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Human Rights Organizations Urge Civilian Protection in Shadow of War
By Neveen A. Salem
WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (IslamOnline) - Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW), the world's leading human rights organizations, have called on governments participating in the "war on terrorism", specifically the United States and the European Union, to ensure the human rights of civilians who will inevitably be victimized by the repercussions of the conflict.
The human rights giants specifically called on the global community to refrain from further victimizing the Afghan population, whose Taliban leaders are accused of sheltering Osama bin Laden, the U.S.'s chief suspect in the terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, from curtailing the civil rights of peoples living on their territories and to take active steps toward protecting Muslim, Arab and Middle East populations from hate crimes aimed at them solely due to their religion or ethnicity.
AI urged U.S. President George W. Bush's administration to ensure that military rules of engagement secure the protection of innocent civilians and called for them to:
· distinguish between military targets and civilians;
· avert attacks that have a disproportionate impact on civilians or civilian objects, including non-combatants held in Taliban prisons;
· provide effective warning to the civilian population, wherever possible, so that civilians may remove themselves from areas of attack;
· ensure that any use of weapons prone to cause indiscriminate injury and death, such as cluster bombs, not be employed in areas of civilian population;
· ensure that weapons incapable of being adequately targeted not be employed in areas of civilian population; and
· ensure that any minimum operational altitude restrictions imposed upon aircraft permit adequate identification of targets in order to avoid death or injury to civilians.
"The rules of engagement should fully incorporate precautions to minimize civilian causalities among a population that has suffered two decades of conflict and associated human rights violations," said Curt Goering, Senior Deputy Executive Director of AIUSA (Amnesty's U.S. office). "The legitimacy of the pursuit of justice must not be put at risk through further deaths of civilian men, women and children."
"The September 11 attacks were crimes against humanity, an assault on the most basic human rights principle of safeguarding civilian life," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "However the United States and Europe respond, that response should comply strictly with human rights standards."
Human Rights Watch urged the international community to "step up humanitarian assistance for more than five million Afghanis displaced by ongoing civil war, drought, and the threat of U.S. military attacks. U.N. relief agencies are warning of a humanitarian crisis of stunning proportions unless emergency steps are quickly taken."
Addressing the issue of civil rights curtailing and discriminatory attacks aimed at Muslims, Arabs and other minorities, in the wake of the terrorist attacks on Washington and New York, AI Secretary General Irene Khan stated:
"Already we have seen a wave of racist attacks directed at people because of their appearance or religion. The threat perception is encouraging an environment of racism and xenophobia. In North America, Europe and elsewhere, Muslims, Arabs and Sikhs have been shot, stabbed and beaten. Mosques have been firebombed. Shops have been looted. Schools have been forced to close because of intimidation and harassment.
"Governments must take strong action against racist attacks directed at the Muslim, Asian and Middle Eastern populations in their countries, whether they are citizens or foreigners. You cannot claim to speak in the name of freedom if all those on your territory do not feel equally protected.
"Governments are using the 'war on terrorism to introduce draconian measures to limit civil liberties. The U.S. and E.U. governments are considering provisions that would allow them to detain immigrants indefinitely, even if they have not been charged with any offence. Such measures are unlikely to deter attacks but they are likely to stifle dissent and curtail basic freedoms. For this reason, they must be resisted.
"In reaching a balance between security and individual freedom, the internationally recognized safeguards to protect human rights must not be sacrificed. Even in the most extreme crisis, Governments do not have a completely free hand. Even if they are at war, they must abide by the basic rules that protect civilians' lives, " the HRW statement concluded.
Acknowledging that additional security measures may be warranted, Human Rights Watch also expressed concern about proposed restrictions on civil liberties in both the U.S. and Europe.
"We must remain vigilant against vague or broad measures that discriminate against unpopular views or disfavored minorities," Roth explained.
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