1. Nuclear Weapons and Terrorism

2. Nuclear Weapons
Nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions.
Nuclear weapons are known as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
Nuclear weapons include atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, fission bombs and fusion bombs.
Powerful nations try to dominate over others through introduction of these kind of mass destruction weapons.
Use of nuclear weapons is prohibited by Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to life.
Resolutions on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation were passed by UN.

3. Nuclear Weapons and Human Rights
The incompatibility of the right to peace and the right to life with the existence of WMD.
The fear produced by the thought of WMD ‘in the wrong hands’.
The effect of WMD on the war system and the resulting drain of resources that would otherwise be available for the implementation of economic and social human rights.

4. Nuclear Weapons and Human Rights
Impact on Right to peace
First sentence of the Preamble says, ‘We the Peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’.
Article 2(4): Prohibition of aggression.
Article 33: Peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Article 28: It says that ‘everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.’
Later on, General Assembly resolution in 1984 declared the ‘Right of People to Peace’.

5. Nuclear Weapons and Human Rights
Impact on Right to Life
Article 6(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights says that: ‘Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.’
The International Human Rights Committee issued a General Comment on nuclear weapons and the right to life in Three main points were evident from that statement:
Designing, testing, manufacture, possession and deployment of nuclear weapons are the greatest threats to the right to life, not only in the event of war, but even in case of human or mechanical error or failure.
The existence and seriousness of this threat generates a climate of suspicion and fear between States.
Production, testing, possession, deployment and use of nuclear weapons should be prohibited and recognized as a crime against humanity.

6. Nuclear Weapons and Human Rights
Impact on Civil and Political Rights
Fear of nuclear weapons or other WMDs produce a climate in which governments are increasingly prone to enact ‘emergency measures’.
These emergency measures infringe civil and political liberties.
It also leads to implementation of poorly conceived counter terrorism efforts by the government, which further limits the civil and political liberties of the citizens.
Some of the human right issues related to this are: torture and degraded treatment of prisoners or detainees, invasion of privacy of people, restriction on movement etc.

7. Nuclear Weapons and Human Rights
Impact on Social and Economic Rights
Various studies conducted to calculate the cost of nuclear weapon programs have concluded that countries are spending very huge amount of money (in billions and trillions) on these WMDs.
If this amount could have been used on providing millions of people with their right to health, housing, education, culture, social security and all the other rights guaranteed to them, greater social and economic development would have been possible.

8. Terrorism
Violence
Psychological impact or fear: Acts of terrorism are devised to have an impact on large number of people. Terrorists generally attack the most important people, places and national symbols to show their power. E.g. Attack on World Trade Centre and Pentagon in USA.
Committed for achievement of political goals: All terrorist act have a political purpose behind it. When activists believe that there is no other method to bring out the change they desire, they get involved in terrorist activities.
Targeted on non-combatants: Terrorist intentionally select civilians as their direct target.
Instilling fear
Getting a message out for the general public
To put pressure on government
To fulfil political objectives

9. Terrorism and Human Rights
Terrorism threatens the security of human beings or even takes innocent lives.
It threatens the dignity of human beings.
It creates an environment that destroys the freedom of the people.
It has a negative effect on the establishment of the rule of law.
It destroys the democratic bases of society by destabilizes governments.
It is also linked with transnational organized crime, like,
Drug trafficking
Money-laundering
Trafficking in arms
Illegal transfers of nuclear, chemical and biological materials
Murder, extortion, kidnapping, assault, hostage-taking and robbery
It has negative impact on economic and social development of States
It endangers friendly relations and cooperation among States.
It threatens the territorial integrity and security of States.
It violates the purpose and principles of the United Nations.
It is a threat to international peace and security.

10. Obligation of State
Ensure effective criminal justice and law enforcement systems.
Measures to deter the commission of offences.
Investigate violations where they occur.
Ensure that those suspected of criminal acts are prosecuted.
Provide victims with effective remedies.
Take necessary steps to prevent a recurrence of violations.
Take preventive operational measures to protect individuals whose life is suspected to be at risk.
 In order to fulfil their obligations States have a right and a duty to take effective counter-terrorism measures. The objective of these measures is to:
Prevent and discourage future terrorist attacks.
Prosecute those that are responsible for carrying out such acts.

11. Counter Terrorism Measures
Target Hardening: A strategy of strengthening the security of building or placing concrete barriers outside buildings to prevent terrorist attacks.
Pre-emptive Neutralization: It includes capturing, killing or disabling suspected terrorists before they can mount an attack; interrogation of known or suspected terrorists to obtain information.
Intelligence and Surveillance Systems: Intelligence and surveillance systems are used to capture secretive information by the use of various technologies. E.g. Interception of communications, decoding of secret messages, tracing of persons.
Military Interventions: Sometimes Military intervention is required to deal with terrorism in the country. Government pass the orders for the same if the situation becomes out of control and strict measures are required. E.g. In Jammu & Kashmir, military intervention strategy was used to deal with terrorists.
Non-Military Interventions: Human security issues leads to the option of non-military interventions. Measures are taken by government to ensure equal access to resources and sustainability for all people. Such activities have a positive approach which empower the citizens and provide them freedom from fear.

12. Impact of Counter Terrorism Measures on Human Rights
Curbing of civil liberties, like freedom of movement, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of making associations etc.
Infringement of privacy
Unlawful and Indefinite (long period) Detention
Denial of right to challenge the lawfulness of the detention
Denial of right to access to legal representative
Torture and other inhuman treatments of the suspects and prisoners.
Negative impact on Refugee or Asylum seekers. Individuals are illegally deported to their home countries, which is against law.
All such practices undermine the value of democracy.

13. “Our responses to terrorism as well as our efforts to thwart it and prevent it, should uphold the human rights that terrorists aim to destroy. Respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are essential tools in the effort to combat terrorism — not privileges to be sacrificed at a time of tension”. Kofi Annan (2003) Former UN Secretary General