ity ▁of ▁Chicago ▁al umn i <0x0A> </s> ▁T error ism ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁highly ▁destruct ive ▁phenomen on ▁during ▁the ▁periods ▁of ▁the ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁Civil ▁War ▁( 1 9 8 3 – 2 0 0 9 ) ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁second ▁J VP ▁ins urre ctions ▁( 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 7 – 8 9 , ▁respectively ). ▁A ▁common ▁definition ▁of ▁terror ism ▁is ▁the ▁system atic ▁use ▁or ▁threatened ▁use ▁of ▁violence ▁to ▁int im id ate ▁a ▁population ▁or ▁government ▁for ▁political , ▁religious , ▁or ▁ide ological ▁goals . ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁is ▁a ▁country ▁that ▁has ▁experienced ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁worst ▁known ▁acts ▁of ▁modern ▁terror ism , ▁such ▁as ▁suic ide ▁bomb ings , ▁mass ac res ▁of ▁civ ili ans ▁and ▁assass ination ▁of ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁leaders , ▁that ▁pos ed ▁a ▁significant ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁society , ▁economy ▁and ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁The ▁Pre vention ▁of ▁T error ism ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁is ▁the ▁legisl ation , ▁that ▁provides ▁the ▁powers ▁to ▁law ▁enfor cement ▁officers ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁issues ▁related ▁to ▁terror ism ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka . ▁It ▁was ▁first ▁en act ed ▁as ▁a ▁temporary ▁law ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁under ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁of ▁J . ▁R . ▁Jay ew ard ene , ▁and ▁later ▁made ▁permanent ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁T error ism