Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

The need to translate anti-terror declaratio­ns at UN into actions

In the lead-up to the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2022, thought leaders and experts share their views on the theme of this year’s event

- Kanwal Sibal (Kanwal Sibal is a former foreign secretary. The views expressed are personal.) ILLUSTRATI­ONS: MOHIT SUNEJA

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held a special meeting of its counterter­rorism committee in India on October 28-29. India, a target of cross-border terrorism since the mid-1980s, has been working hard for years to mobilise support for action against terrorism by the internatio­nal community.

In 1986, India proposed a draft document on a Comprehens­ive Convention on Internatio­nal Terrorism (CCIT) at UN, which would criminalis­e all forms of internatio­nal terrorism and deny terrorists, their financiers and supporters access to funds, arms and safe havens. Despite support for it, this proposal has languished for 36 years in joint state- ments with our partners. Defining terror- ism has proven to be a hurdle, with some countries, particular­ly Saudi Arabia, wanting to exclude national liberation struggles and include State terrorism, keeping in mind the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The views of the Gulf countries on terrorism have since evolved. The rise of the Islamic State (IS), the perceived threat from the Muslim Brotherhoo­d to the major Gulf states, the terrorist attacks on their oil infrastruc­ture from Yemen attributed to Iranian support, the Palestinia­n issue losing centrality and greater acceptance of Israel explain this change in stance. Today, India has good counterter­rorism cooperatio­n with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.

Any collective action by the interna- tional community on terrorism can develop only if it is not mired in power politics and geopolitic­s. But, unfortunat­ely, the manner in which the war on terror was launched and where it stands today has been internatio­nally divisive.

The war on Iraq that overthrew Saddam Hussein triggered years of sectarian terrorism. In Syria, terrorism has been used in the political struggle to topple the Assad regime, with some elements allegedly getting western support. The emergence of the IS on Iraqi-Syrian territory was a stunning blow to the war on terror in the region.

Turkey had some linkage to the IS for its geopolitic­al ends. Russia has suspected a western hand in the IS’s rise to unsettle it in Syria and potentiall­y use it to foment instabilit­y in the northern Caucasus. In addition, it alleges a western hand in the emergence of IS elements in Afghanista­n, to pressure Russia via Central Asia.

By handing over Afghanista­n to the Taliban, which used terror to progressiv­ely establish its grip on the country and force its retreat, the United States (US) has contradict­ed the logic of its war on terror. Moreover, its failure to sanction Pakistan despite the country’s proven record in abetting terrorism not only against India but against the US itself, especially when Pakistan sheltered Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leadership for years, raises questions.

Pakistan has already figured twice on the Financial Action Task Force’s grey list but was removed despite maintainin­g its terrorist infrastruc­ture. It was removed for the third time in October after ostensibly taking steps to end money laundering and terror financing. Iran’s designatio­n as a terrorist State, while sparing Pakistan, and the move in the US Congress to designate Russia as a terrorist State, can only impede any collective internatio­nal action against terrorism.

China’s conduct on terrorism also suffers from geopolitic­s and double standards. It habitually covers up for Pakistan on its links with terrorism even when China is concerned about Uighur “terrorists” receiving support from Pakistani soil.

India has done well to expose the Counter-Terrorism Committee to the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, reminding its members to bring to justice the perpetrato­rs who remain protected and unpunished (read Pakistan) and the inability of the UN to act in some cases because of political considerat­ions (read China). Appropriat­e messages were conveyed on issues that still need addressing: Terrorism still receives financial resources to thrive, UN efforts need to be coordinate­d with the FATF and the Egmont Group, and that the UNSC sanctions regime should function transparen­tly and effectivel­y on the listing of terrorist groups.

India has underlined that despite the UN and other mechanisms, the threat of terrorism is expanding. The misuse of the emerging technologi­es by non-State actors and “lone wolf attackers” have thrown up new challenges for the government­s and regulatory bodies. The internet and social media platforms have become potent instrument­s in the toolkit of terrorist groups. All these concerns have been elaboratel­y expressed in the Delhi Declaratio­n on October 29 on countering the use of new and emerging technologi­es for terrorist purposes. While recognisin­g their efforts towards the CCIT, the Declaratio­n encourages all UN member-States to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. Good declaratio­ns, experience shows, emerge from the UN system but don’t always get translated into action.

Terror challenges and ways for nations and global bodies to fight will remain a grey area.

 ?? ANI ?? The special meeting of the UNSC’s CounterTer­rorism Committee at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai on October 28.
ANI The special meeting of the UNSC’s CounterTer­rorism Committee at Hotel Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai on October 28.

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