God Bless AmericaHUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Editorial of the week:
Mondo
Washington
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God Bless America |
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Editorial of the week: |
| The United States started bombing Afghanistan on October 7 to destroy Osama bin Laden's al Qaida network, blamed for the attacks on New York and Washington. The Taliban became a target because they shelter bin Laden and his thousands of fighters in Afghanistan (see counter-terrorism policy). The US policy apparently includes allowing civilian casualties to fall by way of the standard banner of war. US news reports rarely focus on these innocents. However, the Human Rights Watch publishes a large number of articles on concerns for human rights. |
GENEVA (Reuters) - United Nations human rights chief Mary Robinson backed calls by human rights groups for an international inquiry into the killing of 600 prisoners in Afghanistan and expressed concern about other reported massacres as the Taliban fell from power.
"I support the idea of there being an inquiry... There are very worrying concerns about prisoners, about the sequences of events that lead to the death of some 600 people in a context such as Mazar-i-Sharif," Robinson told a news conference.
Hundreds of Taliban and foreign al Qaida prisoners were killed after staging a revolt at Qala-i-Janghi fortress near the strategic northern town of Mazar-i-Sharif. The suppression of the revolt, using U.S. air strikes, Northern Alliance tanks and U.S. and British special forces, has led to a call by Amnesty International and others for a probe.
Reports from aid workers had sparked concern about ''situations when territory has changed hands, prisoners are found dead with their hands tied behind their back; these kinds of incidents show a need for more careful scrutiny,'' she said.
Robinson said an investigation could be led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and her staff in Afghanistan was already "mapping out patterns of massacres."
She also expressed concern about the ``substantial toll of deaths and injuries'' among Afghan civilians caused by U.S. bombing, and destruction of hospitals and old people's homes.
She questioned the U.S. administration's "trust me" attitude with its anti-terrorism measures, which she said circumvented the system of checks and balances of a democratic society.
CRITICAL OF U.S.
Robinson also said that criminal trials of those suspected of masterminding the September 11 attacks should be held either before U.S. domestic courts or a new international tribunal.
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney-General John Ashcroft defended secret military trials and other new steps authorized by the administration during a congressional hearing.
Robinson, asked about the round-up of thousands of foreigners in the United States, said there were "reasons for concern," adding: "It is a very broad-sweep approach."
Regarding eavesdropping on conversations between some suspects and their lawyers, she said that international human rights law allowed some exceptions or derogations in times of public emergency but stressed they should be "very limited.''
"It is all about what are the kinds of safeguards. I am unhappy that there are not safeguards built into the military order which the President has issued and the language is vague and worrying,'' Robinson said.
"One of the strengths of democracy is eternal vigilance,'' she added. "In that sense, no, it is not enough to say 'trust me' as a government.''
But she welcomed civil libertarian groups and others questioning the U.S. order amid "healthy democratic debate."