India has criticised the UN's proposed plan to combat violent extremism, describing it insufficient, while underlining the need for greater international cooperation to deal with this growing "global threat".
"Our view is that the current architecture at the United Nations is not sufficient to tackle this virus that threatens us collectively," Indian Ambassador to the UN Syed Akbaruddin said in his address to the General Assembly on UN chief Ban Ki -moon's report on preventing violent extremism.
The general assembly did not adopt the proposed plan in its meeting here yesterday in view of the divergent opinions expressed by different countries and decided to debate it further.
The main differences revolved around whether issues like "foreign occupation" and "right to self determination", also raised by Pakistan's permanent UN representative Maleeha Lodhi, should be part of the Action Plan.
Akbaruddin said the UN chief's proposed Action Plan provides no solution to this threat.
"Where is the single contact point that will assist member states seeking UN assistance in preventing violent extremism. Having gone through the entire plan, unfortunately, we did not find an answer to this simple and basic question," he said.
Tabled in December 2015, the action plan recommended that each country develop its own national action plan to prevent violent extremism.
Akbaruddin said the plan is full of prescriptions for countries, but short on what the UN would do to help governments.
While underlining that there can be no grievance whatsoever that can justify resort to violent extremism, Akbaruddin stressed the need to ensure that violent extremists are subject to the full force of law as they pose an "imminent and continuing danger".
Acknowledging that addressing this malaise is primarily responsibility of the countries, the Indian diplomat, nevertheless, said there is need for substantive value addition from the UN in this endeavour.
"What we are tackling is not merely a local problem that can be addressed unilaterally; it is a global contagion. All these present a new level of threat. We need significant options of international cooperation, which we do not discern in the plan before us," Akbaruddin said.
Pakistan's representative Lodhi argued that violent extremists exploit injustices like foreign occupation and the denial of the right to self-determination and there is no clarity on an agreed definition of "terrorism" and "violent extremism".
Speaking on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Abdallah Y al-Mouallimi said violent extremism and terrorism undermined peace and no country was immune.
Michele Sison of the US said defeating terrorism on the battlefield was not enough unless the international community addressed the fundamental drives of such extremist actions.
Matthew Rycroft of Britain was of the view that the plan was pragmatic and comprehensive and contained a recommendation to develop robust national action plans based on respect for human rights and rule of law.
