The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says using counter-terrorism to violate people’s rights alienates communities from the government.

Mr Guterres told the Second High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism on Monday at UN headquarters, New York, that the fight against terrorism had caused damage by exploiting social grievances and gender stereotypes.

According to him, “the fight against terrorism has itself caused damage,” inspiring lone actors and co-opting other groups.

Recounting “especially alarming” advances of Al-Qaida and ISIL terrorist fighters in Africa, he upheld the importance of supporting the continent as a global priority.

The top UN boss expressed deep concern over foreign terrorist fighters and underscored the need to hold them accountable.

He also drew attention to the fate of the tens of thousands of relatives, women, and children associated with them, urging member states for their repatriation, particularly the children “who remain stranded in conflict zones.”

Amidst some “slow and not comprehensive” progress, Mr Guterres said, “the situation is dire.”

“The threat stemming from white supremacist…and other ethnically or racially motivated movements is increasingly transnational,” the UN chief said.

In addition, he said terrorist groups were exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic, adding, “We need consistent, coordinated and comprehensive efforts across countries, sectors, and disciplines, anchored in human rights and the rule of law.’’

He urged the General Assembly to re-affirm the consensus behind the UN Global Counter-terrorism Strategy to enhance national, regional, and international efforts and adopt a forward-looking resolution.

To counter terrorism, the UN chief outlined a set of overarching priorities, which began with building resilience.

“Strong, just and accountable institutions” as reflected in Sustainable Development Goal 16 for inclusive access to justice “are a pre-requisite for States to deny terrorists the space to operate, bring them to justice, and provide security to their populations.

While putting victims at the centre of all efforts, he also noted that to help break the cycle of violence, after serving their sentences, those found guilty should, when possible, be rehabilitated and reintegrated back into society.

The secretary-general’s second point was for a human-right reset for counter-terrorism.

“We know that when counter-terrorism is used to infringe upon the rights and freedoms of people, the result is more alienation within communities and stronger terrorist narratives,’’ the UN chief said.

He stressed that this must be addressed by protecting and promoting human rights, including gender equality.

(NAN)