Terrorism continues because the world refuses to define it CENJOWS 22 Nov 19
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Terrorism continues because the world refuses to define it 22 Nov 19
The BRICS summit which was held recently decided to establish sub- groups as part of its joint working group on counter terrorism. These sub-groups would comprise of terrorist financing, use of internet for terrorist activities, countering radicalisation, terrorist foreign fighters and capacity building. Counter terrorism is presently on top of the agenda for BRICS.
During the recent visit of Modi to Saudi Arabia both countries condemned ‘terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.’ Both nations have differing views on terrorism. Saudi supports its own terrorist groups to counter Iranian influence in the region including in Yemen and is a backer of the Pak government. India, on the other hand, is facing Pak sponsored terrorism in the country. One nation’s proxies are another nation’s terrorists.
In Pakistan, the supreme court recommended that Parliament reconsiders the definition of terrorism to make it in line with international thinking. It felt that the current definition is too wide and includes actions which have no nexus with the generally recognized concept of terrorism. Pakistan considers the Baluchi freedom fighters as terrorists while its terrorists in Kashmir are freedom fighters.
During the 11th India–Russia high level consultation on counterterrorism, both countries condemned ‘terrorism in all its forms and manifestations’ and emphasized the need for strengthening international cooperation to combat the menace. The press statement read, ‘They stressed the need for elimination, once and for all, of all safe havens of terrorists.’
Currently, the Turkish government considers the Syrian Democratic Front (SDF), a close US ally till recently, as a terrorist organization, as against the views of the US, alongside whom the SDF fought to dislodge the ISIS.
Addressing the 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Major General Wang Jingwu, President of the School of International relations of the Peoples Liberation Army of China, in a session on counter terrorism stated, ‘To complicate matters, some countries are abusing the definition of terrorism and counter terrorism mechanisms to advance their own national goals. Terrorists in one country might be considered freedom fighters and get support from another. If we cannot have a common understanding of what a terrorist is, the future of global counter terrorism efforts will be very difficult.’
Interestingly, he named four countries where terrorists were expanding their presence- Turkey, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. He did not mention Pakistan, where terrorism remains its only export and instability in the Indian sub-continent is due to its policy of employing terrorism as an instrument of state policy. His comments are evidence of what has been dogging the world for a long time.
Some terrorist organizations, which have globally been accepted as terrorist groups are treated as royalty in the host country. LeT, JuD, Taliban, Haqqani network and their affiliates are some examples who are hosted as also granted pension by the Pak government, while the world terms them as terrorists.
India proposed a draft document on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN in 1996 but it has not been implemented as there is no unanimity on the definition of terrorism amongst member states. The main differing point revolves around several controversial yet basic issues, in the definition of ´terrorism´. Issues involved include distinguishing a ‘terrorist organisation’ from a ‘liberation movement’. Further should it exclude activities of a country’s military, even if they are perceived to commit acts of terrorism?
Main opposition to CCIT is from three major blocs, namely, US, Organization for Islamic Countries (OIC) and Latin America. The OIC wants exclusion of national liberation movements to cover the Palestine groups seeking freedom from Israel and the US desires exclusion of military forces of states in peace time.
In May this year, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, speaking at an event for victims of the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, said that early adoption of the CCIT will be a ‘tribute’ to those killed and injured in the terror attacks in Sri Lanka. It took India 10 years to get Masood Azar declared a global terrorist as China had a differing opinion. In Sep this year, the BRICS foreign ministers meet also called for the need for an early adoption of the CCIT.
In case the CCIT is adopted it would lead to major curbing of terrorist networks. However, for it to be implemented, all members of the UN General Assembly would need to pass their own resolutions adopting the same. It would lead to banning all terrorist groups and shutting down terrorist camps. All terrorists would need to be prosecuted under a special law and cross-border terrorism would become an extraditable offence. This would have immense benefits globally.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), another body countering terrorism, was raised on the initiative of the G7 nations to develop policies to combat money laundering in 1989. In 2001 its mandate expanded to include terrorism financing. The objectives of the FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
The FATF is a policy-making body which works to generate necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in these areas. It monitors progress in implementing its recommendations through mutual evaluations of member countries.
Consequences of being listed in the Grey or Blacklist imply economic sanctions from IMF, world bank, Asian Development Bank, restrictions in getting loans from these bodies and other countries, reduction in international trade and international boycott. Pakistan is presently on the Grey List of the FATF.
In case terrorism is to be defined both the FATF and the UN need to work in unison. If the FATF can check nations for terrorist financing, then accepting the definition of terrorism should not be a major complex issue. After all, if those financing terrorism are being sanctioned, then defining whom they are financing should automatically flow.
The global community needs to come together to define terrorism, pull up nations which back it and apply international pressure to curb its spread. Unless it does so, terrorism would continue to spread its ugly tentacles and claim innocent lives across the globe.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army