Drone strikes: US guilty of major human rights violations, says AI
International rights organisation says Pakistan failed to protect their citizens and even assisted US in the strikes.
International organisation says Pakistan failed to protect their citizens and assisted US in the strikes.
WASHINGTON:
The United States has carried out unlawful killings in Pakistan through drone strikes in blatant violation of international law, though Pakistan too is not totally devoid of blame, researchers with Amnesty International said while speaking to the media in Washington on Tuesday, Express News reported.
Amnesty International recently released a detailed report on US drone strikes in Pakistan titled “Will I Be Next?”, a qualitative assessment based on detailed field research into nine of the 45 reported strikes in North Waziristan between January 2012 and August 2013.
Mustufa Qadri, the Amnesty researcher for Pakistan, not only accused the US of committing violations of human rights, but expressed serious concerns over Pakistan's role in the process.
"The Pakistani authorities have also failed to protect their citizens and people in North Waziristan from drone strikes or to enforce their rights to justice and reparation after falling victim to these strikes."
The official went on to implicate Pakistan in the strikes.
"We're also concerned that Pakistani authorities or aspects of their institutions may also be assisting the US in drone strikes constituting human rights violations."
Referring to the militants, Qadri said that they continue to enjoy impunity.
"These are some of the most dangerous people and the Pakistani authorities have not been able to bring these perpetrators to justice and fair trial without recourse to the death penalty.
"We call on the Pakistani authorities to fulfill their obligations."
Amnesty added that the oft repeated pretense of immediate security concerns does not offer a blanket cover to conduct such strikes or violate rights.
"Drones may have given the US unrivaled access to one of the most remote parts of the world, but immediate security concerns, real or perceived must not and cannot be addressed on the rights of the people in Pakistan's tribal areas."
He thanked the people in the tribal areas for the sacrifices and efforts they underwent in order to bring all their suffering to light.
The United States has carried out unlawful killings in Pakistan through drone strikes in blatant violation of international law, though Pakistan too is not totally devoid of blame, researchers with Amnesty International said while speaking to the media in Washington on Tuesday, Express News reported.
Amnesty International recently released a detailed report on US drone strikes in Pakistan titled “Will I Be Next?”, a qualitative assessment based on detailed field research into nine of the 45 reported strikes in North Waziristan between January 2012 and August 2013.
Mustufa Qadri, the Amnesty researcher for Pakistan, not only accused the US of committing violations of human rights, but expressed serious concerns over Pakistan's role in the process.
"The Pakistani authorities have also failed to protect their citizens and people in North Waziristan from drone strikes or to enforce their rights to justice and reparation after falling victim to these strikes."
The official went on to implicate Pakistan in the strikes.
"We're also concerned that Pakistani authorities or aspects of their institutions may also be assisting the US in drone strikes constituting human rights violations."
Referring to the militants, Qadri said that they continue to enjoy impunity.
"These are some of the most dangerous people and the Pakistani authorities have not been able to bring these perpetrators to justice and fair trial without recourse to the death penalty.
"We call on the Pakistani authorities to fulfill their obligations."
Amnesty added that the oft repeated pretense of immediate security concerns does not offer a blanket cover to conduct such strikes or violate rights.
"Drones may have given the US unrivaled access to one of the most remote parts of the world, but immediate security concerns, real or perceived must not and cannot be addressed on the rights of the people in Pakistan's tribal areas."
He thanked the people in the tribal areas for the sacrifices and efforts they underwent in order to bring all their suffering to light.