CIVIL LIBERTIES 4.4 These two attacks, on symbols of democracy, re-confirmed the view taken by the international community ever since the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna that: 'the acts, methods and practices of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations... are activities aimed at the destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy, threatening territorial integrity and the security of States and destabilizing legitimately constituted Governments, and that the international community should take the necessary steps to enhance cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism' (emphasis added). 4.5 Terrorists are the sworn enemies of human rights and there can be no equivocation on this matter. Terrorism must be fought and defeated. This is essential for the protection of human rights themselves, for the right to life — itself a target of terrorists — is the most basic right, without which human beings can exercise no other right. 4.6 The question that arises, however, is in relation to the means to be adopted to achieve this goal. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 56/160 of 19 December 2001, adopted some eleven weeks after Security Council Resolution 1373, is quite clear on this matter when, in operative paragraph 6, it: 'Calls upon States to take all necessary and effective measures, in accordance with relevant provisions of international law, including international human rights standards, to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever and by whomever it is committed, and also calls upon States to strengthen, where appropriate, legislation to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations' (emphasis added). 4.7 The Commission had precisely such considerations in mind when, in an Opinion dated 14 July 2000, it dwelt at length on various provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2000, and opposed that Bill, inter alia, because it did not conform with international human rights standards. It reacted similarily on 19 November 2001 when, at the height of the fever occasioned by the 'global war against terrorism,' the Commission opposed the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, 2001 which had been ANNUAL REPORT 2001-2002 \ 25