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Amnesty International Calls for Investigating Demonstrators' Death
GAZA, Oct 9 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The human rights organization Amnesty International condemned the death of two demonstrators in Gaza who were confronted by the Palestinian police force as they protested against the United States' bombing of Afghanistan.
In a statement released by Amnesty International, the human rights giant said, "This appears to have been a reckless and unlawful use of lethal force against demonstrators when lives were not in danger. Firearms should only be used to counter an imminent threat to life and only when non-lethal means have been exhausted."
According to eyewitness accounts, the student demonstration left Gaza's Islamic University to march to the Palestinian Legislative Council. When Palestinian police barred the demonstrators' way, violent clashes erupted.
The police used tear gas and opened fire with live ammunition, killing two demonstrators, including a 13-year-old boy, leaving another critically wounded and injuring several others.
Police said masked gunmen opened fire from among the student crowds at the Islamic University, killing 13-year-old Abdullah al-Franji and Yusef Bakr, 21.
But a Palestinian rights group said it had found no civilians able to confirm the official version of events.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and Amnesty International both condemned the use of excessive lethal force by the police.
Amnesty International called for an immediate full investigation to be initiated. "The investigation must be carried out by people known for their integrity and independence. It should have the power to call witnesses and to protect witnesses. It should sit in public and its report should also be public," Amnesty said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government spokesperson on Tuesday congratulated the Palestinian Authority on its police crackdown on the protests by Islamic students.
"For the first time we congratulate the Palestinian Authority for taking the measures which it promised to implement against terrorists," said Raanan Gissin, spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
"We must hope that this is not just the beginning and that Yasser Arafat will continue along this path," he said.
"U.S. diplomatic and Israeli military pressure have played a part, but it seems Yasser Arafat finally felt that it was his own power that was being challenged by the Islamists," Gissin said.
He said the last thing Arafat wanted was pro-bin Laden demonstrations "because he wants to be included in the free world camp and not be associated with the Saudi terrorist."
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Tuesday that the Palestinian leadership had also ordered an inquiry into the deaths of the demonstrators.
Palestinian officials were tight-lipped a day after the violence that left two dead and scores injured. Palestinian police closed the entire Gaza Strip to foreign press, saying the area was not safe in the aftermath of the U.S. strikes on Afghanistan.
The Palestinian leadership voiced its regret for "the sad events, which have seriously tarnished the image of our people and the just fight against Israeli occupation."
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