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The War on Terror and Human Rights
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| The real struggle for those who believe in the sanctity of human rights and peace is not against terrorism, as defined by the powerful, but against any person, group, or state that violates human rights. |
-- KAIROS Discussion Paper,
‘The War on Terror and the Terror of War’ |
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| One of the many truckloads of Indonesian soldiers patrolling the city of Banda Aceh - after tsunami. Photo by Connie Sorio (KAIROS staff). |
Contents
- Canada,
Afghanistan and Human Rights: A KAIROS Paper for Discussion,
December 2007
- The War on Terror and the Terror of War: A Discussion paper by KAIROS staff
- Theological reflection
for “Empire, (In)Security, and War: a KAIROS Forum on the
War on Terror and North American Deep Integration: Jane Orion
Smith
- Spending Time with
Thomas Jefferson: Reflections on the American Empire. Presentation
by Sara Stratton
- Christian Theology in an Age of Terror: Peter C. Hodgson (Armstrong Lecturer)
- War on Terror: A Deadly Franchise-- by Naomi Klein
- Archived urgent action: Appeal
to prevent the adoption of Bill C-7, the Public Safety Act
(March 2004)
After September 11, 2001 the U.S. announced that it would fight a “war on terror” and exerted pressure on both allies and other countries to join this war. Ignoring existing international human rights laws such as the Fourth Geneva Convention the U.S. created new legislation that undermines basic civil liberties. In so doing, the U.S. has set an example that other countries have willingly followed because they are either eager to please the lone remaining superpower in the world or happy for an excuse to increase repression of dissent in their own countries.
The result has been a major global setback for human rights protections and an increase in violations against targeted groups, including Muslims and Arabs, community and labour leaders challenging globalization, and even human rights defenders themselves.
KAIROS has identified the war on terror as a major focus of its human rights work. The following section contains reflections from KAIROS and others that help to explain how the war on terror may be more of an ideological construct to defend the powerful than a plan to make the world safer.
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