Effective crime prevention ‘must for peace, prosperity’

Indian law minister Sadananda Gowda at the venue of the UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice yesterday: PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed

Effective and strengthened crime prevention and criminal justice systems are the cornerstones for  establishing the rule of law, which is essential for peace and prosperity of any nation, said Indian Federal Minister of Law D V Sadananda Gowda at a session held as part of the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at Qatar National Convention Centre yesterday.“With a remarkably accelerated pace of globalisation and emergence of new technologies, crime prevention and criminal justice have acquired transnational dimensions, necessitating greater co-operation among nations for the well being of one and all, in particular the vulnerable and deprived sections of any society,” said Gowda. An independent judiciary, he said, works as an effective watchdog over the executive which has developed faith in the deliverance of justice. The Indian law minister said he has been assigned the responsibility for further enhancing the efficacy of the judicial system and strengthening of its institutions in his country, which is the world’s largest democracy.The speaker also pointed out that there has been an alarming growth in cyber crime across the world and it is posing a greater challenge to the mankind. It is high time the world acted in one to prosecute perpetrators of global level cyber crimes, he said.Gowda also called upon the world leaders to have a policy of zero tolerance towards all kinds of terrorist activities, which he said are causing numerous hardships to innocent people.India, he said, has been a victim of terrorism for many years and has lost thousands of innocent men, women and children to the heinous crimes of terrorists. The minister recalled since the last meeting in Brazil (2010), India has ratified the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crimes (UNCTOC) and also three protocols, namely against trafficking in persons, especially women and children;  against smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air and against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in fire arms, their parts and components and ammunition.“We have also ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). Such actions demonstrate India’s resolve to fighting transnational organised crimes and constructive and active contribution to the global efforts in this direction.”Gowda felt the global community needs to do a lot to effectively implement the provisions of these conventions and protocols in their letter and spirit.FM holds talks with UN chiefQNADohaHE the Foreign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah held separate meetings with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and several other dignitaries on the sidelines of the 13th United Nations Crime Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah met Iraqi counterpart Dr Ibrahim al Jaafari, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Natalia Gherman, Tanzanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Membe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Ivica Dacic, Gambian Minister of Foreign Affairs Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, and Comoros’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation Dr Al Aref Sayed Hassan.Bilateral relations and issues of joint interest were discussed during the meetings.