March 31, 2016

Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF)
Statement on Terror Attacks in Pakistan and Belgium

The Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF) expresses its shock and grief at the death and destruction caused by the recent blasts in Lahore and Brussels. We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones left behind by the senseless acts that killed dozens of innocent people and injured hundreds of others.

Fear and insecurity reverberate beyond where the blasts occur to everyone throughout the world. These attacks associated with the Islamic State group (Daesh) and other similar terror groups replicate a pattern of terror earlier unleashed in France, Indonesia, Turkey, and many other places.

We would like to reiterate that these acts of terror cannot be justified or seen as retribution to any injustice big or small. These ruthless actions are a crime against humanity. We condemn all acts of terrorism wherever they occur.

AEPF is an extensive network of about 500 progressive social movements composed of NGOs, people’s movements, issue- and sectoral-based networks of workers including trade unions and migrants workers, fisher folk, peasants, women, youth, urban poor, elderly, persons with disabilities, and progressive researchers, academics and parliamentarians across Asia and Europe. Members uphold the principles of democracy and human rights, social, economic and ecological justice, peace and solidarity