Fighting Terrorism for Humanity A Conference on the Roots of Evil · 2015-06-05 · FIGHTING TERRORISM FOR HUMANITY 1 Introduction Two years after the terrorist attacks in New York,

International Peace Academy

22 SEPTEMBER 2003 ■ NEW YORK

Fighting Terrorism for HumanityA Conference

on the Roots of Evil

G OVERNMENT OF NORWAY

Acknowledgements

We wish to gratefully acknowledge the significant contributions of all those whose support was essential to thesuccess of the conference. Our sincere thanks to: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan; the Office of the Spokesmanfor the UN Secretary-General; the United States Secret Service; the New York City Police and Fire Departments;the staff of the Intercontinental Hotel; and the firm of Hoffman & Hoffman.

IPA gratefully acknowledges support for this conference and for the Terrorism Program from the Government ofNorway. We would also like to thank the Government of the Netherlands for its support for the Terrorism Program,and IPA’s core donors—the Governments of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Ford Foundation, the William andFlora Hewlett Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation—whose support enables programs such as this one.

FIGHTING TERRORISM FOR HUMANITY

Contents

Conference Report, by William G. O’Neill

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Keynote Addresses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Voices of the Victims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3An American Perspective: Senator Richard Lugar onFighting Catastrophic Terrorism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Round Table of World Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Voices of Islam: Two Shiite Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Underlying Factors in Global Terrorism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Closing Remarks and Follow-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Appendix I: Keynote Addresses

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Elie Wiesel:“Why Terror Must be Unmasked and Defeated” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Appendix II: Conference Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Appendix III: Round Table of World Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Appendix IV: List of Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22


1

IntroductionTwo years after the terrorist attacks in New York,Washington and Pennsylvania, the Government ofNorway and the International Peace Ac a d e m yconvened a day-long conference in New York. TheSecretary-General of the United Nations, seventeenheads of state and government, the Secretary Generalof the League of Arab States, the Chairman of the U.S.Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, three foreignministers, academic experts, religious leaders, victimsof terrorism, journalists and representatives of non-governmental organizations convened to shed newlight on the roots of terror and thereby to broaden andenhance our common campaign against this evil.

The initiative for the conference came from the PrimeMinister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, and NobelPeace Prize Laureate, Professor Elie Wiesel, whose goalwas to provide an opportunity for world leaders to renewtheir commitment to stand together against terrorism.Under the rubric “Fighting Terrorism for Humanity: AConference on the Roots of Evil,” the organizers soughtto elicit the views, analyses and recommendations of theconference participants on how best to combat terrorism,to understand the conditions that generate support for itand to listen to the voices of some who have suffereddirectly from terrorism.1 Barely a month after the terroristattack on United Nations headquarters in Baghdad on 19August 2003, the role of the UN in the fight againstterrorism has never been more obvious or important.

Executive Summary

As Prime Minister Bondevik noted in his conferencesummation, world leaders highlighted several ke yissues on which there seemed to be broad consensus:

1. While failed states, repressive regimes, foreignoccupation and lack of self-determination can becontributing factors to terrorism, no political goalor cause justifies intentionally attacking civilians.Terrorism can never be justified or excused.

2. All member states must reject religious extremismwhile encouraging greater inter-religious dialoguedown to the level of individual congregations inchurches, temples and mosques, building on thevalues and principles that unite them.

3. There must be no trade-off between human rightsand terrorism; human rights abuses in fact fuelterrorism, along with misery, ignorance and despair.

4. The UN—its programs, its funds and its agencies—must do more to explore how it can focus moredirectly on the roots of terrorism and work harderto resolve festering conflicts that can give rise toacts of terrorism.

5. While there is not a simple, direct, causal linkbetween poverty and terrorism, lack of develop-ment, poor governance and a sense of desperation,alienation and hopelessness provide conditions inwhich terrorism can flourish and which can beexploited by extremists. Peace, security, develop-ment and respect for human rights are all essentialto combat terrorism.

6. In the education of young people, great emphasismust be placed on promoting tolerance and mutualrespect.

1 This conference builds on the research inputs of an International Expert Meeting entitled “Root Causes of Terrorism,” held in Oslo,Norway, 9-11 June 2003. See “Root Causes of Terrorism: Findings from an International Expert Meeting in Oslo, 9-11 June 2003,” apublication of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). Also available at <http://www. n u p i . n o / I P S /filestore/Root_Causes_report.pdf>.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel and Prime Minister Kjell MagneBondevik of Norway

Keynote Addresses

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched the discus-sion by denouncing terrorism, noting that nothingcould ever justify its use and that terrorism defiles itspurported objective regardless of how worthy thatobjective might be. He urged everyone to “use ourheads as well as our hearts” to understand what worksand what doesn’t work in combating terrorism. Whilenot the automatic result of any one factor, terrorism isrelated to social, political and economic conditions.Terrorists thrive on despair and the UN must find a wayto deal with legitimate grievances. Yet there can be notrade-off between human rights and fights againstterrorism; in fact, abuses of human rights can fuelterrorism and prolong cycles of violence.

Peace, security, development and respect for humanrights are key to combating terrorism. “We…deludeourselves if we think military force alone can defeatterrorism. Terrorism will only be defeated if we act tosolve the political disputes and long-standing conflictswhich generate support for it. If we do not, we shallfind ourselves acting as a recruiting sergeant for thevery terrorists we seek to suppress.”

Ideas matter in the struggle against terrorism. TheSecretary-General noted that the effort to achieve theMillennium Development Goals has assumed a newmeaning and increased importance. All thosecombating terrorism should follow internationalhumanitarian and human rights law. The moral visionof respecting human rights and the inherent dignity ofevery human being is a powerful tool for winningpeople’s hearts and minds and the battle of ideas.

Echoing the Secretary-General’s insistence on theimportance of ideas and morality, Prime MinisterBondevik emphasized the centrality of education, bothat home and at school, in church, mosque and temple,to instill respect and tolerance. He reminded partici-pants that extremists cannot be allowed to poison theminds of children and young people. School texts andcurricula must promote human rights, respect fordiversity and tolerance of other viewpoints andcultures. Extremist ideologies exploit grievances andtwist religious beliefs. Religious leaders at all levels—

international, national and local, down to individualcongregations—must take the lead in denouncingterrorism, hatred and intolerance. He called forincreased inter-religious dialogue and greaterunderstanding across cultures.

He seconded the Secretary-General’s view that buildinglives of dignity is extremely important not only for itsown sake but also because it helps individuals resist theappeal of terrorists. Part of the problem is that terror-ists thrive in the many weak states around the globewhere governance is either minimal, bad or both.Repressive regimes fuel hate and despair, so the rule oflaw is the best way to provide people with legitimateoutlets for their opinions and to express their needs.

Co-chair of the conference Elie Wiesel underscored theimportance of building international solidarity tooppose the fear manipulated by terrorists. Misery,ignorance, despair, hopelessness and fanaticism bringterrorism to the foreground. Terrorists thrive on despairand the UN needs to help give people hope.

Professor Wiesel observed that while one must strive tounderstand terrorism and its various causes, nothingjustifies such acts. He reminded the participants that inthe 19th century, terrorists attacked political leadersbut not children, women and old people—innocents. Heasserted that there are some lines that can never becrossed; true martyrs are willing to give up their ownlives for a cause but not to take innocent lives alongwith them, a morally repugnant act.

He urged that the UN and the world leaders declareterrorism a crime against humanity. While admitting thathe detested war and violence, Professor Wiesel observedthat in some cases fighting terrorism may requireviolence, and quoted André Malraux on war: “Victorybelongs to those who made war but didn’t like it.”

President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, the finalkeynote speaker, noted terrorism’s ancient origins andhow a “reign of terror” originally described statebehavior, while anti-colonial movements were alsofrequently labeled “terrorist.” What is new is theupsurge in violence in the 1990s, and he cited asexamples mass killings in Bosnia and Kosovo andIndian repression in Kashmir.


2

President Musharraf warned of the dangers of an artifi-cial linkage of terrorism with Islam. Many Moslemsfeel targeted. He urged the participants to fightreligious extremism while addressing long-term issuestoo. Operations against al Qaeda are necessary and relyon modern technology, quick reaction forces, haltingfinancing and improving human intelligence. But morecreative responses are needed that rely not only onconventional military and police responses. PresidentMusharraf emphasized the importance of developing along-term strategy that would include understandingterrorism’s causes and resolving festering politicaldisputes that create desperation and hopelessness,which these days disproportionately affect Moslems.

He asserted that foreign occupation and a lack of self-determination are direct causes for suicide bombings andterrorist attacks. He noted that it is both ironic andinstructive that the UN has not agreed on a definition ofterrorism, and wondered whether political expediencymilitates against doing so. President Musharraf neverthe-less concluded that the UN needs a legal definition ofterrorism, applied with no exceptions, allowing for nodouble standards and including all forms of terrorism,including state terrorism, the most deadly form. He urgedthe UN to pay more attention to the question of self-determination, which is a basic human right found in UNhuman rights treaties but is enormously complex andpolitically delicate. Resisting occupation is often depictedas terrorism, he observed, yet a key challenge is differen-tiating between terrorism and legitimate acts of resist-ance. The UN needs to provide guidance, consistency andfairness in all these matters. He recommended that theUN examine the East Timor model as a way of promotingself-determination while combating terrorism.

President Musharraf concluded his remarks byemphasizing that Islam is consistent with democracyand human rights, and that protecting minorities is areligious obligation. Moslems must shun militancy,favor enlightened moderation, reform madrassas anderadicate poverty. The West must help resolve disputes,and then help marginalize extremists.

Voices of the Victims

Panel moderator Giandomenico Picco urged theconference never to forget the victims of terrorism.

Their voices must be heard and could help to build ananti-terrorist culture. They are the real heroes in thisstruggle. Four victims of terrorist attacks, Mr. AhmadYusran from Bali, Mr. Luís Portero and Ms. MaitePagazaurtundua from the Basque Country of Spain,and New York City Fire Department Battalion ChiefJoseph Pfeifer, described the impact that those eventshave had on their lives. Evoking the personal sufferingthat acts of terrorism had inflicted on their families andthemselves, the victims urged the importance ofmaintaining memory, defending truth and obtainingjustice. They warned of the dangers when extremistsdistort history and exploit grievances, however real.The Basque representatives echoed their Indonesiancolleague’s call for greater attention to the victims ofterrorism while building popular support in thestruggle against terrorism.

An American Perspective: SenatorRichard Lugar on FightingCatastrophic Terrorism

Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the United StatesSenate Committee on Foreign Relations, queriedwhether there was a global anti-terrorism strategy.Military responses have a limited impact and can breedmore terrorists. Economic and diplomatic initiativesare needed too, not just military. He recommendedadopting a multi-faceted approach to combat


3

Voices of the Victims panel: Mr. Ahmad Yusran of Bali, New York CityFire Department Chief Joseph Pfeifer, Ms. Maite Pagazaurtundua ofSpain, panel moderator, Mr. Giandomenico Picco, and Mr. Luis Porteroof Spain


terrorism, one that includes fair trade, strong alliances,d e m o c r a c y, limiting weapons of mass destruction(WMD) and enhanced diplomacy.

The Senator then turned his attention to the dangers ofWMD proliferation. “Given economic globalization,there will be no safe haven from an instance ofcatastrophic terrorism.” Suicidal terrorists cannot bedeterred and they must be prevented from gainingaccess to WMD. He noted that “the Cold War was anunconventional war, as is the war on terrorism.” Oneobjective shared by both is to control access to nuclearweapons. Nuclear materials are vast but finite; makingthem fissile is hard, and they can be secured. Ukraine,Kazakhstan and Belarus have eliminated huge stocksand the recent decision by the G8 countries to helpRussia dismantle its nuclear stockpile is a goodprecedent. Senator Lugar concluded by emphasizingthat a unified, multilateral approach is essential tocombating terrorism, most importantly by establishinga worldwide system of accountability for nuclear,biological and chemical weapons.

Round Table of World Leaders

Prime Minister Bondevik then opened the next sessionin which heads of state, foreign ministers and otherspresented their views on terrorism. [The Round Table ofWorld Leaders list can be found in Appendix III.]

Terrorism is Never Justified

• No cause or ideology can justify terrorism. Themystique surrounding terrorism masks theignominy of the act. No one should romanticizeterrorists by focusing only on their alleged causebut instead focus on the horror of their acts.Terrorists cannot enjoy any moral legitimacy/e m p a t h y. They are murderers and must be heldaccountable for their crimes. Po l i t i c a l l ymotivated violence against civilians is theessence of terrorism. States can also committerrorist acts.

• The UN and all the international community mustfocus on how to fight terrorism and look at theproblem pragmatically. Increased knowledge aboutthe roots of terrorism will help make the fightagainst it more effective.

Need for Enhanced Cooperation and Dialogue

• International cooperation is essential, based on aunified, multilateral, multi-faceted strategy.

• Greater dialogue between cultures and civiliza-tions is crucial. Islam opposes terrorism andsupports social justice. Islam abhors anarchy.Care is needed because some see the war onterror as an attack on Islam, so many people inthe Moslem world are dubious about thisc a m p a i g n .

• There is no clash of civilizations or of religions,nor is there a war between north and south, richand poor. Yet globalization is seen as a new formof dominance, imperialism and aggression againstsome cultures; terrorists exploit this sentiment.Greater dialogue and respect for cultures must beencouraged, down to the local level. Religions andethnic groups should not be stigmatized.

• There should be a heavy focus on youth,emphasizing tolerance and mutual respect in theireducation. All too many young people areexposed to propaganda which must also bec o m b a t e d .

4

Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee, flanked by IPA President David Malone and IPA BoardChair Rita Hauser


Conditions Conducive to Terrorism

• Terrorism takes root in chaos and the absence ofgood governance. Democracy and propergovernance, including free expression and avibrant civil society, respect for human rights anda functioning, fair judiciary, allow dissent to beexpressed in non-violent and legitimate ways.

• The causes of terrorism are difficult to pinpoint.But some factors or conditions that enable terror-ists to function include: extreme nationalism,discrimination, foreign occupation, humiliationand social and economic inequalities. In the viewof some leaders, denial of the right to self-determi-nation is a major factor in assessing strategies forcombating terrorism.

• While poverty and terrorism are not in amechanistic cause-effect relationship, underdevel-opment, inequality and ensuing despair lead tofrustration, anger and alienation and comprise aheady brew that terrorists exploit. Perceptions ofmarginalization and exclusion require long-terminitiatives in which the UN should have a key role.Eradicating terrorism requires new policies towardnon-traditional security threats, including findingsolutions to economic, environmental and socialproblems that extremists manipulate and exploit.

• An extremely small minority cannot be allowed tohijack real grievances. Poverty and inequality arevery fertile breeding grounds for discontent,

despair and fragmentation. Based on theMillennium Declaration, all UN member stateshave pledged to create a more equitable world;significant arms reductions and provision of moreresources dedicated to health, education and workfor the impoverished are important components ofthe anti-terrorism effort.

• Alienation breeds terrorists who are isolated; thechallenge is how to engage them. One way is toencourage debate within and between opensocieties.

• Terrorism itself helps breed poverty because it is sodestructive, devastating economies, killingthousands and costing billions to combat.

Primacy of Upholding Human Rights in CombatingTerrorism

• Those fighting terrorism cannot sacrifice their valuesand rights in the struggle. Terrorism threatensuniversal values and human rights, but the best wayto combat terrorism is with more democracy, moredevelopment, a cleaner environment and thereduction of poverty. Respect for human rights mustnever be sacrificed in fighting terrorism; to dootherwise is to hand terrorists a victory they couldnever have achieved on their own.

Role for the United Nations

• The UN must reconfirm its opposition to andcondemnation of terrorism, and must work harderto resolve conflicts peacefully. If local actorscannot find a solution, then the UN and interna-tional community must step in. The UN must workharder to resolve long-festering conflicts thatterrorists exploit. Terrorists’ appeal diminishes asthe space for political dialogue grows.

• It is important to recognize that defeatingterrorism will take a long time and a concertedinternational effort, with the UN playing a key rolein all these initiatives. It is not the humanitarianaspects alone that should be left to the UN. The UNshould take the lead in promoting dialogue,diplomacy and human rights.

5

Members of the panel of world leaders convened to discuss terrorism


6

• The UN Counter Terrorism Committee must becomemore assertive and effective. There should be moreeffective cooperation, enhanced networks andshared intelligence databases. The UN must makefull use of all available tools.

The Voices of Islam: Two ShiiteLeaders

Seyed Aiad Jamal Aldin and Seyed Houssein Mustavial-Khomeini provided perspectives from the MiddleEast in the following session, moderated by Dr. DavidMalone, IPA president, and Dr. William Vendley fromthe World Conference of Religions for Peace. Theirmessage was clear: terrorism thrives on creating aclimate of fear, and the West has a great humanitarianresponsibility to counter this fear. Nothing in Islam orMoslem culture justifies terrorism. All must work tospread democracy and the respect of human rightseverywhere while also respecting religious principles.When misused, religion can become the mostdangerous instrument on the globe. Islam has beenhijacked; terrorists have corrupted the Koran andsuppressed alternative interpretations. The tworeligious leaders urged the formation of secular statesin the Middle East in which religion is separated fromthe state. Many horrible acts, including the murder ofImam Hussein, have been committed in the name ofthe Koran. Regimes have crushed religion for their ownpurposes. “We need rights and human dignity for every

human being.” In writing a new constitution for Iraq,they urged its authors to adopt the principles ofsecularism, democracy and respect for human rights,thus ending the abuse of history and religion. “Futuregenerations will thank them.”

Underlying Factors in GlobalTerrorism

David Malone of IPA chaired the next session, whichconsisted of a panel of experts on terrorism.

Professor Martha Crenshaw of Wesleyan Universityprefaced her remarks by noting that terrorism’s causesare complex and varied. It is difficult to pinpoint asingle cause; rather, there are categories of causes. Thefirst category includes culture, religion, values, norms,doctrines and ideology. If one concludes that these arethe main causes, then the response reflects this analysisand is designed accordingly: change school curricula,emphasize teaching more tolerance and understandingso that you de-legitimize terrorism, and promote greatercross-cultural and inter-religious understanding. Thesecond category covers the material argument: poverty,inequality and resentment of the “have-nots” againstthe “haves” spur terrorism. So the response is to buildgreater equality, reduce gaps, and raise prospects andhopes for a better future among the impoverished orthose left behind. The third category involves a purelypolitical analysis: lack of freedom, repression of humanrights, failure to resolve historical grievances, denial ofself-determination and closed legitimate avenues ofdissent are what lead people to turn to violence. Somore democracy, honoring human rights, respect forhuman dignity, granting self-determination andresolving long-festering political/historical grievanceswill reduce terrorism.

Professor Crenshaw noted that the various conditionsoutlined in the three categories above affect millions,but only a very few people resort to terrorism. Sheurged the group to examine the incentives thatmotivate these people: what are the small groupdynamics of underground conspiracies? Look at theproblem instrumentally: terrorists are supremely goal-oriented. Terrorism attracts publicity to the cause andplaces it on the international agenda. Yet terrorism

Voices of Islam panel: Panel moderator David Malone, President ofIPA, Seyed Houssein Mustavi al-Khomeini, Seyed Aiad Jamal Aldin,and panel moderator Dr. William Vendley of the World Conference ofReligions for Peace


7

rarely succeeds, it rarely accomplishes its goals. Thisshould be shown to the terrorists with the goal ofencouraging them to adopt other, more legitimatemethods. “We need to go beyond mere coercion; thechallenge is how to halt those people who have alreadystarted to use terrorism and to convince those whohave not yet started by showing that terrorism doesn’tpay. We need to ameliorate conditions that may facili-tate terrorism but we need to understand that this isvery costly and will require lots of resources.”Professor Crenshaw questioned where the resourceswill come from. This will require a multilateral effort.

Professor Dipak Gupta of San Diego State Universityreiterated the need to define terrorism once and for alland for adoption of a unified counter-terrorisms t r a t e g y. Terrorists are not insane as is sometimesbelieved; rather, they are deliberate and act with apurpose. There is no unique terrorist profile just as thereis no automatic or mechanical connection betweenpoverty and terrorism or religion. What motivates theindividual must also be understood in the context of the“group” too: how is the individual seeking validationfrom the group to which he belongs? It is not just aquestion of individual self-interest. Two types of actorsare involved in terrorism. He described the first as the“true believers” who want power, prestige and money.The second is the “captive participants” who see there istoo much to lose if they don’t participate. Both arerepresented in most terrorist groups.

Yet all terrorism is not the same. There is specializa-tion. Professor Gupta recommended distinguishingamong ideologies; not all threaten the whole world,some just have national or sub-national goals whileothers have a wider, international goal. He compared alQaeda and the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka on this point.He acknowledged that self-determination can be amotivating factor but the 1949 Geneva Conventionsprohibit deliberately targeting civilian non-combat-ants, regardless of the cause.

Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani summed up hisimpressions of the morning’s discussions, noting thatleaders see the problem in their own national boxe s .This approach will not work anymore because theterrorists have discovered the world beyond the bordersof the nation-state. The UN Counter Te r r o r i s m

Committee receives reports from states but needs tomove beyond borders and craft truly internationalcounter-terrorism strategies. He compared the situationto a pleasure boat in which the passengers monitor onlythe conditions in each of their cabins while ignoring thesituation in the galleys and halls of the ship.

Ambassador Mahbubani noted that no one at theconference had mentioned the role of geopolitics interrorism, counter-terrorism and the UN’s capacity toact. While the UN must act and be perceived to be actingin a fair and impartial manner, geopolitics complicatesthe situation. He compared the Security Council to theNew York City Fire Department. The latter responds toevery fire, whether in a Park Avenue penthouse or apublic housing building in the South Bronx. In contrast,the Security Council picks and chooses the emergenciesit responds to in view of the national interests of its ke ymember states and simply ignores others. This is a realproblem for the Security Council, as it opens the door forcharges of double standards and lack of fairness. Theconsequences will be felt globally. As an example, therecent failure of the Cancun Summit on world trade willadversely affect development in many poor countries.The ongoing dispute over subsidies and tariffs could alsolead to ongoing impoverishment in the developingworld and growing desperation which will have globalconsequences.

Ambassador Mahbubani also questioned the conclusionthat there is no clash of civilizations; there is a raw nerve

Mr. Bjorn Skogmo, Deputy Secretary General of the NorwegianMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Sadako Ogata, former UN HighCommissioner for Refugees, and President Jacques Chirac of France

there. Many Moslems do feel that they are especiallytargeted in the “war on terror.” “We are in trouble whenour cruise ship with 6 billion passengers includes 1.5billion deeply unhappy and alienated travelers on board.”

Closing Remarks and Follow-UpThis conference has contributed to our understandingof the causes of terrorism and terrorism as a phenom-enon. However, while we have gained some insightwhich will help us identify long-term measures tocombat terrorism, we still have more to learn and muchremains to be done.

After having heard all participants, Prime MinisterBondevik identified five possible tracks for the follow-up of the Conference:

1. With its broad mandate and universal membership,the UN should continue to play a leading role inglobal anti-terrorism efforts. The report from thisconference will be presented to the SecurityCouncil’s Counter Terrorism Committee, the mainUN body charged with anti-terrorism issues, as aninput to its important work. Other relevant UNbodies and international as well as regionalorganizations should do more to combat terrorism.

2. Education is of paramount importance as a tool toachieve tolerance and respect. Organizations suchas UNESCO, UNICEF and the UN Human RightsCommittee are already engaged in activities thatcorrespond to the theme of our conference. Effortsshould be made to bring this work forward throughall relevant UN agencies, as well as other interna-tional, regional and national governmental andnon-governmental organizations.

3. International monitoring of indicators on terrorismshould be considered, in particular as regardspotential access to weapons of mass destruction.

4. We will seek to integrate our findings in ongoinginter-religious dialogues. Inter-religious dialoguesare key in promoting tolerance and understanding.We will seek to mobilize religious leaders to raisetheir voices against intolerance and extremism.

5. To make the fight against terrorism truly global, wemust involve civil society and the private sector. Wewill urge civil society to persevere in their efforts inconflict prevention, and make them partners in ourefforts to build a global culture of tolerance. Ourgoal must be to achieve universal respect for thefundamental value of all human beings, based onthe rule of law and respect for human rights.

Prime Minister Bondevik then closed the meeting byreading the following Manifesto issued by ProfessorWiesel and himself:

On September 22, 2003, a gathering took place inthe city of New York, with the participation ofconcerned men and women from a variety ofcountries and disciplines, united in the belief thatcivilization is in peril due to a nefarious aspect ofglobalization, that of terrorism.

We have listened to experts analyzing the roots ofinternational terrorism, both visible and invisible,and heard leaders of the world expressing theirresolve that whatever the cause, it must not andcannot be justified by the ultimate brutalityembodied in terrorism.

Surely religious fanaticism, social humiliationresulting from persecution, discrimination andmisery may move frustrated young people to use allavailable and imaginable means to put an end totheir own victimhood. But these must not includeterrorism, which, if unchecked, could pervert andnegate promises the world community had madefor this new country.

Nations and their governments, spiritual leadersand business chieftains, educators, law enforce-ment agents and simple citizens are duty-bound tomobilize their collective energies in the fightagainst terrorism. This fight is necessary andunavoidable if we want our children everywhere tolive in a society free of fear and open to hope.

Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne BondevikNobel Peace Prize Laureate, Professor Elie Wiesel


8

Appendix I: Keynote Addresses

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan


9

Let me congratulate you, Mr. Prime Minister, and you,Elie, for organizing this unique conference on a subjectof fundamental importance. Terrorism has threatenedMember States of the United Nations for many years,and the Organization remains active against it onmany fronts. Recently, the United Nations itself hasbeen the target of a vicious and heartless terroristattack, in which many irreplaceable colleagues andfriends were killed. I am deeply saddened by their loss.They were some of our best.

If we are to fight terrorism effectively, and avoidmistakes in doing so, we need more debate, not less,regarding possible policy responses. I hope my shortremarks this morning contain some ideas that cancontribute to that debate.

Terrorism is a global threat, and it can never bejustified. No end can give anyone the right to killinnocent civilians. On the contrary, the use of terrorismto pursue any cause—even a worthy one—can onlydefile that cause, and thereby damage it.

While terrorism is an evil with which there can be nocompromise, we must use our heads, not our hearts, indeciding our response. The rage we feel at terroristattacks must not remove our ability to reason. If we areto defeat terrorism, it is our duty, and indeed our

interest, to try to understand this deadly phenomenon,and carefully to examine what works, and what doesnot, in fighting it.

The experts who met in Oslo in June to contributeideas to today’s discussion rightly pointed out thatterrorists are often rational and intentional actors whodevelop deliberate strategies to achieve politicalobjectives. We should not pretend that all terrorists aresimply insane, or that the decision to resort toterrorism is unrelated to the political, social andeconomic situation in which people find themselves.But we are also mistaken if we assume, equally, thatterrorists are mere products of their environment. Thephenomenon is more complex than that.

We also delude ourselves if we think that military forcealone can defeat terrorism. It may sometimes benecessary to use force to counter terrorist groups. Butwe need to do much more than that if terrorism is tobe stopped.

Terrorists thrive on despair. They may gain recruits orsupporters where peaceful and legitimate ways ofredressing a grievance do not exist, or appear to havebeen exhausted. By this process, power is taken awayfrom people and placed in the hands of small andshadowy groups.

But the fact that a few wicked men or women commitmurder in its name does not make a cause any less just.Nor does it relieve us of the obligation to deal withlegitimate grievance. On the contrary, terrorism willonly be defeated if we act to solve the political disputesand long-standing conflicts which generate support forit. If we do not, we shall find ourselves acting as arecruiting sergeant for the very terrorists we seek tosuppress.

We should also remember that, in the fight againstterrorism, ideas matter. We must articulate a powerfuland compelling global vision that can defeat the vivid,if extreme, visions of some terrorist groups. We must

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan delivers his keynote address

make clear, by word and deed, not only that we arefighting terrorists, but also that we are standing,indeed fighting, for something—for peace, for resolu-tion of conflict, for human rights and development.

Accordingly, there needs to be more on the horizonthan simply winning a war against terrorism. Theremust be the promise of a better and fairer world, and aconcrete plan to get there. For this reason, the vision ofthe Millennium Declaration has become more, not less,important, as has the need to take action to turn itspromise into reality.

We must never, in the fight against terrorism, lower ourstandards to theirs. States therefore need to ensure that,in fighting terrorists, they respect the limits whichinternational humanitarian law places on the use offorce. The failure to do so can erode our shared values.Pa r a d ox i c a l l y, terrorist groups may actually be sustainedwhen, in responding to their outrages, governmentscross the line and commit outrages themselves—whetherit is ethnic cleansing, the indiscriminate bombardmentof cities, the torture of prisoners, targeted assassinations,or accepting the death of innocent civilians as “c o l l a t-eral damage.” These acts are not only illegal and unjusti-fiable. They may also be exploited by terrorists to gainnew followers, and to generate cycles of violence inwhich they thrive.

For these reasons, and for many others, I believe thatthere is no trade-off to be made between human rightsand terrorism. Upholding human rights is not at oddswith battling terrorism: on the contrary, the moralvision of human rights—the deep respect for the dignityof each person—is among our most powerful weaponsagainst it.

To compromise on the protection of human rightswould hand terrorists a victory they cannot achieve ontheir own. The promotion and protection of humanrights, as well as the strict observance of internationalhumanitarian law, should, therefore, be at the center ofanti-terrorism strategies.

To fight terrorism, we must not only fight terrorists. Wehave to win hearts and minds. To do this, we should actto resolve political disputes, articulate and work towardsa vision of peace and development, and promote humanrights. And we can only do all this effectively if we workt o g e t h e r, through multilateral institutions—first andforemost, through the United Nations.

If these ideas guide us in shaping our response toterrorism, our moral position in the fight againstterrorism will be assured. And we will not hand terror-ists a victory, but a stinging rejection, both of theirmethods and their world view. Thank you very much.


10

Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik

Excellencies, Mr. Secretary-General, Distinguishedparticipants, Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, let me warmly thank the Secretary-Generalfor his support and for his opening statement.

We are here in New York two years after the tragicevents that changed the world. But it did not starthere and it did not stop here. We have later experi-enced atrocities in Bali, Casablanca and Riyadh—andmost recently in Baghdad where the terrorist attacke dthe world’s peace organization itself: the UnitedN a t i o n s .

The names of these—and other cities—have beencharged with a new meaning: victims of terrorism. Sohas the United Nations.

We remember the victims from all these onslaughts.And here in New York, where 3000 victims from 90nations perished. We pay our respect and tribute totheir families and to the fine people of this city. TheFire Department of New York and the New York PoliceDepartment lost hundreds of brave men and women.Their officers gave their lives so others could live.

We owe it to the victims to make every effort to

prevent such atrocities. More than 40 years agoPresident John F. Kennedy let the world know that theUS would “pay any price, bear any burden, meet anyhardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in orderto assure the survival and the success of liberty”.Although ours is a new world, with new threats andchallenges, we should take his words to our heart. Thatmeans fighting terrorism for humanity.

There is no excuse for terrorism. No goal can justify it.

It defies comprehension that some people choose totake completely innocent lives, the lives of people theydo not know—even children—for some cause.- How can people justify random killings and suicide

bombings?- Why do people invoke the name of God when

doing devilish deeds?- How do we eliminate the breeding grounds of

hate?

All of us here are part of the global coalition workingrelentlessly to track down terrorist groups. We do so bymilitary and police efforts as well as by financial andjudicial means. These efforts must continue vigorously.But we must do more.

We have called this conference to shed new light onthe roots of terror, and thereby to broaden and enhanceour common campaign against this evil. To renew ourcommitments. To hear the victims of terrorism testifyof their ordeals.

Our ambition is to help women and men around theworld to build lives of purpose, opportunity anddignity. To stake out a path towards a safer future.

There are no easy solutions to these challenges. TheInternational Expert Meeting on terrorism that washeld in Oslo in June this year made that abundantlyclear. But I am convinced that the following issues areamong those that have to be addressed.

Firstly, history has shown us that terrorists takeadvantage of weak and failed states, from where theycan operate and plan new horrendous attacks.Afghanistan before 9/11 is a case in point.

Moreover, failed states and repressive regimes oftenbreed hate, fuel extremism and support terror.Economic and social development is necessary toprevent states from failing and give to those in needhope for a better future.

But there seems only to be a marginal connection—ifany—between poverty and terrorism. Terrorism is notparticularly prevalent among the poorest. On thecontrary, terrorists have often proven to come frommiddle-class or wealthy families.

The rule of law and respect for human rights are thefirst and the best way to counter terrorism. We mustprovide outlets for human ambitions, for hopes andbeliefs, but also for anger and grief.

In the city of New York this needs no further explana-tion. But millions of people around the world aredenied these basic rights and values.

Secondly, extremist ideologies are also a cause ofterrorism. As an ordained Lutheran minister, I amespecially concerned about the abuse of religion in themaking of a terrorist. Love, respect, brotherhood andtolerance are central to all the great religions.Terrorism is totally alien to them all.

People often express their desires, aims and anger inreligious terms. Extremists misuse such language tojustify atrocities. This is a perverted use of our religions.

Religious leaders have too often failed to raise theirvoices against intolerance and extremism, and havenot given their followers the guidance they needed.

Why do so many seem so ambivalent?

As human beings we are guided by our hearts andminds. Most rules of behaviour are expressed in words,which speak more to the mind than to the heart. Theanti-terror campaign should win the battle of hearts, aswell as minds.

It has been said that “terrorists hate us more than theylove life.” The challenge is to make the potentialterrorist chose life, not death.


11

This battle will have to be waged on the grass-rootslevel, in the congregations and places of worship andmeditation. It will have to be fought by local religiousleaders and their superiors. To succeed, we must worktogether, through inter-religious dialogue. And wemust reinvigorate these efforts.

In short, our goal must be to achieve universal respectfor the fundamental value of all human beings.

Thirdly, countless children are today being raised in anatmosphere of hatred and intolerance. Of lack ofhuman rights.Education can and should be our primary tool toachieve the opposite. It should promote tolerance andmutual respect. Education should be part of ourantiterrorist campaign.

Parents have a special responsibility. They are theirchildren’s first teachers, and must teach them not tohate or to take pride in collective hate. The sameapplies to school curricula and religious teachings.There are efforts to eradicate hate-inciting statementsfrom schoolbooks and curricula, as a part of widerconfidence-building measures. UNESCO is doing usefulwork in this area.

We need to devote more attention to the role ofteaching material and religious teachings in shaping

children’s attitudes towards terror and violence in theirearly, formative years.

Excellencies, Mr. Secretary-General, Ladies andgentlemen,

Fighting terrorism is an immense task—for individuals,governments, as well as the world community.Much has been achieved, but more remains to be done.The victims of terror as well as future generationsdeserve nothing less than our total commitment infighting terrorism.

- Children must be taught tolerance and not hate.

- Religious leaders must be guided by compassionand respect.

- Governments must satisfy the needs and rights oftheir citizens.

By shedding new light on the roots of terror, we willhelp developing more effective measures in fightingterrorism. A broad and enhanced strategy requires theinvolvement of the United Nations, political andreligious leaders, the private sector and civil society.Together we shall prevail in the battle against terrorism.

Thank you for your attention.


12

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Elie Wiesel

WHY TERROR MUST BE UNMASKED AND DEFEATED

As co-chairman with Norway’s distinguished PrimeMinister Bondevik of this gathering of world leaders inpolitics, culture and spirituality, may I thank you forresponding with such concern and enthusiasm to ourinvitation. You have come from near and far,representing all areas of human intelligence andsensitivity, united by a common sense of urgency andsharing a common hope that civilization, now sochallenged and threatened, will find the strength andthe wisdom in saving this new century from absurd,unnecessary, contagious and murderous violence.

I belong to a generation that has endured a thousandways of dying but not of living. We have antennas,built-in early-warning systems. We k n o w w h e nhumanity is in mortal danger.

Once upon a time, when at war, only soldiers on thefrontline were in danger. Civilians in their homes,students at school, children in their cribs or in gardensin bloom were meant to remain unharmed. Later,beginning with the Second World War, civilian homeswere destroyed and their inhabitants killed from air

attacks. But today, every city can become a frontline,every street a battlefield, every person a corpse. We allare in peril, many dwell in fear.

Fear is what theoreticians and practitioners of terrorare eager to inspire wherever democracy appeals to thehumanity of human beings—and solidarity of fate mustbe our answer to their glorification and globalizationof fear.

For what we have already learned in recent years isthat the noble idea of globalization has also penetratedthe underworld of terrorists. When they attack a hotelin Asia, an Embassy in Jordan, a ship in Africa andinnocent children in Jerusalem, they want us to go onbelieving that all of us, everywhere, that they are ourMasters for we are their targets.

An ultimate aberration of ideology or religion,Terrorism has always been philosophically indefen-sible, morally repulsive and humanly obscene—for itmeans the brutal rule of the few over the many.Believers in Terror begin by using it as a means toattain a goal but, at the end, it becomes a goal in itself.And so, here and there, small groups of excitedmilitants would decide that they will move History ina different direction because they simply know betterwhat is good for their people. But if such an arrogantline of thinking is contrary to whatever civilizednations and individuals believe in, suicide-terror ismore so. Just as in warfare, there are lines neither sidemay cross with impunity.

In terrorism, suicide-terrorists are doing just that. Theycall themselves, and their allies call them, martyrs. Butthe history of martyrdom has taught us that martyrs arethose who are willing to die but not to kill for their faith.Servants of Death, suicide-killers are killers. Killers ofinnocent human beings, killers of the very concept ofinnocence. To claim that they obey God’s will is makingGod their accomplice, a perverse notion that no religioustradition would now espouse or condone.

Specialized groups have in recent months met here andelsewhere to discuss and prepare the topic before us.They included political scientists and psychiatrists,historians and philosophers, ethicists and physicians.Their professional help is needed for if we want to

eradicate terrorism we must understand its causes. Theyare not only religious in their orientation; in Europe, inthe late sixties, they were politically motivated. Socialconditions have their effect on the terrorist’s psyche.Po v e r t y, misery, hunger, helplessness, hopelessness,romantic idealism of national pride, and, of course,blind and blinding fanaticism in all its forms—all thesedo contribute to a youngster’s decision to give up onimprovement by any means other than terrorism.What is the meaning of terror? It is, among others, anupside-down pyramid using absolute force to imposeits implacable will. Under its reign of limitless fear, itoperates on more than one level, for more than onereason, yet its goal remains the same; to reduce “theother” to the state of slave or object. Under terroristrule, the human being is no longer a unique creatureendowed with infinite possibilities, thus with a varietyof choices and options.

That is why even if one may wish to understandterrorists and their murderous activities, nothing canjustify them, especially since, unlike their distantpredecessors of the last two years of the nineteenthc e n t u r y, and the early years of the twentieth, thenihilist, anarchist and other revolutionaries, whowould target political leaders but never assassinatechildren, they attack anonymous men and women,young and old, all defenseless, all innocent humanbeings, spectators, bystanders and passengers—andchildren, yes, children.

Heartless cowards, that’s what terrorists are. Theyattack people, any people, all people at a certain place,simply because they happen to be there, at thatmoment. Most victims had done nothing against theterrorists, personally or professionally, they weren’tinvolved in political affairs—and yet these pitiless,senseless, soul-less aggressors will maim them andslaughter them. They are ready to die in the process?Their death itself is the work of cowards. They do notseek suicide but murder. They are ready to killthemselves in order to better kill others, and the morethe better.

Thus it is incumbent upon us to declare that whenterror runs amok at the risk of becoming chemical,biological and nuclear, those irresponsible peoplewho are engaged in educating, poisoning and


13

conditioning the terrorist, wherever he or she lives, ofany faith or ethnic origin, are as guilty as the terror-ists themselves.

To save humanity and its inherent quest for dignityand freedom, terrorism must be brought to its knees.Terror and democracy are incompatible.

To submit to terror would mean to abdicate our rightsto liberty, joy, surprise, happiness, our right to aspire to

what is elevated in the human condition.

To submit to terror’s brutally acquired power is tostrengthen it. But if we decide to fight and disarm it, itis enough to do away with fear. And use force? It iswith a heavy heart that one must say: Yes. Use force.And we shall win. We must.

It is André Malraux who put it most elegantly: victorywill belong to those who made war but did not like it.


14

General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan

Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Secretary-General, Ladies andGentlemen.

I thank Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, Mr. ElieWiesel and the International Peace Academy for thistimely initiative.

The theme of the Conference “Fighting Terrorism forHumanity” is particularly apt, because humanity is thefirst victim of terrorist acts. The venue chosen istragically very appropriate. It is here in New Yorkwhere, two years ago, nationals from about 80countries—Pakistanis included—fell victim to interna-tional terrorism.

The horrors of 9/11 forced us to mount an internationalcampaign against terrorism. Today the Al Qaida is onlya shadow of its past, but the questions before us are:Will terrorism outlive Al Qaida? What precisely isterrorism? What are the causes of terrorism includingreligiously inspired terrorism? What can the leaders ofthe world do to purge this menace for all times tocome? And most importantly how can we avert a clashof civilizations and work for understanding andcooperation between diverse faiths?

The world today has indeed become a dangerous placeriven with strife, suspicion and confrontation.Religious faiths—which should be the source of hope,tolerance and peace—are pitted against each other. Ourdestiny, and the future of succeeding generations, isheld hostage by a minority of extremists.I urge the world leaders here to use their wisdom andauthority to influence events and be the catalysts ofchange. They must not flow with the current thatthreatens the collapse of global civilization intoconfrontation and conflict.

Mr. Prime Minister,Terrorism is not a new phenomenon. It predates itsmodern description by centuries. Its history is as muchAsian and Middle Eastern as European and LatinAmerican. Terrorism transcends secular and religiousbarriers. The “reign of terror” was originally associatedwith states suppressing people. Non-state actors alsocommitted acts of indiscriminate violence. Anti-

Secretary-General Amre Moussa of the League of Arab States, ForeignMinister Khurshid M. Kasuri of Pakistan, and General PervezMusharraf, President of Pakistan

colonialist movements were often dubbed as terrorist.Since the end of Second World War, terrorists havebeen motivated by considerations ranging fromethnicity to ideology to cults.

What is new is that the decade of the ‘90s saw a suddenupsurge in militancy and violence. At the end of theCold War, hopes were kindled for a peaceful andharmonious world. But these hopes were soonshattered with the genocide in Bosnia and Kosovo.Militancy in Palestine grew and Kashmir saw the riseof an armed indigenous resistance in response toIndian repression. In Afghanistan a self-destructivecivil war raged, creating a vacuum and a haven forinternational terrorists. Militants spread their tentaclesto Central Asia. After 9/11, terrorism became equatedwith Al Qaida and its franchises—and by a misper-ceived extension, with Islam. This is an artificial andvery perilous linkage. Now, the Middle East has becomeeven more volatile because of the situation in Iraq.And, there is a growing sense among Muslims thatIslam, as a religion, is being targeted and pilloried.

Mr. Prime Minister,To fight terrorism, the strategic decisions whichPakistan took after September 11 are very consistentwith our moral principles, our national interests andour vision of Pakistan, standing tall among the nationsof the world that respect and strongly adhere to theprinciples of humanity.

Pakistan’s actions speak louder than words. Oursupport has been critical in the war against terrorism.This support will continue until our shared objectivesare fully met.

In Pakistan we are fighting terrorism in all itsdimensions. We are operating against Al Qaida or anyelements which misuse our territory for the export ofterrorism across our borders or internationally. Noforeigner, no terrorist will be allowed to use our soil forplotting or launching attacks from Pakistan. The otherdimension, and I dare say, the more serious dimensionof our anti-terrorist campaign targets sectarian andreligious extremism.

While operating against Al Qaida and their supportersis a short-term strategy, the longer-term strategy is

designed to deal with religious extremism. For overallsuccess we must address the menace of terrorismsimultaneously in its short and long term perspectives.

For operating against Al Qaida, we have developed aneffective intelligence network based on humanintelligence, technological capabilities and aerialsurveillance. This is now backed by an effective QuickReaction Force to hit located targets. We are alsoadopting measures to choke the sources of terroristfinancing. Therefore, in the short-term strategy ofstriking against terrorists, we are well poised forsuccess in Pakistan. A similar capability and action isrequired in the vast vacuums of the Afghan country-side to produce the optimum impact in the entireregion. It must be understood that it is not a conven-tional military operation that is required of sweepingand searching the entire mountain ranges whichwould be practically impossible. It is more an intelli-gence operation where we locate hostile targets andlaunch a swift military action against that locatedtarget. Assertions in the Western and Indian mediathat all Taliban activity in Afghanistan emanatesfrom Pakistan, or that Pakistan is not doing enough,are baseless and, may I add, thankless. Suchaspersions display either deliberate discrimination orinsufficient understanding of the ground realities. Nonation has done more in the war against terrorismthan Pa k i s t a n .

The short-term actions against terrorism must beaccompanied by a long-term strategy. Otherwise, thewar against terrorism may fail. We have to lookbeyond Al Qaida to the breeding grounds of terrorism.What motivates a suicide bomber to take his own lifeand kill innocent civilians? In order to eliminateterrorism, we must understand its causes. The fact isthat today most of the unresolved political disputesand issues involve Muslims. Their demands for justiceare often brushed aside. This has given rise to hopeless-ness, frustration and desperation. Foreign occupationand the suppression of the right of peoples to self-determination leading to a sense of despair is a directcause for suicide bombings and terrorist acts.

Is it not ironic that even as we come to grips with theravages of terrorism, we do not have its precise defini-tion? Is it that political expediency dictates avoiding


15

the truth? We must have a clear, legal definition ofterrorism. Terrorism has many forms, different motiva-tions and diverse causes.

There should be no selective application of the interna-tional norms and standards against terrorism.Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations—including state terrorism—has to be opposed withoutany discrimination.

To start with, there is the reality of state terrorism,which is the most deadly form of terrorism. Mostly,state terrorism targets people seeking freedom fromforeign occupation—as in Palestine and Kashmir. Theiroppression through state terrorism is all the moreunacceptable because they were assured self-determi-nation by no less than the UNSC.

There are also acts of violence and mass murdercommitted by individuals and groups. They killinnocent civilians and inflict havoc in our cities andtowns. No ideology, no doctrine can justify their actsor condone their crimes.

The need to evolve a definition of terrorism hasbecome more essential because those who are commit-ting state terrorism against occupied peoples oftendepict their legitimate movements for self-determina-tion as terrorism. It is the UN’s responsibility todevelop a definition of terrorism which clarifies thatsuch movements for self-determination, recognized bythe United Nations, are legitimate and cannot beequated with terrorism. Indeed, these freedommovements are, in essence, resisting the violators ofUnited Nations resolutions.

The right of the people of Jammu and Kashmir forself-determination has been sanctioned explicitly bythe UN Security Council. Until India agrees toimplement the Security Council resolutions, and whileit persists in its violent suppression of the Kashmirispeople, they have a legitimate right to resist Indianoccupation. Equating their freedom struggle withterrorism is quite a travesty. The United Nations mustpromote a solution for Kashmir—as it did for EastTimor—on the basis of the UN resolutions. And, theinternational community, which desires peace and

security in South Asia, must persuade India to end itsrepression in Kashmir and resume a dialogue processwith Pakistan. We are ready for dialogue. Now it isIndia’s call. It should respond positively. It’s not thatwe ask for a solution in favour of Pakistan. It shouldbe a win-win solution, in favour of Pakistan, India andmost of all, Kashmiri people.

Mr. Prime Minister,Most of the political disputes of our times afflictIslamic peoples and nations. Religious extremism andmilitancy have risen because these conflicts have beenallowed to fester without solution. There is a feeling inthe Muslim world that Islam is being targeted. In theWest, misperceptions persist that Islam inspires orendorses extremism. Expressions such as “Islamicterror,” “Muslim rage,” “Islamic threat” and the “Crisisof Islam,” offer only very facile explanations. Thiswidening gulf of perceptions between the West and theIslamic world has to be bridged. There is no such thingas “militant Islam.” There are only some “militantMuslims”—as there are militant Hindus, militantChristians and militant Jews.

The thesis of a clash of civilizations put forward bysome influential Western intellectuals, and nowincreasingly embraced at the popular level, is a recipefor confrontation. We must advance an antithesis—ofcohesion and understanding between civilizations. Inthis post-modern era, we must not go back tomedievalism. We, the world leaders, should dictate theglobal agenda, not allow the terrorists and extremiststo do so.

The essence of Islam must be clearly understood.

• The scare in the West about the Shariah ismisplaced. The Shariah is simply an Islamic way oflife.

• There is no incompatibility between Islam anddemocracy. The early Islamic State was a model ofdemocracy. And, the Holy Quran prescribes thepromotion of human rights, social equality,freedom of speech and adoption of decisionsthrough consultation and consensus—in short, thepractice of democracy in all walks of life.


16

• The protection of minorities is an article of faith inIslam. Islam makes no discrimination on basis ofc o l o r, caste, creed or religion. In this sensesecularism is embedded in our Faith. We do notneed to proclaim it.

• Islam’s tenets provide for continuous renewal andadoption—through the process of Ijtihad (orconsultation) and an emphasis on education andthe acquisition of scientific and technicalknowledge. Islam’s vision is not trapped in any oneperiod of history, it is modern and futuristic.

Of course, the problem is that there is today adichotomy between Islam’s principles and their actualpractice in extremist quarters. The introduction ofextremist laws or practices through a twisted represen-tation of the Shariah by vested, misguided interests inno way reflect the tolerant spirit and tenets of Islam.Those who abuse the faith of Islam to propagateviolence do not represent Muslims. They do not serveIslam. They are an aberration and a negation of thetenets of our faith. We need to marginalize and excludethem in our polity and society.

Mr. Prime Minister,All nations must cooperate and contribute to ensuresuccess in the long-term strategy against terrorism. Wemust adopt a two-pronged strategy.

The Muslim world, for its part, must shun militancyand extremism in favor of ‘Enlightened Moderation.’We must reform those madrassahs which are preachinghatred, extremism and militancy. We must concentrateon emancipating ourselves through an emphasis on thesocial sector, raising the level of our education andhealth standards and pursuing social justice andpoverty eradication.

Yet this will be feasible only if the West joins us by

helping to resolve all political disputes involvingMuslims with justice. The resolution of the Palestinianand Kashmir disputes will inevitably marginalizeextremist organizations—like Hamas, Jaish-e-Muhammad or Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. The advancedcountries must also promote the development ofhuman resources, investment and technology in theMuslim world to marginalize extremism.

Mr. Prime Minister,This then is the complete recipe for success against thedestructive forces of extremism and terrorism. There isno quick fix solution. Yet, we cannot opt for inaction.Inertia and lack of resoluteness on our part will onlystrengthen the extremists and weaken the moderates.Terrorism has to be addressed in its entirety. Apiecemeal or unifocal approach will only create distor-tion, diffusion and mistrust.

We, the leaders of the world, must ensure that theprinciples of humanity win. We have no choice but toprevail. We owe this to our future generations.

I thank you all.


17

IPA President David Malone greets President Olusegun Obasanjo ofNigeria

Appendix II:Conference Agenda

Two years after 9/11, the Conference offers an arena for discussing the next generation of policy measures in theongoing campaign against terror, and an opportunity for world leaders to renew their commitment to standingtogether throughout this campaign. The Conference is the result of an initiative taken by the Prime Minister ofNorway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, and the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Professor Elie Wiesel.

09:00 Opening

Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations

Mr. Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister of Norway

Professor Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan

Convenor: Rita Hauser, International Peace Academy

09:45 The Voices of the Victims

The experience of survivors from Bali, the Basque Country and New York.

Moderated by: Mr. Giandomenico Picco

Bali: Mr. Ahmad Yusran

Spain: Mr. Luís Portero

Spain: Ms. Maite Pagazaurtundua

USA: FDNY Chief Joseph Pfeifer

10:15 An American Perspective

Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

10:35 Coffee Break


18


10:45 Round Table of World Leaders

The United Nations Secretary-General Kofi AnnanSpain President of Government José Maria AznarAfghanistan President Hamid KarzaiCanada Prime Minister Jean ChrétienMacedonia President Boris TrajkovskiThe Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter BalkenendeFrance President Jacques ChiracItaly Prime Minister Silvio BerlusconiLatvia President Vaira Vike-FreibergaPortugal Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao BarrosoEstonia President Arnold RüütelBrazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da SilvaNigeria President Olusegun ObasanjoPakistan President Pervez MusharrafPeru President Alejandro Toledo ManriqueSenegal President Abdoulaye WadeIndonesia President Megawati SukarnoputriRussia Foreign Minister Igor IvanovIsrael Foreign Minister Silvan ShalomPalestinian Authority Foreign Minister Nabil ShaathUSA Senator Richard LugarLeague of Arab States Secretary General Amre Moussa

Co-chairs Prime Minister Kjell Magne BondevikProfessor Elie Wiesel

13:15 Lunch

15:00 The Voices of Islam

Moderated by: Dr. David Malone, International Peace Academy, and Dr. William Vendley, World Conference of Religions for Peace

Seyed Aiad Jamal Aldin

Seyed Houssein Mustavi al-Khomeini

15:15 Underlying Factors in Global Terrorism

Chair: Dr. David Malone, International Peace Academy

Participants: Dr. Martha Crenshaw, Wesleyan UniversityDr. Dipak Gupta, San Diego State UniversityAmbassador Kishore Mahbubani, Permanent Representative of Singaporeto the United Nations

19

16:50 Closing Remarks

Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik

Professor Elie Wiesel

17:00 Conference Concludes


20

Appendix III:Round Table of World Leaders

Co-chairs H.E. Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Elie Wiesel

The United Nations H.E. Secretary-General Kofi Annan

Spain H.E. President José Maria Aznar

Afghanistan H.E. President Hamid Karzai

Canada H.E. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien

Macedonia H.E. President Boris Trajkovski

The Netherlands H.E. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende

France H.E. President Jacques Chirac

Italy H.E. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi

Latvia H.E. President Vaira Vike-Freiberga

Portugal H.E. Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso

Estonia H.E. President Arnold Rüütel

Brazil H.E. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

Nigeria H.E. President Olusegun Obasanjo

Pakistan H.E. President Pervez Musharraf

Peru H.E. President Alejandro Toledo Manrique

Senegal H.E. President Abdoulaye Wade

Indonesia H.E. President Megawati Sukarnoputri

Russia H.E. Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov

Israel H.E. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom

Palestinian Authority H.E. Foreign Minister Nabil Sha’ath

USA Senator Richard Lugar

League of Arab States H.E. Secretary General Amre Moussa


21

Appendix IV:List of Participants

Ms. Birute AbraitienePermanent Mission of Lithuania to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Joël Wassi AdechiPermanent Mission of the Republic of Beninto the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Robert Guba AisiPermanent Mission of Papua New Guineato the United Nations

Ms. Bente Angell-HansenDirector-GeneralPrime Minister’s Office, Norway

Mr. George C. BiddleInternational Rescue Committee

Dr. Alex Boraine International Center for Transitional Justice

Dr. Craig C. CalhounSocial Science Research Council

Mr. Fernando Matias CampanaUN Department of Peacekeeping Affairs

H.E. Mr. Iftekhar Ahmed ChowdhuryPermanent Mission of the People’s Republicof Bangladesh to the United Nations

Mr. Oscar CornelioPermanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations

Dr. Elisabeth CousensConflict Prevention and Peace Forum

Dr. Martha CrenshawWesleyan University

Ms. Nicole DillerLawyer’s Committee for Nuclear Policy

Dr. Michael Doyle Columbia University School of Law & IPA Board

Ms. Catherine Dumait-Harper Doctors Without Borders/MSF

Dr. Shepard FormanCenter on International Cooperation at NYU

Professor Thomas Franck NYU School of Law

Ms. Nina FrisakSecretary to the GovernmentPrime Minister’s Office, Norway

H.E. Mr. Shofry Abdul GhaforPermanent Mission of Brunei Darussalamto the United Nations

Mr. Whitney I. Gerard, Esq.Chadbourne & Parke, LLP

Dr. Dipak GuptaSan Diego State University

H.E. Mr. Jose Luís GuterresPermanent Mission of the Democratic Republicof Timor-Leste to the United Nations

Mrs. Rita Hauser, Esq. Chair, IPA Board of Directors, & Hauser Foundation

Mr. Stephen HeintzRockefeller Brothers Fund

Ms. Kathleen HuntCARE International

Dr. Andrew HurrellNew York University School of Law


22

Mr. Syed Shahid HusainOffice of the Permanent Observer for the Organizationof the Islamic Conference to the United Nations

Mr. Oleksiy IlnytskyiPermanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations

Mr. Aleg IvanouPermanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations

Ambassador Andrew JacovidesFormer Permanent Representative of Cyprusto the United Nations

Dr. Rounaq JahanSouthern Asian Institute at Columbia University

Ms. Ann Kaiser Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom

Ambassador Muhammad Shahid Amin KahnInternational Human Rights Commission

Ms. Peggy KerryUnited States Mission to the United Nations

Ambassador Krister KumlinStockholm International Forum

H.E. Mr. Mirza KusljugicPermanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovinato the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Stuart W. LesliePermanent Mission of Belize to the United Nations

Mr. Iain LevineHuman Rights Watch

Mr. Bjarne LindstromSecretary-GeneralNorwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Niklas LundqvistPermanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Don MacKayPermanent Mission of New Zealandto the United Nations

Mr. Aiman MackieThe Ford Foundation

H.E. Mr. Kishore MahbubaniPermanent Mission of the Republic of Singapore

Mr. Alexander MarschikPermanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations

Ms. Millie MeyersUnited States Mission to the United Nations

Mr. Brynjulf MugaasInternational Federation of Red Cross andRed Crescent Societies

Ms. Joanne MyersCarnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs

Ms. Valerie Nash

Mr. Adam NeffUnited States Mission to the United Nations

Mr. Vernon NicholsNGO Committee on Disarmament

Ms. Roksanda NincicPermanent Mission of Serbia and Montenegroto the United Nations

Ambassador Herbert S. OkunSchool of Advanced International Studies,Johns Hopkins University

Mr. Georges PaclisanuInternational Committee of the Red Cross

Mr. Axel PalmasonInternational Monetary Fund


23

General Major Petr PelzPermanent Mission of the Czech Republicto the United Nations

Ann PhillipsIPA Board of Directors

Mr. Giandomenico Picco GDP Associates Inc. & IPA Board of Directors

Ms. Shazia Z. RafiParliamentarians for Global Action

Ms. Nicola ReindorpOxfam International

H.E. Mr. Gert RosenthalPermanent Mission of Guatemalato the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Sylvester RowePermanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leoneto the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Isikia Rabici SavuaPermanent Mission of the Republic of Fijito the United Nations

Ms. Enid B. SchoettleUnited States National Intelligence Council

Mr. Matt ScottWorld Vision

Mr. Charles SmallState University of New York

Ambassador Nancy SoderbergInternational Crisis Group

Mr. Theodore C. SorensenPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison

Ms. Ionut SuseanuPermanent Mission of Romania to the United Nations

Mr. John Temple SwingForeign Policy Association

H.E. Mr. Stefan TafrovPermanent Mission of the Republic of Bulgariato the United Nations

Ms. Yvonne TerlingenAmnesty International

H.E. Mr. Peter TeschPermanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations

Ms. Elisabeth TisonEuropean Commission

Mr. James TraubNew York Times Magazine

Ms. Emine Gökçen TugralPermanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations

Mr. Vasu VaitlaInitiatives of Change

Dr. William VendleyWorld Conference of Religions for Peace

Ambassador Curtis Ward United Nations Security Council Counter-TerrorismCommittee

H.E. Mr. Christian WenawesserPermanent Mission of the Principality of Liechtensteinto the United Nations

Ms. Joanna WeschlerHuman Rights Watch

H.E. Mr. Adolfo Aguilar Zínser Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations


24

Permanent Mission of Norway to the UN

H.E. Mr. Johan L. LøvaldPermanent Representative of Norwayto the United Nations

Ambassador Wegger StrømmenDeputy Permanent Representative of Norwayto the United Nations

Mr. Ole BerthelsenPress Counsellor

Norwegian Staff

Ambassador Morten WetlandMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Norway

Mr. Erik GierckskySenior Executive Officer

Ms. Laila RefsnesCoordinator

Ms. Grethe StrandExecutive Secretary

IPA Staff & Associates

Dr. David M. MalonePresident

Dr. Simon ChestermanSenior Associate

Mr. Sebastian von EinsiedelProgram Officer

Ms. Marlye Gélin-AdamsSenior Program Officer

Ambassador John L. HirschSenior Fellow

Ms. Jilla MoazamiAssistant to the President

Ms. Angela Ndinga MuvumbaProgram Officer

Mr. William O’NeillRapporteur

Ms. Sorrel OsborneDevelopment Officer

Mr. Joe PeoplesPhotographer

Mr. Harold RodriguezProgram Assistant


25

International Peace Academy777 United Nations PlazaNew York, NY 10017-3521Tel: (212) 687-4300Fax: (212) 983-8246www.ipacademy.org

Documents

Fighting Terrorism for Humanity A Conference on the Roots of Evil · 2015-06-05 · FIGHTING TERRORISM FOR HUMANITY 1 Introduction Two years after the terrorist attacks in New York,