Impact of Counter-Terrorism Measures - Essay Example

Impact of Counter Terrorism Measures

Introduction:

In the contemporary world terrorism is a global menace, affecting all the nations across the world. Precisely the entire human civilization is under immense threat due to the increasing power of terrorism. Terrorism has several faces; so one flat definition may not be enough to define its terrible intensity. However, a general notion can be presented as the definition of global terrorism:

“Terrorism is commonly understood to refer to acts of violence that target civilians in the pursuit of political or ideological aims. In legal terms, although the international community has yet to adopt a comprehensive definition of terrorism, existing declarations, resolutions and universal “sectoral” treaties relating to specific aspects of it define certain acts and core elements.” (OHCHR, 2007, p.5)

The terrorist organizations have their own logics and reasons to continue with this approach to annihilate the human race in a severe and random way, but humanity would never support it because it is a curse that would gradually erode the entire civilization that tool million years to flourish. The claws of terrorism have scarred the soul of almost all the nations of the world irrespective of their first world or third world position. Malicious terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, Lashkar e Tayyiba, Hijbool Mujahideen, Hamas, PLF (Palestine Liberation Front), LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), Chechen, Hezbollah, Jaish e Mohammed etc., groups have tamed the world with their sheer exhibition of dire violence that resulted in massive mortalities and other damages to the nations where they have left their footprints. In order to prevent terrorism various nations and their respective administrations have taken counter terrorism measures. Terrorism has a strong and fatal impact on the regime of humanity, human rights; similarly strong and dire can be the effects of counter terrorism, as the state is obliged to undertaken efficient steps towards dealing with terrorism. However such measures and safeguard of human rights are complementary needs for the state to fulfill. (OHCHR, 2007, p.19) Undoubtedly counter terrorism is necessary to stop the moving giant wheel of terrorism, but the measures should be followed with an eye opened to its consequences on the humanity; a government must make sure that its measures of counter terrorism is not destroying the humanitarian columns alike terrorism.

The First World nations of the world are generally regarded as the nations that are developed in economic, social terms and have high human development indices. Roughly USA and its allied nations are regarded as the First World Countries. In recent decades these nations have witnessed most severe measures of terrorism inspite of having the best military strength. Therefore the counter terrorism measures taken by them are also very vast and fatal; not only for the terrorist organizations but also for the entire human civilizations across the globe. Therefore the condition of the third world nations could be guessed easily. They are in a much deplorable condition owing to the double trap of terrorism and counter terrorism. Counter terrorism has severe impact on different public sectors at large. Broadly Counter terrorism could be divided in two sections: Defensive Policies and Pro-active policies. The “ ‘defensive policies’ entail direct actions (such as investments in security technologies) and indirect actions including changes in consumption, investment and saving patterns to avoid exposure to risk situations. “Pro-active policies” incorporate all measures that aim to undermine terrorist activity, directly through interrupting their supply of resources including financial assets, arms, recruits etc; measures can range from intelligence operations, to military strikes (e.g., Iraq and Afghanistan)” (Schneider, Bruck & Meierrieks, 2009, p.69).

Impact of Counter Terrorism on NGOs and other public organizations:

The outcome of the 9/11 attacks on US has been fatal and the counter terrorism measures have been extremely devastating too. Not only the targeted terrorist groups but also all the spheres of human civilization got affected –

“The balance between security concerns and respect for human rights not only appeared but in reality shifted heavily to the security side during the first few months after September 11. This is reflected in the Counter Terrorism Committee’s policy on human rights expressed by the Chairman in January 2002 where he noted that monitoring performance against human rights conventions is outside the scope of the Committee’s mandate.” (Skinnider, 2004, p.5)

With the radical and vast counter terrorism measures taken by US, the stability of human rights and the other associated areas got severely ruptured. Since the 9/11 attack the NGOs (Non- government Organization) and the CSOs (Civil Society Organization) have become direct targets of counter terrorism. NGOs owned by Muslims have been facing dire situations following the massive and extreme counter terrorism measures. (Morris, n.d., p. 2) At present the CSOs and the NGOs are trying to build a bridge between the Muslim world and the administration to eradicate the misconceptions that have sprouted, which is bothering the common people engaged in these organizations.

CSOs are serving to build networks of sensible Muslim leaders by functioning with spiritual, educational, administrative, and media officials on certain projects that aim at endorsing a pluralistic, tolerant portrait of the Islam. –

“For example, one CSO is working with a major Indonesian popular music star to create an album promoting Islam as a religion of peace. This work is an important contribution to efforts to counter distortions of Islam being propagated by terrorists and discredit the notion that Islam or any other religion justifies terrorism. Yet some cite language in the UN Strategy stating that terrorism should not be associated with any religion to discourage CSOs from working on such issues.8 The United Nations, member states, and CSOs need to acknowledge and discredit such “connections” between religion and terrorism, rather than pretending they do not exist.” (Rosand, Millar & Ipe, 2008, p.9).

Therefore it is expected that the negative impact of counter terrorism on the NGO, CSO and other sectors like these shall start to move away gradually. Terrorism should always be prevented with all the strict steps needed, but it is certainly an important aspect to ponder that these violent measures of counter terrorism do not affect the lives of the common people, especially those organizations who put effort to serve the mankind. The UN Strategy on counter terrorism specially supports “non-governmental organizations and civil society to engage, as appropriate, on how to enhance efforts to implement the Strategy.” (Rossand, Miller & Ipe, 2008, p. 6)

Impact of Counter Terrorism on Economy:

Terrorism and counter terrorism - both have a severe economic impact as both of them cost not only several human lives but also millions of dollars to avail the lethal arms and ammunitions. The money spent on warfare, terrorism or counter terrorism accounts for non-developmental expenditure, as this money forgone cannot be used for any constructive development of the economy and for the people. This money comes from the revenue earned from the citizens of a country, therefore this public money when used for the measures of warfare or counter-terrorism, does not bring in any productive outcome to the people. However, it cannot be denied that it is extremely important to obliterate the menace of terrorism for the sustenance of the human lives, but that should be executed in a way which will not affect the well being of the people for whom the measures of counter terrorism are being taken.

After the 9-11 attacks, the expenditure in the counter terrorism measures increased massively in US and other important nations of world. The following statistics might be noted in this context,

“According to a study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, military spending worldwide in 2003 increased by about 11% in real terms, compared with the figures in 2002, which saw a 6.5% over 2001. Between 2001 and 2002, global military spending increased by 18% in real terms, to reach US$956 billion in 2003. The main reason for the increase in world military spending is the massive increase in the United States, which accounts for almost half of the global total.” (Koh, 2007, p.132).

The rise in the military expenditure actually began a little prior to the contemporary deathblows of terrorism. In the United States of America, defense expenses reached high as the security of the United States peace inside the nation became one of the main concerns –

“Attention gradually turned to regional conflicts in which the United States may have vested. During the 1990s, the United States accumulated a defense R&D stock that was 10 times larger than any other country. Big weapon systems commanded 30%of the defense R&D spending, against 13% for intelligence and anti-terrorism.” (Koh, 2007, p.132).

A shift in investment also could be observed from personal trading to the security and counter terrorism measures. The downfall in investment also resulted in the joblessness of many people as the economic opportunities got narrowed for the commoners because of the shift of wealth to the defence measures, leaving lesser scopes for new job openings the public sectors.

Impact of counter Terrorism on Human Rights:

Terrorism is undoubtedly a malicious threat to the human rights and the entire human race, but the phenomenon of counter terrorism, is also not devoid of violence and destruction. Human rights are not safe in the hands of counter terrorism as well, because the administrations often forget to which extent, and via which methods counter terrorism should be executed and where they should stop- so that the basic human rights do not get violated by them alike the terrorists. Within the structure of counter terrorism strategies and military defensive policies that have been planned after the attack to the WTC in US, the major nations of the world and obviously USA have decided to take extremely strict and massive measures of counter terrorism throughout the nations that are marked as the countries feeding terrorism, such as Afghanistan, Iraq etc. “The antiterrorist policies supported by them, have established that the aim justifies the means, and therefore all violations of human rights” (Riascos, 2007, p.1). Therefore without any proper consideration and thought, the administrations engaged in measures of counter terrorism overlooked the security of the rights of children and women, territories are randomly shelled and so called defensive wars are being carried out without any accountability towards civil populace and the security of their infrastructure and properties that are recognized as part of their basic needs. This is evident from the counter terrorism warfare that was conducted by United States of America in Afghanistan and Iraq. Several innocent people including women, children and older civilians were massacred in the due course of the extensive counter attack measures by the US government. The basic human right to live was violated to a large extent during these attempts to eradicate terrorism.

“Not even the international pacts and treaties have been respected, resulting in the weakening of the ethical and political authority that has been manipulated to get a consensus for a particular government in order achieves a world-wide peace.” (Riascos, 2007, p. 2) In these nations where the counter terrorist operations got executed on a massive level, the rights to education, to get proper medical attention everything got neglected as many of these institutions crumbled to dust. The prolonged stay of the soldiers in these nations has never let the reign of terror cease in the minds of the civilians. Precisely, the backbones of these nations got absolutely broken by these attacks on terrorism that actually got directed to the innocent people.

Besides Afghanistan and Iraq, there are also many other nations who faced the impact of the measures of counter terrorism. Some of these instances might be mentioned as below:

“facing armed conflicts such as Colombia or the ones who concluded them in the recent past like Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua Honduras and Peru, levels of militarization of the civil life continue to appear and if the existence of authoritarian governments is added to this, these scenarios become more complex for human rights”, (Riascos, 2007, p.2).

Concurrently, fright and shock are collaborators of such administrations who provoke agony in the lives of common people incessantly. Therefore it is quite understandable that the claims of the gigantic powers of world politics to execute counter terrorism in order to protect humanity and human rights is not an unanimous policy; it only concentrates on the well being of the people of their own lands, and that too is not completely true, because their people also suffer a lot paying the penalty of counter terrorist activities taken by their respective governments.

Impact of Counter Terrorism on Civil Peace:

It has been already discussed that counter terrorism activities have been rupturing the realms of humanity, human rights and other normal affairs of human life almost alike the fatal terrorist attacks. “An important feature of the struggle against terrorism is the question to what extent counter-terrorism measures affect society, and more specifically what effect these measures have on civil peace and processes of radicalization.” (Measures of Counter-terrorism and their effect on Civil Peace, 2008, p. 4) The human civilization has shuddered in fear similarly as it had while experiencing the deathblows of terrorism.. The civil lives in the victimized nations got almost paralyzed as the academic institutions, medical establishments, legal measures etc. became unattainable or difficult to avail for the civilians of these nations. Besides Afghanistan, Iraq there are also several other countries who have suffered and are still facing problems due to the measures of anti terrorist attacks.

Egypt has an extensive account of using anti-terrorism measures and emergency decree to stifle nonviolent protesters, and to penalize those opponents who are advocating violence or adapting violent approach. These repressive measures have increased in the post 9/11 era –

“Since September 11, 2001, Egypt has arrested hundreds of suspected government opponents, many for alleged membership in the Muslim Brotherhood, a banned but non-violent group, and possession of “suspicious” literature. Many of those arrested, including professors, medical doctors, and other professionals, have been referred to military courts or to emergency and regular state security courts whose procedures do not meet international fair trial standards.” (COUNTRY STUDIES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT OF COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES IN TEN COUNTRIES, n.d.).

In order to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the nation, Indian government adopted the POTA [Prevention of Terrorism Act] and TADA [Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act]. These two acts were initially created to resist terrorism, but later their implementation got deformed and started disturbing the civil peace. POTA expands the state’s analytical and bureaucratic authorities. According to POTA the “Suspects can be detained for up to three months without charge, and up to three months more with the permission of a special judge.” (COUNTRY STUDIES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT OF COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES IN TEN COUNTRIES, n.d.). Its close similarity to TADA prefigured a revisit to extensive and methodical curbing of the civil liberties. In this context, one may note,

“Under TADA, tens of thousands of politically motivated detentions, acts of torture, and other human rights violations were committed against Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits (so-called untouchables), trade union activists, and political opponents in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the face of mounting opposition to the act, India’s government acknowledged these abuses and consequently let TADA lapse in 1995.” (COUNTRY STUDIES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT OF COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES IN TEN COUNTRIES, n.d.).

Indonesia has been observed as a frontline target of counter terrorist operations since the 9/11 attacks. In the international crusade against terror campaigns Indonesia has been witnessing major outcomes with concrete threat to the regime of civil peace. “After the October 12, 2002 Bali bomb attack, President Megawati, under intense U.S. pressure, issued two executive decrees to address terrorism.” (COUNTRY STUDIES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT OF COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES IN TEN COUNTRIES, n.d.). These decrees and plans taken up by the administration of Indonesia, threaten to critically restrain basic civil rights, raising wide explanations of terrorism that could be applied to tackle the political adversaries.

The European region also got itself into the activities of counter terrorism –

“In December 2001, the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act (ATCSA) went into force. The ATCSA provides for the indefinite detention without charge or trial of non-U.K. nationals who are suspected of terrorism-related activity and cannot be returned to their country of origin or to another country. The Secretary of State for Home Affairs must certify a detainee as a suspected terrorist or a national security risk.” (COUNTRY STUDIES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT OF COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES IN TEN COUNTRIES, n.d.).

The proof used to take a serious action like this is kept as a top secret and the suspect individual is barred from getting any access to it. A captive can appeal with the help of Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC). Though such a prisoner can be “represented by a court-appointed “special advocate,” he or she has no right to legal counsel. A detainee’s advocate cannot reveal to the detainee or discuss the evidence upon which the original certification was issued, undermining a detainee’s ability to mount an adequate defense.” (COUNTRY STUDIES: THE HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT OF COUNTER-TERRORISM MEASURES IN TEN COUNTRIES, n.d.). Thus the strict counter terrorist steps that ironically ended up in paralyzing the civil rights and peace of the civilians repeatedly threatened the civil peace.

Conclusion:

At present counter terrorism measures are necessary to be used by any government to destroy the fatal pandemonium of terrorism that has been bothering human civilization for ages, across the world. Absolute non- violence is impossible to follow, as the terrorists will not cease to take up arms. However, the chief concern of counter terrorism is to watch that in future the borderline between terrorism and counter terrorism does not get erased, because the world has already witnessed enough violence and mortality by the counter terrorist operations. The warmongers of the world should reconsider the grounds of humanity. All the facets of human civilization should receive the assurance of safety, peace and hope from their respective governments, so that an individual can be sure that at least his/ her electoral right is not a façade and the right choice has been made. After all a man should remember, “Life is so short, the craft so long to learn” (Krieger, 2002, p.4). Therefore a collective effort is needed to make it beautiful.