Home  »  EYE on the UN  »  UN 101

Share

UN 101

There is no UN definition of terrorism

The UN has no internationally-agreed definition of terrorism.

The definitional impasse has prevented the adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. Even in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 the UN failed to adopt the Convention, and the deadlock continues to this day.

The prime reason is the standoff with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The Arab Terrorism Convention and the Terrorism Convention of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) define terrorism to exclude armed struggle for liberation and self-determination. This claim purports to exclude blowing up certain civilians from the reach of international law and organizations. It is central to interpreting every proclamation by the states which have ratified these conventions in any UN forum purporting to combat terrorism.

When it comes to agreeing to a comprehensive convention, the OIC is still looking for ways to exclude "the activities of the parties during an armed conflict, including in situations of foreign occupation" from the purview of the Convention. (See page 17, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee established by General Assembly resolution 51/210 of 17 December 1996, Sixth session (28 January-1 February 2002), A/57/37; See page 8, para 4, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Seventh session (31 March-2 April 2003, A/58/37; See page 10, para 2, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Eighth session (28 June-2 July 2004), A/59/37; See page 23, para 5, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Ninth session (28 March-1 April 2005), A/60/37; See page 2, para 6, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Tenth session (27 February-3 March 2006), A/61/37; See page 2, para 6, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Eleventh session (5, 6 and 15 February 2007), A/62/37; See page 2, para 6, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Twelfth session (25 and 26 February and 6 March 2008), A/63/37; See page 2, para 6, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Thirteenth session (29 June to 2 July 2009), A/64/37; See page 2, para 6, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Fourteenth session (12 to 16 April 2010), A/65/37); See page 7, para 11, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee, Fifteenth session (11 to 15 April 2011), A/66/37)

The OIC's stonewalling of a comprehensive convention against terrorism, meant that in 2012 - for the first time in 14 years - the General Assembly did not hold a spring 2012 session for the Ad Hoc Committee on Measures to Eliminate International Terrorism.

Speaking on behalf of the OIC on October 8, 2012, the Egyptian delegate described the standoff. In his words, "a distinction must be made between the definition of terrorism and the right of peoples to self-determination".

On November 6, 2012 the Chairman of the General Assembly Working Group -- that was established to finalize a draft convention on international terrorism -- circulated an oral report in which he named the outstanding issues. He highlighted the OIC demand "to distinguish terrorism from the legitimate struggle of peoples in the exercise of their right to self-determination" and that it incorporate their idea of "state terrorism."

See also: UN non-action to combat terrorism

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004