The following statement was delivered in Geneva on August 17 by David G. Littman – speaking as a representative of the nongovernmental organization (NGO), the Association for World Education – to the 58th session of the UN Sub-Commission on Human Rights, under item 6(c): “terrorism and counter-terrorism”. It was then circulated to its 26 members (‘independent experts’), participants, and the media, with written statement E/CN.4/2006/NGO/231: Calls to Kill in the Name of God or Religion.

This reiterated appeal to the Sub-Commission for an unqualified condemnation – by a resolution or a brief chairman’s statement – of “any call to kill, to terrorize, or to use violence in the name of God or any religion” is unlikely to be heard by this sitting, moribund UN body. Similar calls for such a clear condemnation have been made since 2003 to the defunct Commission on Human Rights and its Sub-Commission by several NGOs: AWE, International Humanist and Ethical Union, Association of World Citizens, and World Union for Progressive Judaism...