20 March 2002
Text: World's Problems Cannot Justify Terrorism, U.S. Envoy Says
(Ambassador Moley addresses U.N. Human Rights Commission) (1240)
Geneva -- In a statement to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights,
Ambassador Kevin E. Moley, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United
Nations in Geneva, warned that the "ills of the world" must not be
used to justify terrorism.
Moley spoke March 20 in his capacity as the head of the U.S. Observer
Delegation to the 58th Session of the Commission, which opened on
March 18 and continues until April 26.
He began his comments by noting that this is the first session of the
Commission to meet since the terrorist attacks of September 11, and by
stressing the "continued, unshaken commitment of President Bush to the
cause of human rights."
Rejecting the notion that the outcome of the World Conference Against
Racism could provide an antidote for terrorism, Moley insisted that it
is essential to "draw a clear distinction between terrorists and the
environment in which they can flourish."
"We must be careful not to allow the ills of the world to be used to
justify terrorism or support for terrorist organizations," he said.
"Attacking these ills on all fronts is necessary, and the promotion of
tolerance, including religious and ideological tolerance, is a moral
imperative. But let us be under no illusion that our necessary
commitment to human rights will be a compelling argument with the
terrorists themselves. For the fact is that societies that promote
tolerance, pluralism and individual freedoms are precisely those that
the terrorists most revile and whose openness they seek to exploit."
Following is the text of Moley's statement, as delivered:
(begin text)
Statement by
Ambassador Kevin E. Moley
Head of the U.S. Observer Delegation
to the
58th Session of the
United Nations Commission
on Human Rights
Item 4: Report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
and Follow-up to the WCAR
Geneva, March 20, 2002
As Delivered
Mr. Chairman:
It is an honor for me to address the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights as the Head of the U.S. Observer Delegation. All of us
here today are particularly aware of the importance of this session --
the first since the terrorist attacks in the United States and the end
of despotic rule in Afghanistan.
This meeting marks the last occasion where we will have the
participation of High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs. Mary
Robinson. As only the second person to hold this position, Mrs.
Robinson has helped define the scope of duties and the role of the
High Commissioner. We wish to call particular attention to her efforts
to ensure that human rights are "mainstreamed" in all United Nations
activities. She will leave behind an organization with an improved
ability to promote and protect human rights.
Let me begin my comments on the High Commissioner's report by
stressing the continued, unshaken commitment of President Bush to the
cause of human rights. As he declared in his State of the Union speech
last January, "America will always stand firm for non-negotiable
demands of human dignity: the rule of law, limits on the power of the
state, respect for women, private property, free speech, equal
justice, and religious tolerance."
My government therefore studied with interest the High Commissioner's
paper asserting a human rights-based "unifying strategy" to combat
terrorism in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon by the Al Qaeda network. Unfortunately the
paper does not focus on Al Qaeda's aims, essence, and ideology.
Indeed, it has more to do with counter-terrorism than with terrorism
itself. Nonetheless the report does note UN Security Council
Resolution 1373, which is not only an important framework but a
fundamental
affirmation of the right to self-defense and the coalition's ongoing
efforts to defeat and destroy the terrorist threat to international
peace and security.
Following the leadership of the Security Council, other United Nations
bodies took action in their spheres of responsibility, from civil
aviation to the postal system. As these actions demonstrate, our
response to terrorism as a practical matter must be multi-faceted.
Respect for human rights must be central to our efforts at all levels.
Commentators have characterized the attacks in a wide variety of ways.
In the report under discussion today, they have been defined not only
as criminal, but also as "crimes against humanity." However
characterized, terrorism is best addressed directly by states and in
the appropriate UN fora that deal with terrorism. We urge member
states to cooperate fully with the anti-terrorist requirements
established in UN Security Council resolutions 1368 and 1373, to
consider acceding to all 12 of the United Nations conventions on
terrorism, and to work cooperatively in the UN Sixth Committee on
combating terrorism.
The High Commissioner's paper has also addressed the obligation of
governments to ensure that in combating terrorism their actions are
consistent with human rights obligations; it is important also to
recall that the treatment of prisoners in times of conflict is
governed by international humanitarian law. While true, it is
important to recall that the treatment of prisoners in times of
conflict is governed by international humanitarian law. The
construction and interpretation of humanitarian law has generally been
the responsibility of states, taking into account the contributions of
the International Committee of the Red Cross. While the Commission has
indeed made reference to humanitarian law in some of its past
resolutions, the direct application of humanitarian law is primarily
the responsibility of states.
In her paper, the High Commissioner asserts that the Durban outcome
provides an antidote for terrorism. We do not share that view. The
High Commissioner also urges nations to address "human security" as
part of a global strategy to defeat terrorism. We believe it is
essential here to draw a clear distinction between terrorists and the
environment in which they can flourish, and that we must be careful
not to allow the ills of the world to be used to justify terrorism or
support for terrorist organizations. Attacking these ills on all
fronts is necessary, and the promotion of tolerance, including
religious and ideological tolerance, is a moral imperative. But let us
be under no illusion that our necessary commitment to human rights
will be a compelling argument with the terrorists themselves. For the
fact is that societies that promote tolerance, pluralism, and
individual freedoms are precisely those that the terrorists most
revile and whose openness they seek to exploit.
Finally, let me note my delegation's profound hope that at this moment
of maximum peril in the Middle East this Commission will do nothing to
inflame tensions but rather promote balanced resolutions that support
the urgent efforts of President Bush's Special Representative to bring
the violence to a halt.
Mr. Chairman, as we have done at every session of the CHR since 1948,
my country and delegation look forward to this meeting as an
opportunity for the international community to reinforce personal
freedoms and human rights everywhere. This is a task that demands our
urgent and undivided attention. I look forward to close cooperation
with CHR members and observers at this session in a shared effort to
make this meeting a success. Our collective stake in the universal
application of human rights and democratic freedoms has never been
greater.
(end Text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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