Friday 09, January 1998


Hot News


UN Convention against terrorism

Sri Lanka to be the first signatory

From Thalif Deen at the United Nation

NEW YORK-- Sri Lanka will have the distinction of being the first signatory to the long-awaited UN Convention to Suppress Terrorist Bombings.

The Convention, which was unanimously approved by the 185-member General Assembly last month, will be open for signature at the United Nations next week. At least eight countries-- all committed to root out terrorism-- are being lined up as the first signatories at a formal ceremony scheduled to take place Monday January 12.

Sri Lanka requested, and was given the honour, of being the first signatory, to be followed by countries such as the United States, France and Britain.

The signing of the Convention will be one of the last official acts of Ambassador H.L. de Silva, who is scheduled to return home in mid-February after his three year stint as Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

A Vice-Chairman of the Working Group that drafted the Convention, Sri Lanka played a significant role in ensuring the safe passage of the treaty both in the Legal Committee and in the General Assembly last month.

When it comes into force after ratification, the Convention is expected to help curb fund-raising actvities overseas for terrorist causes, restrict the right to political asylum in the West and introduce tougher extradition rules to bring terrorists home to stand trial.

The Convention, which at one time was cold-shouldered by Western nations, was later strongly supported by an overwhelming majority of states, including the US, France, Britain and Russia.

Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, who was in New York to address the General Assembly last October, said the change of attitude took place following a spate of bombings in recent years-- in New York City, Oklahoma, Atlanta, in Manchester England, Paris, Tokyo and in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

There is a realisation that terrorism cannot be tackled by one country alone, Kadirgamar pointed out. "International terrorism is very sophisticated today. Boundaries mean nothing because money and arms are flowing freely."

He pointed out that when the Convention comes into force, there will be an obligation on the part of the participants to change their domestic laws to bring them in line with the Convention.

"There are many countries where there are no laws, for instance, making it a crime to conspire in your country to commit an offence abroad. The essence of terrorism is precisely that," he said.

There are many countries, particularly in the West, which do not have laws or adequate laws to curb fund-raising activities for terrorist purposes, he noted.

"After the Convention, countries will have to amend their laws accordingly. For Sri Lanka, it is literally a matter of life and death," he added.