ThePoliticalEconomyofStateTerrorism:

VicesinIndia
RUCHICHOUDHARY
RICHAVATSA
NATIONALLAWUNIVERSITY,JODHPUR

Introduction

CombatingactsofterrorismisintegraltotheentiremandateofUnitedNations.As
an assault on the principles of law and order, human rights and the peaceful
settlement of disputes, terrorism runs counter to the principles and purposes that
definetheUnitedNations.

The UN has not been able to differentiate between different acts of terrorism, and
hasbarelyattemptedtounderstandtheroleofStatesininternationalterrorism.

Inmanycountriesthelegaldefinitionofterrorismexcludesactsdonebyrecognized
states,hencenegatingStateterrorismaltogether.

Terrorism

The modern definition of terrorism is inherently controversial. The involved parties cannot agree to a basis for
determining when the use of violence (directed at whom, by whom, for what ends) is legitimate.

Terrorism may emanate from State parties.

The duty to lay down these definitions still lie in large part with States and State Governments, thereby often
excluding their liabilities from the definitions.

Common definitions given by

United Nations

Terrorism: Criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the general public, a group of
persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the
considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may
be invoked to justify them.

Arab Convention for Suppression of Terrorism

Terrorism: Any act or threat of violence, whatever its motives or purposes, that occurs in the advancement
of an individual or collective criminal agenda and seeking to sow panic among people, causing fear by
harming them, or placing their lives, liberty or security in danger, or seeking to cause damage to the
environment or to public or private installations or property or to occupying or seizing them, or seeking
to jeopardize national resources.

European Union
Terrorist offences: Terrorist offences are certain criminal offences set out in a list comprised largely of
serious offences against persons and property which, given their nature or context, may seriously damage
a country or an international organization where committed with the aim of: seriously intimidating a
population; or unduly compelling a Government or international organization to perform or abstain from
performing any act; or seriously destabilizing or destroying the fundamental political, constitutional,
economic or social structures of a country or an international organization.

United States
Terrorism: Activities that involve violent or life-threatening acts, that are a violation
of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State and... appear to be
intended (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the
policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of
a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and occur
primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

StateTerrorism
Stateterrorismhasbeendefinedasactsofterrorismconductedbygovernmentsorterrorismcarriedoutdirectly

by,orencouragedandfundedby,anestablishedgovernmentofaStateorterrorismpracticedbyagovernment
againstitsownpeopleorinsupportofinternationalterrorism.

FiveessentialCharacteristics
(1)

thethreatoruseofviolence;

(2)

apoliticalobjective;thedesiretochangethestatusquo;

(3)

theintentiontospreadfearbycommittingspectacularpublicacts;

(4)

theintentionaltargetingofcivilians.

(5)

PerpetratedbyStateitself

ExampleAnfalcampaigninIraq

StateSponsoredTerrorism

Statesponsoredterrorismmaybeexplainedasterrorismwhichiscommittedbygovernmentsand
quasigovernmental agencies, and their added personnel such as the police or other favored
organizations,againstperceivedenemies.

Governments being powerful, can control the amount of visibility of their support to terrorist
activitiesquiteeasily.

Thus,Statesponsorshipofterrorismisnotalwaysastraightforwardprocess.Infact,itisusuallya
covert,secretpolicythatallowsstatestoclaimdeniabilitywhenaccusedofsponsoringterrorism.

PatronagemodelAssistancemodel

ExampleTheArgentinianDirtyWar

CriticismofStateTerrorismasaLegalConcept

MultipleargumentshavebeengivenagainstStateterrorismbeinganactualformofterrorism.

ChairmanofUNCTChasstatedthatwhenStatesabusetheirpowerstheyshouldbejudgedunder
internationalhumanitarianlawratherthanunderinternationalantiterrorismstatutes.

KofiAnnanhasalsostatedthatitistimetosetasidedebatesonsocalled'Stateterrorism'.The
useofforcebyStatesisalreadyregulatedunderinternationallaw.

WalterLaqueurstatesTheveryexistenceofaStateisbasedonitsmonopolyofpower.Calling
theconceptaredherringhestated:Thisargumenthasbeenusedbytheterroriststhemselves,
arguingthatthereisnodifferencebetweentheiractivitiesandthosebygovernmentsandstates.

StateTerrorismunderInternationalHumanitarianLegislations

ICC,asaninternationalcriminalbody,isincompetenttodealwithStateterrorism,as,thethresholdrequirements
forcrimesunderRomeStatuteandGenevaConventionareoftentoohightoprosecutesuchterroristactivities.

GenevaConventionprimarilydealswiththerightsofprisonersofwar,rightsofthewoundedandtheprotectionof
peopleinandaroundwarzones.

ThechapeaurequirementsforcrimesinRomeStatutearetoospecificandtoohightobeproved,asagainstterrorist
activities.Fore.g.,chapeaurequirementsofgenocideunderArticle6,asseeninProsecutorv.Jelisic.

TheprosecutionunderICCisinitiatedwhenthedomestic/localgovernmentisunabletoprosecutethecrimesofthe
individualinmunicipalcourts.

Additionally,theprosecutionsareonlyinitiatedagainstindividualsandseparatetrialshavetobeconductedagainst
separateindividuals.

UNViewOnStateTerrorism

TerrorismattacksbasicUNvalues,whichincluderespectforhumanrights;theruleoflaw;rulesof
warthatprotectcivilians;toleranceamongpeoplesandnations;andthepeacefulresolutionofconflict.

The UN believes that combating terrorism of any kind can only happen when all parties can get
togetherandcombinetheirabilitiestofightitglobally.

CruxofUNResolutionsof2001and2005:

Criminalize the financing of terrorism

Freeze without delay any funds related to persons involved in acts of terrorism

Deny all forms of financial support for terrorist groups

Suppress the provision of safe haven, sustenance or support for terrorists

Share information with other governments on any groups practicing or planning terrorist acts

Cooperate with other governments in the investigation, detection, arrest, extradition and prosecution of
those involved in such acts; and

Criminalize active and passive assistance for terrorism in domestic law and bring violators to justice

The UN also wishes to expand the description of terrorism as any action, in addition to actions
alreadyspecifiedbytheexistingconventionsonaspectsofterrorism,thatisintendedtocausedeath
orseriousbodilyharmtociviliansornoncombatants,whenthepurposeofsuchanact,byitsnature
orcontext,istointimidateapopulation,ortocompelaGovernmentoraninternationalorganization
todoortoabstainfromdoinganyact.

VicesInIndia

Vigilanteterrorismispoliticalviolenceperpetratedbynongovernmentalgroupsand
individuals.Thesegroupscanreceiveunofficialsupportfromagentsofthestate.The
overallgoalofvigilantestateterrorismistoviolentlypreservethepreferredorder.

InIndiaapartfromthegovernmentalregimeofoppression,averyacuteformofState
terrorismoriginatesthroughitssensitivitytowardsreligionandracialsupremacy.A
commonexampleisseenbywayofareligionspecificterrorism,calledSaffronterrorism.

ExamplesMalegaonblastsin2008,MeccaMasjidbombinginHyderabadin2007,
SamjhautaExpressbombingin2007.

Conclusion

TheUNmaynotbeabletointernallyregulateeverysmallconductionofStateterrorism,butitisstillthe
best suited organization to address this cause of violence. It has the mandate to regulate and reform
thinkingandmodalitiesofoperationofbothrichandpoorStates.

InordertodealwithissuesofStateTerrorism,thereshouldbeaformalrecognitionoftheconceptofState
terrorismbywayofexpansionofthedefinitionofterrorismbytheUN.

In order to combat this form of terrorism there should either be a separate legislation to deal with state
induced terrorism or the existing statutes should be modified to make them competent to face such
circumstances.

TheUNshallhavetomakeconsciouseffortstodealwiththreatsinthepresentandfuture,withthesame
amountoffaithithasdoneinthepast.IftheUNgivesup,thiswaronterrorshallbelost.Thisisatragedy
theworldsimplycannotafford.

ThankYou!