On Sept. 27, 2010, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the UN Security Council issued separate statements calling for a more coordinated international effort targeting the root causes of terrorism, such as poverty and intolerance. Clinton also applauded the creation of an ombudsperson position to review persons and groups appealing their designation as a terrorist entity, a process the U.S. system does not have. Viewed together, both announcements underscore the intertwined relationship between the commitment to human rights and good governance, and the fight against terrorism
In her remarks before the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security, Clinton called on other leaders to develop counterterrorism strategies that address security concerns, but also target the root causes that lead to violent extremism. “Stopping people from becoming terrorists,” Clinton said, “requires addressing the political, economic, and social conditions that make people vulnerable” to terrorist causes. “We have to provide an alternative view that is rooted in hope, opportunity, and possibility,” she added.
She also praised the UN for creating an ombudsperson position to receive petitions from individuals and groups seeking redress from being listed on the UN’s al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions List. In response to member states’ hesitancy to enforce listing procedures that lacked basic due process procedures, the ombudsperson position, along with other changes to the listing process, was established by UN Resolution 1904. Unlike the U.S., which offers little or no redress for the accused to respond to charges of supporting terrorism, the ombudsperson would conduct a review of information and can intervene on behalf of individuals or entities placed on the designation list.
At the same summit, the UN Security Council released a statement describing commitments to “development, peace and security, and human rights as interlinked and mutually reinforcing.” The resolution urges member states to promote “the rule of law, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, good governance, tolerance and inclusiveness” to combat the conditions that contribute to the spread of terrorism. The statement also reaffirms member states’ commitments and obligations under “international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.”
The statement included a reminder that “terrorism will not be defeated by military force, law enforcement measures, and intelligence operations alone,” and called for supporting measures that “strengthen efforts for the successful prevention and peaceful resolution of prolonged conflicts.” This declaration is in stark contrast to a U.S. law banning the teaching of nonviolent methods of conflict resolution to sanctioned terrorist groups, upheld by U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June 2010.