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STATEMENT OF THE HON. JANET BOSTWICK ON BEHALF OF CARICOM
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MR. PRESIDENT,
I AM PLEASED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CARICOM COUNTRIES, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA,
BARBADOS, BELIZE, DOMINICA, GRENADA, GUYANA, HAITI, JAMAICA, SAINT KITTS
AND NEVIS, SAINT LUCIA, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, SURINAME, TRINIDAD
AND TOBAGO AND THE BAHAMAS.
IT WAS BUT A FEW DAYS AGO AT LIMA AT THE 28th SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THIS ORGANIZATION ASSEMBLED TO ADOPT THE INTER-AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC
CHARTER THAT WE, ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD, WITNESSED THE HORRIFIC
AND BARBARIC ACTS OF TERRORISM PERPETRATED AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE
OF THE UNITED STATES, AND INDEED AGAINST HUMANITY.
WE HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS SUFFERED.
MANY, INCLUDING CARICOM COUNTRIES, BY THE LOSS OF THE LIVES OF, OR PERSONAL
INJURIES TO THEIR CITIZENS; SOME BY DAMAGE TO PROPERTY; WHILE OTHERS HAVE
SUFFERED A MARKED DECLINE IN TRADE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. ALL IN ALL, IT WAS
A TERRIBLE AND SAVAGE ATTACK AGAINST HUMANITY, CIVILIZATION, DEMOCRACY,
FREEDOM AND THE WAY OF LIFE OF ALL THE FREE AND PEACE-LOVING STATES OF THE
WORLD.
ALL CARICOM GOVERNMENTS HAVE CONVEYED OUR DEEPEST SORROW, REGRET AND CONDOLENCES
TO, AND HAVE EXPRESSED OUR SOLIDARITY WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF
THE UNITED STATES IN THIS MOST DIFFICULT AND TRYING TIME.
INDEED, MR. PRESIDENT, WE ARE ALL GRIEVING.
THE CARICOM STATES TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REITERATE OUR PROFOUND REGRET
AND THE DEEPEST SORROW OF OUR GOVERNMENTS AND PEOPLE TO THE GOVERNMENT
AND PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO EVERY NATION WHOSE CITIZENS
SUFFERED LOSS OF LIFE OR PERSONAL INJURY AS A RESULT OF THE TERRORIST
ATTACKS ON THE 11th OF SEPTEMBER 2001. INDEED, MR. PRESIDENT, ALTHOUGH
THESE ACTS WERE CARRIED OUT IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THEY WERE
AN ATTACK ON ALL OF US.
MR. PRESIDENT, ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENTS HAVE EXPRESSED OUR RESOLVE THAT
THE PERPETRATORS OF THESE MOST HEINOUS ACTS, THOSE WHO HAVE DISPLAYED
A BOLD AND BLATANT DISREGARD FOR LIFE, FREEDOM AND LIBERTY BE BROUGHT
SWIFTLY TO JUSTICE. ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENTS RECOGNIZE THE AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY
FACING THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE PLEDGED OUR SUPPORT TO AND COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF
THE UNITED STATES AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN COMBATING THIS EVIL,
AND MANY OF OUR GOVERNMENTS HAVE ALREADY UNDERTAKEN MEASURES OF COOPERATION
IN THIS RESPECT.
MR. PRESIDENT, THE CONVOCATION OF THIS MEETING OF CONSULTATION OF MINISTERS
OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS DEMONSTRATIVE OF THE GRAVITY WITH WHICH WE REGARD
THESE ATTACKS UPON THE UNITED STATES, UPON NATIONS OF THIS HEMISPHERE,
AND UPON THE WORLD. OUR PRESENCE HERE SIGNIFIES OUR UNITED RESPONSE TO
THE CALL FOR ACTION.
OUR VERY WAY OF LIFE, OUR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELFARE, OUR STABILITY -
ALL HAVE BEEN UNDERMINED. THE BASIC FABRIC OF OUR SOCIETIES IS NOW SERIOUSLY
THREATENED. NO COUNTRY IN THIS HEMISPHERE STANDS ALONE. OUR ECONOMIC PROGRESS
AND STABILITY, THE WELL BEING OF OUR NATIONALS, THE PEACE AND SECURITY
OF OUR NATIONS ARE ALL INTERDEPENDENT WITH THOSE OF OTHER NATIONS IN THE
HEMISPHERE.
BUT MR. PRESIDENT, WE MUST NOTE THAT EACH OF OUR NATIONS IS ALSO DEPENDENT
ON THE ECONOMIC WELL BEING, PEACE AND SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. ALREADY WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SERIOUS ADVERSE EFFECTS TO OUR ECONOMIES
BECAUSE OF THE ACTS OF TERRORISM COMMITTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
EVERY CARICOM STATE HAS BEEN GRAVELY AFFECTED.
MR. PRESIDENT, NOT ONLY HAVE OUR ECONOMIES BEEN SO AFFECTED BUT DEEP CONCERNS
AND FEAR FOR THE FUTURE HAVE NOW BEEN IMPLANTED IN THE MINDS OF OUR NATIONALS.
CARICOM GOVERNMENTS RECOGNIZE THAT TERRORISM NOT ONLY SEEKS TO ROB CITIZENS
OF THEIR PEACE OF MIND AND THE ABILITY TO REALIZE THEIR FULL HUMAN POTENTIAL
BY RETARDING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, BUT IT ALSO HOLDS THEM CAPTIVES
TO IDEOLOGIES THAT SERVE THE SELFISH PURPOSE OF RENEGADE LEADERS. THIS
MR. PRESIDENT, CONTRADICTS THE VERY PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY, PRINCIPLES
UPON WHICH OUR NATIONS ARE BUILT, A HERITAGE THAT WE CHERISH AND ONE TO
WHICH WE PLEDGE OUR GUARDIANSHIP.
JUST AS THE BAHAMAS AND OTHER CARICOM STATES, THROUGH THE UNITED NATIONS
RESOLUTION OF 12 SEPTEMBER, 2001 AND THE OAS RESOLUTION OF 19 SEPTEMBER,
2001 GAVE SUPPORT FOR THE CONDEMNATION OF ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM, TODAY,
WE ECHO AND CATEGORICALLY DECLARE A MILITANT RESOLVE TO JOIN THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY IN TAKING NECESSARY ACTIONS THAT WILL FERRET OUT, AND BRING
TO JUSTICE, THE AUTHORS AND ACCOMPLICES OF THOSE BARBAROUS TERRORIST ACTS.
MR. PRESIDENT, OUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY SIGNALS OUR RESOLVE TO HONOUR THE
COMMITMENTS OF THE CHARTER IN SEARCHING FOR, AND ADOPTING A FIRM RESPONSE
TO ACTS OF TERRORISM THAT HAVE COMPROMISED THE SECURITY OF OUR HEMISPHERE.
CARICOM NOW JOINS IN THE CALL FOR THE ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION AND
PROMISES TO HONOUR THE COMMITMENTS THEREIN.
MR. PRESIDENT, WITH YOUR PERMISSION I WILL READ THE STATEMENT FROM THE
CHAIR OF THE CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY,
THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE BAHAMAS, THE HONOURABLE HUBERT INGRAHAM TO THE
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THE TRAGIC EVENTS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON 11 SEPTEMBER,
2001 AND I QUOTE:
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"CARICOM GOVERNMENTS AND PEOPLE HAVE, OVER THE PAST WEEK, EXPRESSED
THEIR HORROR AND DISGUST AT THE TRAGIC AND PREMEDITATED ACTS OF TERRORISM
WHICH TOOK PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON 11 SEPTEMBER.
WE CONDEMN THESE DASTARDLY ACTS WHICH RANK AMONG THE MOST REPREHENSIBLE
THAT HAVE BEEN INFLICTED ON THE INNOCENT IN MODERN TIMES. THESE ATTACKS
HAVE PLUNGED OUR WORLD INTO AN UNPRECEDENTED PERIOD OF PERIL, FEAR
AND UNCERTAINTY. THEY HAVE ALSO BROUGHT IMMENSE SUFFERING TO NUMEROUS
FAMILIES NOT ONLY IN THE USA BUT ALSO IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES AROUND
THE WORLD, INCLUDING CARIBBEAN STATES.
LIKE THOSE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE PEOPLE OF THE CARIBBEAN ARE BEGINNING
TO COUNT THEIR LOSSES IN BOTH HUMAN LIFE AND IN TERMS OF THE EVENTUAL
SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DISLOCATION AND DISTRESS TO ALL OUR STATES. WE
EXTEND TO THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED GRIEVOUS LOSS, OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHY.
THEY SHALL BE REMEMBERED IN OUR PRAYERS.
AS WE MOURN, THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY DECLARES ITS SOLIDARITY WITH
THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, IN DEMANDING THAT
THE MASTERMINDS, AND THOSE IN COLLUSION WITH THEM, BE FOUND AND THAT
JUSTICE BE DONE"
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