Can Money Mend Their Hearts? Arab States Draft Law to Compensate Victims of Terrorism

Published May 4th, 2017 - 01:16 GMT
Displaced Iraqis reunite with relatives on October 26, 2016 as battle for Mosul forces thousands to flee their homes. (AFP/ Bulent Kilic)
Displaced Iraqis reunite with relatives on October 26, 2016 as battle for Mosul forces thousands to flee their homes. (AFP/ Bulent Kilic)

A joint committee of experts and representatives of Arab justice and interior ministries met at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League for Arab States in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss a draft law to protect and compensate terrorism victims.

Read more: Arab League Summit Concludes With Declaration Focused On Syrian Crisis

The two day meeting will discuss the implementation of a law in each country to provide economic and social assistance to victims and legislative processes for compensation, lieutenant colonel Turki Al Dhohouri, representative of the UAE ministry of interior, told state news agency WAM.

The first meeting of the committee included about 38 clauses that are indicative but not compulsory with regards to compensation.

The law aims to compensate victims of suicide bombings and kidnappings and those missing, injured and aggrieved as a result of terrorist acts.

The Arab states will also seek to guarantee and promote their rights and provide them with dignified living, as well as establish institutions to protect and monitor victims.

Read more: Oman Gets Tough On Terror Funding And Money Laundering

Data from the US-based Global Terrorism Database indicates the Middle East and North Africa has suffered from the most terrorist incidents with 40,422 recorded in comparison to 37,841 in South Asia and 3,268 in North America.

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