing fatalities in Maoist ranks. SFs secured an improved kill ratio in 2018, at 1:3.16, as against 1:2.02 in 2017. The 2018 ratio is the second best recorded since the SATP database commenced tracking the conflict, after 3.69, in 2016.

Nevertheless, the intermittent and audacious attacks of the recent past clearly indicate that the Maoists still possess the wherewithal, albeit diminishing, to strike at will. Cadres of the Communist Party of India–Maoist (CPI-Maoist) triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast and subsequently opened fire, targeting the convoy of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Bhima Mandavi, in a forested patch near Nakulnar village under the Kuwakonda tehsil (revenue unit) of Dantewada District in Chhattisgarh’s ailing Bastar Division, on April 9, 2019. Those killed included MLA Mandavi and his three Personal Security Officers (PSOs), as well as the constable-driver.

There have also been some worries in Punjab in recent times. Between 2008 and 2015, Khalistani terrorists failed to inflict even a single fatality in the State, but three years in a row, between 2016 and 2018, lethal terrorist strikes have been mounted. The grenade attack at Nirankari Bhavan on November 18, 2018, which resulted in three fatalities, was the last incident in a chain of efforts to revive Khalistani terrorism in the Punjab.

It is, however, J&K that has recorded the most significant surge in violence, after an extended phase of declining violence between 2001 and 2012. Total fatalities recorded J&K in 2018, at 451, are the highest after 2008, at 541. Worryingly, fatalities among civilians, at 86 in 2018, are also the highest in this category since 2007, at 164. Indeed, with an intensifying polarization and intentional political destabilization, the State appears to be headed towards a heightened phase of terrorism.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing the Inaugural Session of the Conference of Directors and Inspectors General of Police in Gujarat on December 20, 2018, thus observed,

Security scenario in the North-East region has witnessed steady improvement in recent years… We achieved major operational successes in core areas of CPI/Maoist… The communal situation during the current year remained under control, with a decrease of 12% in communal incidents as compared to the corresponding period in 2017… Law enforcement agencies… have managed to overcome the first tide of propaganda and mobilization by Islamic State… In concerted counter-terrorism operations, Law enforcement agencies have arrested nearly 125 terrorist suspects as against 117 arrested in 2017… The new phase of Islamic State propaganda emanating from Afghanistan-Pakistan region is also being countered effectively…

The Minister further stated, in the context of J&K,

…Attempts by militants to infiltrate in large numbers, intermittent attacks by militants and efforts at local recruitment continue… The separatists also exploit every possible situation to agitate the people to fan further anti-India sentiments, which leads to law and order situation…

The Government of India (GoI) as well as respective states affected by Insurgencies in the Northeast, the Maoist belt, terrorism in J&K and in Punjab, have adopted several measures through 2018, as in the past. The Central Government also, initiated several schemes to further strengthen India’s existing internal security apparatus. On December 12, 2018, GoI disclosed that it had sanctioned the raising of six additional battalions of the Borders Security Force (BSF) on January 1, 2018. All these battalions have since been raised for deployment. A proposal to raise additional battalions in ITBP is also under consideration. Though an April 30, 2018, report stated that four new CRPF battalions with 1,148 staffs in each battalion will be raised at Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Group Centres at Neemuch, Avadi, Rangareddy and Amethi, there is no further information available in this regard. The Government, however, informed Parliament on February 12, 2019, that “at present there is no decision of the Government to raise additional battalions in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)”. Earlier, on April 4, 2018, the Union Government informed Parliament,

To equip the security system with state-of-the-art technology in view of the increasing terrorist and Naxalite activities in the country, the Government has approved an enhanced outlay under the umbrella scheme of “Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF)” with a total outlay of Rs. 25,061 crore. Under this umbrella scheme, a sub-scheme of “Assistance to States for Modernization of Police” with an outlay of Rs. 7,380 crore has been approved for the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20. This sub-scheme is in continuation of the scheme of Modernisation of State Police Forces. Under this sub-scheme central assistance to States is provided for acquisition of security/surveillance/communication equipments, modern weaponry, forensic equipments etc.

Nevertheless, wide deficiencies persist. There has been no decisive improvement since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, after which the Government had declared its intention to bring about radical transformation. The first responders to any terrorist threat, the Police Force, remain enormously neglected. While the Police-Population ratio was 134.3 (policeman per 100000 population) as on January 2, 2009, it has crept up to an arguable 150.75 by 2017 (as on January 1, 2017, the latest data available), much lower than the a 'desirable' Police-population ratio of 220 per 100,000 for ‘peacetime policing’. The number of vacancies across the country in the apex Indian Police Service (IPS) has actually increased over time. On July 19, 2018, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, disclosed that there were 970 vacancies in the IPS or 19.64 per cent of the total 4,940 posts. As on January 1, 2010, of 4,013 authorised posts, in the IPS, just 3,383 were in position, leaving a deficit of 16.7 per cent.

Moreover, huge vacancies persist in the entire Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), which have been increasingly used as lead counter-insurgency Forces in the country: 166,896 vacant posts as on January 1, 2017, against a sanctioned strength of 1,154,393 (actual strength: 987,497). In 2010, the total vacancies were 100,830 (sanctioned strength 874,483, actual strength 773,653).

More worryingly, the implementation lag on decisions related to security is getting longer, as underlined in a report submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to the Parliament on April 5, 2018, where referring to Coastal Security Scheme Phase II (CSS II) it sated,

Ministry [Home Ministry] sanctioned (November 2010) 10 large vessels and 23 Rigid Inflatable Boats6 (RIB) to be centrally procured at a cost of Rupees 302.30 crore. These vessels were required to exercise watch and vigilance at islands and along the coast line and were to be stationed at 10 strategic locations where MOCs were being set up. Ministry floated limited tender enquiries in June 2016 for procurement of the large vessels and RIBs more than five years after approval of the scheme and finalized tenders for these vessels in December 2017. Thus, a critical component of CSS-II has been delayed for more than six years after approval and the objective of strengthening vigilance at strategic locations through regular patrolling has yet to be achieved…

Under the scheme, ten Marine Operational Centers (MOCs) were to be set up as nerve centers to undertake patrolling, raids and surveillance in remote/scattered islands. MHA suggested (November 2010) completion of all preparatory works for the MOCs by 31 March 2011… Audit noted that only one out of the ten planned MOCs could be set up and operationalized in Kadamtala. The Department attributed (November 2017) the delays to involvement of various stakeholders in the process of obtaining clearances. The reply is not tenable as there was no evidence of concerted action on the part of the Department to take advance action and actively pursue the requisite clearances.

While the SFs have been able to bring down the level of terrorism/insurgency across most of the afflicted regions over the past few years, political mischief both at State as well as the Central level has allowed threats to persist and, in some cases, escalate. The Governments lethargic approach towards capacity building remains a major impediment to sustaining and consolidating the gains secured at great cost and sacrifice.


BHUTAN

      Print

Oasis of Peace
Giriraj Bhattacharjee
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management

In the entire South Asian region, Bhutan is the only country which has remained free of even a single terrorism-related fatality, or for that matter, incident, for over a decade. Specifically, on December 30, 2008, four Bhutanese foresters were killed and another two injured after their tractor was blown up by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted on the road about four kilometres west of Singay village in the Sarpang District.

Between, September 5, 2004, and December 30, 2008, Bhutan recorded a total of 13 fatalities, including eight civilians and five militants. The first incident involving a fatality took place on September 5, 2004, when two persons were killed and 27 sustained injuries in a bomb explosion at the Sunday market shopping area of Gelephu town.

Between September 5, 2004 and the present (data till April 21, 2019), according to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), South Asia (including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) as a region recorded 126,755 terrorism/insurgency linked fatalities (including 44,482 civilians, 15,614 Security Forces, SF, personnel and 66,659 militants). Of these, Bhutan accounted for a mere 0.01 per cent (the data does not include fatalities in Afghanistan and the Maldives). 

Unsurprisingly, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2018, Bhutan is ranked at 135 among 163 countries in the list, towards the bottom, among the most peaceful countries. In the 2015 index Bhutan was placed at the 107th position (out of 162 countries). In the very first index published in 2012, which mapped and ranked countries based on the terror incidents that were reported from 2002 to 2011, Bhutan was ranked 72 out of 158 countries.

The prevailing peace has helped Bhutan’s overall development. According to a 2018 United Nations document, Bhutan’s GDP has more than tripled in the last 10 years (2008-18) alone, and per capita income has increased to USD 2,719. Poverty in Bhutan more than halved between 2007-2012, and reduced even further thereafter. According to the Asian Development Bank, the population living below the national poverty line in Bhutan fell to 8.2 percent in 2017 as against 12 percent in 2012.

Nevertheless, a few lingering issues remain unresolved and remind the people of Bhutan of a relatively turbulent, albeit brief, phase in the past. Among these is the issue of repatriation.

According to reports, around 6,500 Lhotshampa (Bhutanese of Nepalese decent) refugees were still living in two camps in the Jhapa District of Nepal.  Approximately 105,000 Lhotshampa were expelled in the 1990s due to implementation of the Citizenship Act of 1985 and the subsequent nation-wide Census of 1988. Notably, the Lhotshampas refugees in Nepal had helped the Bhutan Communist Party – Marxist-Leninist-Maoist (BCP-MLM) grow and foment trouble in Himalayan Kingdom. The BCP-MLM has been dormant since 2010 when it, along with other ‘political parties in exile’, formed an umbrella group and vowed to pursue a unified democratic movement led by Rongthong Kunley Dorji. Dorji died on October 19, 2011, and was replaced by Kesang Lhendup as the new President of the Druk National Congress on December 18, 2011. In a 2012 interview, Lhendup, when asked about the future plans, stated that the organization would “continue to take forward the unfinished works of our late President for the establishment of inclusive democracy in Bhutan…”

In February 2019, after more than a decade, Nepal has decided to hold the 16th round of ministerial-level talks with Bhutan to repatriate the remaining 6,500 Lhotshampa. The 15th round, held on December 22, 2003, had failed. After the breakdown of talks in 2003, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees helped resettle over 112,800 Bhutanese refugees of Nepali origin, then staying in Nepal, in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Another issue of concern was the existence of camps of Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) operating in the northeast in Bhutan or along the Indo-Bhutan border. Though the presence of camps of IIGs in Bhutan is no longer reported, violent Bodo militants do use the Indo-Bhutan border to carry out insurgent activities. Consequently, India’s Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the laser-based aerial mapping of the Indo-Bhutan border along Assam. Reports suggest that the difficult terrain along the border has become a significant hideout for insurgents, especially members of the banned Saoraigwra faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB–S). Intelligence agencies believe top leaders of the group are hiding somewhere along the Indo-Bhutan border. It is useful to recall here, that Bhutan had carried out operation all clear in 2003, expelling a number of Indian insurgent formations then operating from its soil.

Meanwhile, Bhutan held its third National Assembly Elections on October 18, 2018. The Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) party won the elections, securing 30 of the total of 47 seats. Lotay Tshering, the President of DNT, became the new Prime Minister of Bhutan. The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), which bagged 17 seats [and that had won the maiden elections in 2008] assumed the role of the main opposition party for the second consecutive term. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which also contested the elections, failed to qualify for the second round of elections and consequently to win any seat. PDP garnered 27.2 per cent of votes in the first round, while DNT and DPT registered 32 per cent and 31 per cent votes, respectively, entering the second round of polls. According to Bhutan’s Constitution, only two political parties can take part in the final round of General Elections. In 2013, PDP, had won 32 seats and emerged victorious, while DPT, with 15 seats, had assumed the role of the opposition.

Bhutan has largely been an exception in an otherwise violence-riven South Asian region. Constant vigil and cooperation in the security sphere with neighbours will be necessary to ensure that this remains the case.

 
NEWS BRIEFS

Weekly Fatalities: Major Conflicts in South Asia 
April 15-21, 2019

 

Civilians

Security Force Personnel

Terrorists/Insurgents

Total

INDIA

 

Jammu and Kashmir

0
0
1
1

INDIA (Left-Wing Extremism)

 

Bihar

1
0
0
1

Chhattisgarh

0
0
4
4

Jharkhand

1
1
3
5

Odisha

1
0
0
1

INDIA (Total)

3
1
8
12

PAKISTAN

 

Balochistan

12
2
0
14

KP

0
1
5
6

PAKISTAN (Total)

12
3
5
20

Sri Lanka

207
3
2
212
Provisional data compiled from English language media sources.
 

AFGHANISTAN

Government of Qatar has cancelled the intra-Afghan talks, confirms Afghan Government: The Afghan government has confirmed that the government of Qatar has cancelled the intra-Afghan talks after failing to respond to legitimate demands of the people of Afghanistan. According to a statement released by ARG Presidential Palace, a new list of participants was sent by Qatar on April 1 in which a balance was not considered for the participation of the delegates. The Khaama Press, April 19, 2019.

Taliban has no way except talks with Afghan Government, says President Ashraf Ghani: President Ashraf Ghani on April 17 met with members of the delegation who will hold a meeting with the Taliban in Qatar on April 20. He said the Afghan delegation which is preparing to hold discussion with the Taliban in Doha are carrying an important mission which is a dignified peace within the framework of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The Khaama Press, April 18, 2019.

  
BANGLADESH

Only three per cent conviction rate of registered cybercrime in Bangladesh: Conviction rates reported to be as low as 3% in cybercrime cases, under the now defunct Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. Analyzing data of the country’s lone Cyber Tribunal (Bangladesh) in Dhaka, it was found that charges against the accused were proven in only 15 out of 495 cases, where the accused in 480 cases were relieved of charges since the tribunal’s inception in February 2013. Dhaka Tribune, April 20, 2019.

63 percent female terror suspects linked to 'Neo JMB', says CTTC Additional Deputy Commissioner Mahfuza Liza: About 63 percent of the female terror suspects in the country are linked to “Neo Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB)”, according to findings of the counter terrorism unit on April 18. A Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit official came up with the findings, analysing profiles of 85 female militant suspects arrested in the last couple of years. According to CTTC, 23 percent of female terror suspects are from JMB, and five percent are from Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), said Mahfuza Liza. The Daily Star, April 19, 2019.

  
INDIA

Terror funding, fake currency and supply of arms compelled Government to suspend trade on LoC, says UMHA: Channeling funds for terror, supply of arms to terrorists, fake currency, drugs and infiltration of third-party goods were main reasons behind the suspension of trade on Line of Control (LoC) by the Government, a senior Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) functionary said in New Delhi on April 19. “Unfortunately, the third parties manipulated the trade and misused it for trading goods being produced from outside the state of Jammu and Kashmir”, the UMHA officials said. Daily Excelsior, April 20, 2019.

Terror recruitment and stone pelting in Jammu and Kashmir has dropped this year, says Government: The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved, according to the latest data compiled by the Central Government. After months of violence, local terror recruitment in Kashmir has come down, as have stone pelting incidents, especially during operations. Top sources in the security establishment said that a total of 18 local youth were recruited to militancy from Kashmir in the first three months of 2019. This is an improvement from the corresponding periods in 2018 and 2017, which saw 32 and 24 youngsters respectively join terror ranks. ThePrint, April 19, 2019.

Masood Azhar issue at UNSC headed for settlement, but no April 23 deadline, says China: Dismissing reports that it had been given a deadline of April 23 by the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and France to lift its “technical hold” on the proposal to list Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) ‘chief’ Masood Azhar as a global terrorist at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), China on April 17 said the issue was moving towards a settlement. The development comes after reports said P3 countries US, UK and France had fixed April 23 as the deadline for China to lift its technical hold in the 1267 Committee or else they would press for a discussion on the issue at the UNSC. The Indian Express, April 18, 2019.

Clear message gone to terrorists, separatists and their activities not acceptable; says Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley: The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on April 15 said that the Central Government headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has, for the last few months, sent out a clear message that terror and activities of separatists will not be acceptable in the Kashmir valley. Jaitley said, that terrorists in large numbers are being liquidated by our security forces, their modules are being cracked up, rule of law is effectively being imposed and activities of the separatists have been curtailed. “Terrorism from across the border is attacked at the point of origin,” he said. Daily Excelsior, April 16, 2019.

 
 PAKISTAN

14 passengers offloaded from bus after identification and shot dead in Balochistan: At least 14 passengers, including two security personnel, were shot dead after being offloaded from passenger buses on the Makran Coastal Highway at the Buzi Pass area of Ormara in Gwadar District of Balochistan in the intervening night of April 17 and 18. Five to six passenger buses – travelling between Karachi and Gwadar – were stopped by around 25 unidentified gunmen at the Buzi Pass after midnight, between 12:30am and 1am. The Baloch Raaji Aajohi e Sangar (BRAS) claimed responsibility of attack. The BRAS is an alliance of Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Baloch Republican Guard (BRG). The Express Tribune, The Balochistan Post, April 18-19, 2019.

India and Pakistan can’t stay aloof as neighbours, states Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on April 19, said India and Pakistan cannot stay aloof as neighbours, and reiterated the need for dialogue to resolve issues pending between the two countries. “India is geographically linked with Pakistan through a common border, weather conditions, culture, language and rivers,” he said. .Daily Times, April 20, 2019.

US removes Pakistan’s name from National Security Threat List: The United States (US) on April 16 removed Pakistan’s name from National Security Threat List. As per details, US’s counsel of foreign affairs took this step. National Security Threat List is a list that is comprised of the list of countries which according to US’s think tanks are a threat to its national security. According to think tanks of the US, Pakistan is no more a threat to the national security of the US. It is pertinent to mention here that it is the first time since Pakistan is not included in the National Security Threat List. Daily Times, April 17, 2019.

 
SRI LANKA

At least 207 persons killed and 450 injured in series of coordinated bomb blasts in Sri Lanka: At least 207 persons were killed and over 450 persons were injured in a series of coordinated bomb blasts at churches and luxury hotels in the country on April 21. The first six blasts were triggered almost simultaneously on April 21 morning. Three five-star hotels, the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand the Kingsbury and one church were hit in the capital Colombo in Western Province; another church was bombed in the city of Negumbo, just north of the capital; and a third church was bombed in Batticalao, a city in the Eastern Province.  A seventh bomb explosion was reported at a hotel near the National zoo in Dehiwala in Western Province on April 21 afternoon. An eighth explosion was reported in a house in Dematagoda in Western Province in which a suicide bomber and three Security Force (SFs) personnel, were killed during a Police raid. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. Colombo Page, April 21, 2019.

Sri Lanka improves in press freedom climbing five notches in World Press Freedom Index 2019: According to a leading survey, Sri Lanka showed significant improvement in press freedom this year ranking five notches higher than last year in the World Press Freedom Index 2019. The annual World Press Freedom Index for 2019 compiled by Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Sri Lanka 126th out of 180 countries climbing five notches from 131st in 2018. The overall global score improved to 39.61 this year from 41.37 in 2018 on a 0-100 scale with 100 being the worst. Colombo Page, April 18, 2019.

For assessments on other South Asian countries and for daily news updates on terrorism visit
South Asia Terrorism Portal 
 

The South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on related economic, political, and social issues, in the South Asian region.

SAIR is a project of the Institute for Conflict Management and the South Asia Terrorism Portal

 
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