Delegation: Harsh Agarwal

Country: Republic of Indonesia

Committee: UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Agenda: Countering global terrorism: with emphasis on state-sponsored acts of terrorism

“A Thousand of old man are able to dream But a Young boy is able to change the world”
-Sukarno

The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United
Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the
UN. Currently in its 77th session, its powers, composition, functions, and procedures are set out
in Chapter IV of the United Nations Charter. The UNGA is responsible for the UN budget,
appointing the non-permanent members to the Security Council, appointing the UN secretary-
general, receiving reports from other parts of the UN system, and making recommendations
through resolutions. It also establishes numerous subsidiary organs to advance or assist in its
broad mandate. The UNGA is the only UN organ where all member states have equal
representation. The first session of the UN General Assembly was convened on 10 January 1946
in the Methodist Central Hall in London and included representatives of 51 nations. Sitting
arrangements in the General Assembly Hall change for each session. During the 77th Session
(2022-2023), Belize will occupy the first seat in the Hall, including in the Main Committees
(followed by all the other countries, in English alphabetical order)
The UNGA also makes key decisions for the UN, including:
 appointing the Secretary-General on the recommendation of the Security Council
 electing the non-permanent members of the Security Council
 approving the UN budget

Although the term is not subject to a universally agreed definition, terrorism can be broadly
understood as a method of coercion that utilizes or threatens to utilize violence in order to spread
fear and thereby attain political or ideological goals. Contemporary terrorist violence is thus
distinguished in law from “ordinary” violence by the classic terrorist “triangle”: A attacks B, to
convince or coerce C to change its position regarding some action or policy desired by A. The
attack spreads fear as the violence is directed, unexpectedly, against innocent victims, which in
turn puts pressure on third parties such as governments to change their policy or position.
Contemporary terrorists utilize many forms of violence, and indiscriminately target civilians,
military facilities and State officials among others. The challenges of countering terrorism are
not new, and indeed have a long history. The term “terrorism” was initially coined to describe
the Reign of Terror, the period of the French Revolution from 5 September 1793 to 27 July
1794, during which the Revolutionary Government directed violence and harsh measures against
citizens suspected of being enemies of the Revolution. In turn, popular resistance to Napoleon’s
invasion of the Spanish Peninsula led to a new form of fighter—the “guerrilla”, which derives
from the Spanish word guerra, meaning “little war” (Friedlander, 1976, p. 52). As a weapon of
politics and warfare, however, the use of terrorism by groups can be traced back to ancient times,
and as noted by Falk, “in various forms, terrorism is as old as government and armed struggle,
and as pervasive” (Falk, 1990, pp. 39, 41). The focus of this module, and of the University
Module Series as a whole, is on terrorist violence and the threats carried out by non-State groups
and the response of the international community, especially States, regional organizations and
the United Nations system

On July 7, the Government of Indonesia issued Regulation No. 35/2020 on Providing Compensation,
Restitution, and Assistance to Witnesses and Victims (including victims of terrorism) as an
implementing regulation under the 2018 Law on Terrorism. The regulation ensures victims’ right to
seek compensation from the government for damages incurred attributable to past terrorist attacks.
According to the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), from January to December, police
arrested approximately 260 terror suspects and killed at least 10 who were resisting arrest. Among
those arrested was Zulkarnaen, alias Airs Sumarsono, an alleged military commander in the al-
Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist organization believed to have been involved in planning the
2002 Bali bombings and other attacks. Indonesia convicted at least 23 terror suspects, and 189
remain under investigation or on trial. The government extended the joint police-military Operation
Tinombala offensive against MIT in Sulawesi province through December 31.Border security
improved, but challenges remain. Indonesia connected its 36 most-travelled international airports,
seaports, and land ports of entry to INTERPOL’s law enforcement data network, enabling the
Customs and Excise Directorate General to screen 99 percent of all international passenger traffic
against INTERPOL databases. Indonesia also actively contributed stolen and lost travel document
(SLTD) records to the INTERPOL global database through automation. Police and other agencies
maintain watch lists of suspected terrorists, but lines of communication and coordination among
stakeholder agencies were not always clear. The U.S. government worked in coordination with
BNPT and other Indonesian border security and law enforcement agencies to develop and
consolidate these efforts through the Watch listing Assistance and Support Program. In March,
Indonesia participated in the Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines Trilateral Security Conference. The
conference addressed the tri-border operational environment, kidnapping trends on the high seas,
tactics used by threat groups, government initiatives and efforts, and gaps and challenges in securing
common borders.

Thank You.