THE appalling terrorist atrocity in the town of Beslan in the Caucasus marks a new depth of depravity in the history of global terrorism. The deliberate use of children as the terrorists' victims is unprecedented.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the arguments about the future of Chechnya, or of Palestine, or of Iraq, nothing can justify the indiscriminate killing of children to further a para-military objective.

I am still concerned that some people still blur the distinction between terrorists and freedom-fighters. There can be no comparison between those who are fighting a guerrilla war against an illegal military occupation, and whose targets are entirely military, with those who are prepared to murder innocent civilians -- and particularly children -- who have played no part in the conflict.

But terrorism comes in many forms. The indiscriminate bombing of suburbs in Baghdad, the systematic bulldozing of Palestinian ghettoes and the shoot-to-kill policy of Russian forces in Chechnya represent a form of state terrorism that is equally indefensible and for which George Bush, Ariel Sharon and Vladimir Putin bear a heavy responsibility.

Therefore, I appeal to all of my constituents, of whatever political party or faith -- and particularly those who are leaders in their communities -- to unequivocally condemn last week's atrocity and to speak out even more forcefully against the growing use of indiscriminate killing and torture as a political weapon by ostensibly legitimate governments.

Terrorism, of whatever kind, is the result of a failure of democratic politics and can never lead to sustainable peace. To achieve this we need to strengthen democracy, not weaken it, adhere to the rule of international law rather than by-pass it, and reduce inequality and injustice of whatever kind.

We need, above all, much more understanding by the rich and powerful nations of the world of the sheer, absolute hopelessness and desperation in the lives of hundreds of millions of people living in the world's poorest towns and cities. It is becoming increasingly clear that their fate, and ours, are inseparable.

DAVID CHAYTOR MP