Don’t return to the period of ‘your terrorists’ and ‘my terrorists’: India cautions UN

India has cautioned that 20 years after the 9/11 terror assaults, there are makes an attempt once more to divide terrorism into totally different terminologies similar to violent nationalism and proper wing extremism, asserting that the world shouldn’t return to the period of “your terrorists” and “my terrorists” however battle the scourge collectively.
Participating within the UN General Assembly debate on adoption of decision on seventh Review of Global Counter Terrorism Strategy (GCTS) on Tuesday, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador T S Tirumurti stated that the worldwide group has acknowledged that the specter of terrorism is grave and common, and might solely be defeated by collective efforts of all UN member states, with none exception.
“It is only after 9/11 that we accepted that terrorism in one part of the world can directly impact another part of the world and we all came together to fight terrorism collectively,” he stated.
The envoy stated the worldwide group shouldn’t neglect that earlier than the 9/11 terror assaults, the world was divided into “your terrorists” or “my terrorists”.
Two many years later, “we are now seeing attempts to divide us once again” by adopting new terminologies below the guise of “emerging threats” similar to racially and ethnically-motivated violent extremism, violent nationalism, proper wing extremism, he stated.
“I do hope that member states do not forget history and divide terrorism again into different categories and take us back to the era of ‘your terrorists’ and ‘my terrorists’ and erase the gains we have had over the last two decades,” Tirumurti stated.
He famous that the continued absence of a universally agreed definition of terrorism is “detrimental to our shared goal” of eliminating the worldwide scourge.
“The current strategy fails to resolve the stalemate preventing the adoption of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which India has championed,” Tirumurti stated.
According to the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy is a “unique global instrument to enhance national, regional and international efforts to counter terrorism. Through its adoption by consensus in 2006, all UN Member States agreed the first time to a common strategic and operational approach to fighting terrorism”.
The UN General Assembly critiques the Strategy each two years, making it a residing doc attuned to member states’ counter-terrorism priorities. The General Assembly critiques the Strategy and considers the adoption of a decision on this event, the UN company stated.
Tirumurti stated the Global Counter Terrorism Strategy was adopted by consensus 15 years in the past and was a significant step ahead in sustaining and attaining worldwide peace and safety.
“It was agreed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations should be condemned, there cannot be any exception or justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivations behind such acts, and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. It was also recognised that the menace of terrorism cannot be and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group,” Tirumurti stated.
He stated it’s important for all member states to not solely not squander the beneficial properties of “what we have achieved so far but also ensure that we do not give the slightest opportunity to provide excuses or justification for terrorism, thereby diminishing our collective fight”.
“Justifying terrorism in any way, whether on grounds of religion, ideology, ethnicity or race, will only provide the necessary fodder for terrorists to enhance their activities even more,” he stated.
Noting that whereas the matter of spiritual “phobias” finds point out within the present doc, Tirumurti stated India is as soon as once more constrained to level out that this itemizing has been selective and confined solely to the three Abrahamic religions.
“This august physique has as soon as once more didn’t acknowledge the rise of hatred and violent terrorist assaults towards different religions, inter alia, Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism. Further, we have to make a distinction between international locations that are pluralistic and people which resort to sectarian violence and trample over minority rights.
“United Nations is not a body or the forum where member states should take sides on religious-phobias, but should instead truly foster a culture based on universal principles of humanity and compassion so that terrorists’ narratives are fought collectively,” he stated.
The envoy additionally asserted that success of this technique will rely provided that member states “walk the talk” by sincerely implementing the provisions and fulfilling their obligations as envisaged within the technique.
As a sufferer of cross-border terrorism for a number of many years, India has been on the forefront of the battle towards terrorism and one of many main victims of terrorism. However, it’s time to name out people who blatantly violate world commitments by harbouring terrorists and terrorist entities by willfully giving ethical, materials, monetary and ideological assist to those teams, he stated.
Tirumurti stated the misuse of web and social media for terrorist propaganda, radicalisation and recruitment of cadre; misuse of latest cost strategies similar to block-chain currencies, cost wallets, crowdfunding platforms for terrorism financing; and misuse of rising applied sciences similar to drones, 3D printing, Artificial Intelligence, robotics have emerged as probably the most critical threats of terrorism, which warrants collaborative actions from all member states.
“The international community needs to adopt a policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism. Our collective condemnation of terrorism must be loud, clear and without any ambiguity,” he stated.