“Terrorism and violent extremism find fertile ground in today’s conflicts to spread,” said the President of the Confederation, reflecting a recent report by Secretary General Antonio Guterres. It is “far too easy” for terrorist groups to recruit, spread hate speech and incite violence. New actors are arriving and some are rallying to entities considered terrorist by the UN.
Alain Berset, accompanied to New York by parliamentarians, said he was particularly alarmed by the situation in Africa. Faced with the victims and the effects for societies, he calls for an end to the violence perpetrated by terrorist groups.
To achieve this, the President of the Confederation highlights the rule of law, prevention, partnerships and the participation of all actors in society. “Anti-terrorist operations cannot be used as a pretext to violate the rules” or to dismiss opponents, according to him.
Honor international humanitarian law
The Fribourgeois also calls for honoring international humanitarian law, human rights and refugee law. “Otherwise, we would risk losing the trust of our fellow citizens. And their trust, let’s never forget, is essential to deprive terrorism of its breeding ground in the long term.”
The President of the Confederation also asks to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian assistance “unhindered” in the territories affected by the conflicts. Another wish is to consider children associated with terrorist groups as victims.
According to Alain Berset, the fight against climate change must make it possible to guarantee more peace and security. Current disasters aggravate conflict and “can be exploited” by terrorists. Switzerland is working with several UN entities to address this link.
Preserving consensus
The consensus shown by member states in establishing the UN’s counter-terrorism approach must be preserved. It is “one of the best answers that we can give to those who seek to divide us”, affirms Alain Berset again.
The Fribourgeois noted the role of regional and sub-regional organizations and called for more collaboration with them. And to ask to attack the reasons which lead to terrorism, through the prevention of extremism, and not only to carry out military or security responses.
For his part, Antonio Guterres considered before the Council that terrorism causes and is the result of “many problems discussed” by the UN body. Security, economy, ethnic discrimination, arms trafficking, sexual violence or even cyberattacks, there are many links, he adds. “No region is immune,” he said.
ats/juma
