‘An assault on humanity itself’: Guterres pays tribute to 9/11 victims, survivors and first responders
In a statement marking the anniversary, António Guterres paid tribute to victims, survivors and first responders who rushed to ground zero – the World Trade Center’s twin towers in New York – just a few miles south of UN Headquarters.“As we mark this somber occasion on 11 September, we remember the nearly 3,000 victims – from the United States and more than 90 countries – and stand with their families and loved ones,” said the UN chief.The UN continues to stand in solidarity with the people of New York City, the US, and with all those whose lives were affected by the attacks, he added.
Mr. Guterres noted that 2026 also marks 20 years since Member States adopted the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy – reminding that the fight against terrorism is a shared, unfinished task.“As we pay tribute to the victims, let us renew our shared commitment to build a future free from terrorism.”Toll on human rightsIndeed, many countries made that commitment, strengthening security measures in the wake of the deadly attacks which upended geopolitics across the world. But, too many nations adopted unnecessary and disproportionate responses that have seriously undermined rights, civil society, civic space, democracy and the rule of law, according to a group of over 30 UN independent experts, who began their statement released on Thursday by paying tribute to all victims of terrorism.“‘Wars on terror’ have stretched foundational rules of international law beyond their breaking point,” said the UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent experts, who are not UN staff and receive no salary for their work.Worldwide monitoring over the past quarter century has exposed the gravest violations of international law in the name of countering terrorism, including wars of aggression, unlawful occupations, “countless” war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as plausible allegations of genocide, they said.They also highlighted assassinations dressed up as “targeted killings”, torture disguised as “interrogation”, secret detention, enforced disappearances and unfair military trials and special courts, including at the US-operated Guantanamo Bay facilities.To address these concerns, the experts urged States to review their counter-terrorism laws and practices to comply with international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law.Peace Bell remained silentOn 11 September 2001, UN Headquarters had been set to host the Secretary-General’s annual ceremony to ring the Peace Bell, but as news of the severity of the attacks spread, UN staff reacted the same way as tens of thousands of other New Yorkers heading to the office.“I saw the smoke, but I still went to the train station because I had to go to work,” said Victor Evans-Harvey, who is now editor in chief of UN News.
