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Since it has received almost no publicity anywhere -
and certainly not in the English language - below is the full text of a
series of resolutions passed at the first international conference of
victims of terror. The conference took place in Madrid in February 2004. Keren Malki was represented in the conference by
Arnold Roth, one of four Israelis who took part.
The
Madrid Declaration
February 2004
[The Spanish original text is
here.]
Terrorism today is a global issue affecting practically
all societies. Terrorism is never justifiable. Terrorist organisations
can search for different pretexts for their crimes; they can employ
different methods of attack; they can take action against different
targets but whatever its form, terrorism is always an unjust and
unjustified, cruel, abominable and repulsive crime and is an affront to
the most basic rights of individuals and communities.
Similarly, regardless of the sort of terrorism
perpetrated, its victims are all the same. Regardless of the country,
the political or social situation or the criteria used to select
targets, the victims are all the same. They are innocent people that a
twist of fate has transformed into victims of murder, kidnapping,
torture, extortion, blackmail or threat. They are innocent people whose
rights have been stripped from them by the random cruelty of criminals.
They are innocent people whose lives have been shattered by the evil of
those who know no other way of communicating their ideas than through
the use of violence.
Victims are the ones who suffer the direct effects of
terrorism; those who lose their lives, their physical integrity or their
surroundings through a terrorist act. Victims, however, are also the
family members, friends and companions of those who suffer a terrorist
attack. They share the pain and suffer from the loss of loved ones.
Victims are towns, cities and communities whose peaceful coexistence is
shaken by terrorist acts. And the society as a whole, under threat of
the risk of terrorist action or suffering the ravages of an actual
attack, is a victim of terrorism as well.
That is why we, who have suffered terrorism directly or
have been in very close proximity to it, feel justified in making our
voices heard in order to launch a plea in favour of the values of peace,
freedom, tolerance and pluralism on behalf of each and every one of the
victims of terrorism throughout the world; in order to demand that
terrorist organisations put a stop to crimes that will never help them
reach their objective; in order to call for the solidarity, support and
aid of governments and societies and to not be forgotten by them in an
attempt to keep the long list of people that have fallen prey to
terrorist madness from getting any longer. For all of these reasons,
standing united today the victims of terrorism from very diverse origins
and backgrounds, we want to make our voices heard with a thunder even
greater than that of bullets and bombs; with the invincible force of
words and reason.
Therefore:
First: We call on all Governments to make an
active and long-term commitment to the fight against terrorism, over and
above any ideology, and an equally active and long-term commitment in
favour of the victims by supporting the laws needed to grant victims a
dignified and adequate system of aid, protection and assistance along
with the social recognition of their condition as victims of terrorism.
Second: We call on the international community to
make a commitment to fostering measures such as the harmonisation of
domestic law regarding compensation for the victims of terrorism; the
drafting of an international statute for the victims of terrorism;
cooperation and harmonisation of policies designed for the prevention,
repression and fight against the financing of terrorism; the elimination
of extradition proceedings in the case of crimes of terrorism and the
immediate surrender of terrorists to the State in which the crime was
perpetrated.
Third: We call on international organisations,
especially the United Nations and the European Union, to set up specific
committees for victims of terrorism where the latter can make themselves
heard, have a permanent voice and offer their criteria and proposals in
the fight against terrorism. We also call on these international
organisations to create and maintain a budget section specifically
earmarked to aid the victims of terrorism in Member States.
Fourth: We call on each Member States of the
entire international community to sign and ratify all international
agreements on terrorism and request that government leaders who are
found to be authors, financers or accomplices of terrorist acts be
stripped of immunity.
Fifth: We call on the international community to
consider crimes of terrorism as human rights violations to be included
under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
Sixth: We call on NGOs and other civil
organisations that stand for the defence of human rights to make a
commitment to defend victims of terrorism and to identify terrorist acts
for what they are, regardless of their cause or pretext and without
striking balances or blurring the distinction between victims and
executioners.
Seventh: We call on the media to make a permanent
commitment to the fight against terrorism, to keep their objectivity,
without turning into accomplices of terrorists because their crimes can
never be justified; nor to underestimate terrorism, disseminating
distorted information.
Eighth: We call on the civil society to renew and
strengthen its commitment to and solidarity with the victims of
terrorism, to make its resolve and courage heard in the streets in
response to terrorist actions expressing their rejection of the
criminals and their feeling for and understanding of the victims.
As victims of terrorism we do not want revenge or
retaliation. What we do want is freedom for future generations from the
suffering that, unfortunately, so many of us have had to endure either
directly or indirectly in finding that one day we had become victims of
the cruelty of these criminals. We are convinced that by standing side
by side, government leaders and everyday citizens, with our
determination and teamwork, we can overcome the suffering and breath
life into the hope for a better world. |
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