Israeli soldiers are telling their stories about questionable military practices during the conflict in Gaza. They are describing attacks on unarmed civilians, using phrases like “cold blooded murder” in an effort to expose human rights violations. But:
“Neither the Israeli justice system, despite its acknowledged strengths, nor that of the Palestinian Authority has ever properly addressed violations of international law by Israeli forces or Palestinian fighters.”
The UN’s Board of Inquiry is currently investigating attacks on UN facilities, but what of the civilians on both sides of the conflict?
“What is needed is a comprehensive international investigation that looks at all alleged violations of international law – by Israel, by Hamas and by other Palestinian armed groups involved in the conflict.”
Amnesty International recently sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to:
“…press for effective steps to be taken by the UN Security Council to ensure that a comprehensive international investigation is established to inquire into alleged war crimes and other serious violations of international law committed by all parties to the recent conflict in Gaza and southern Israel.”
This would require an independent and impartial investigation into all alleged violations of international humanitarian law that can provide recommendations on the prosecution of those responsible by the relevant authorities.
Only in the case of the Gazan war does Amnesty make such a call for a UN investigation. Even though 100s of conflicts rage across the earth many of them far more violent, with far greater human rights violations, only in the case of Gaza, and Gaza only does Amnesty make this call. Why? Can someone please explain how you justify only calling for this in this case only ? Why no call for investigations of the Tigers or Sri Lanka for just one example but yes for Gaza ? At least ten times as many civilians have been killed in just the last few months in Sri Lanka than have died in the Israel Palestine conflict for years? Why does Amnesty not call for the same investigations for the Tigers and for Sri Lanka you are calling for the Gazan war?
For another other example you ignore while you obsess over Gaza, in the last several months thousands of villagers in Eastern congo have been slaughtered under the very noses of the well funded, well armed United Nations Peacekeepers who are under UN Security Council mandate to protect innocent life there but are refusing to do their duty. Doctors Without Borders has documented that UN troops are refusing to take action to halt these killings, which far, far outnumber anything that went on in Gaza.
Yet Amnesty International does not even have the courage to issue a simple condemnation of the United Nations for its complicity in these ongoing massacres.
Only in the case of the Gazan war does Amnesty make such a call for a UN investigation. Even though 100s of conflicts rage across the earth many of them far more violent, with far greater human rights violations, only in the case of Gaza, and Gaza only does Amnesty make this call. Why? Can someone please explain how you justify only calling for this in this case only ? Why no call for investigations of the Tigers or Sri Lanka for just one example but yes for Gaza ? At least ten times as many civilians have been killed in just the last few months in Sri Lanka than have died in the Israel Palestine conflict for years? Why does Amnesty not call for the same investigations for the Tigers and for Sri Lanka you are calling for the Gazan war?
For another other example you ignore while you obsess over Gaza, in the last several months thousands of villagers in Eastern congo have been slaughtered under the very noses of the well funded, well armed United Nations Peacekeepers who are under UN Security Council mandate to protect innocent life there but are refusing to do their duty. Doctors Without Borders has documented that UN troops are refusing to take action to halt these killings, which far, far outnumber anything that went on in Gaza.
Yet Amnesty International does not even have the courage to issue a simple condemnation of the United Nations for its complicity in these ongoing massacres.
Judo,
If you research Sri Lanka or the DRC on amnestyusa.org and Human Rights Now, you'll see statements such as those linked to below. Of course, I agree that the humanitarian situations in Sri Lanka and the DRC deserve attention, however I do not think the conflicts are the same, and thus the response cannot be the same. It is important to consider the context of the situations you describe. I would also suggest getting involved at http://www.amnestyusa.org/take-action-online/page… and becoming a driving force to encourage Amnesty International to focus on the human rights concerns that you have raised, after all, we're a membership based organization.
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/sri-lanka-sui… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/hospital-shelled-… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/sri-lankan-civili… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/iar/outspoken-journali… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/drc-40000-signat… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/578/ http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/rally-echoes-con…
Judo,
If you research Sri Lanka or the DRC on amnestyusa.org and Human Rights Now, you'll see statements such as those linked to below. Of course, I agree that the humanitarian situations in Sri Lanka and the DRC deserve attention, however I do not think the conflicts are the same, and thus the response cannot be the same. It is important to consider the context of the situations you describe. I would also suggest getting involved at http://www.amnestyusa.org/take-action-online/page… and becoming a driving force to encourage Amnesty International to focus on the human rights concerns that you have raised, after all, we're a membership based organization.
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/sri-lanka-sui… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/hospital-shelled-… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/sri-lankan-civili… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/iar/outspoken-journali… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/drc-40000-signat… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/578/ http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/rally-echoes-con…
Judo,
If you research Sri Lanka or the DRC on amnestyusa.org and Human Rights Now, you'll see statements such as those linked to below. Of course, I agree that the humanitarian situations in Sri Lanka and the DRC deserve attention, however I do not think the conflicts are the same, and thus the response cannot be the same. It is important to consider the context of the situations you describe. I would also suggest getting involved at http://www.amnestyusa.org/take-action-online/page… and becoming a driving force to encourage Amnesty International to focus on the human rights concerns that you have raised, after all, we're a membership based organization.
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/sri-lanka-sui… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/hospital-shelled-… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/sri-lankan-civili… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/iar/outspoken-journali… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/drc-40000-signat… http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/578/ http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/rally-echoes-con…
Judo,
If you research Sri Lanka or the DRC on amnestyusa.org and Human Rights Now, you’ll see statements such as those linked to below. Of course, I agree that the humanitarian situations in Sri Lanka and the DRC deserve attention, however I do not think the conflicts are the same, and thus the response cannot be the same. It is important to consider the context of the situations you describe. I would also suggest getting involved at http://www.amnestyusa.org/take-action-online/page.do?id=1031043 and becoming a driving force to encourage Amnesty International to focus on the human rights concerns that you have raised, after all, we’re a membership based organization.
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/sri-lanka-suicide-bombers-and-impunity/
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/hospital-shelled-in-sri-lanka-9-civilians-killed-but-does-anyone-care/
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/sri-lankan-civilians-trapped-in-war-zone-urgently-need-protection/
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/iar/outspoken-journalist-killed-in-sri-lanka/
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/drc-40000-signatures-for-obama/
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/refugees/578/
http://blog.amnestyusa.org/women/rally-echoes-congolese-plea-for-help/
Amnesty International, has issued 2 statements on the DRC in the last 6 months that you can provide links to, and none of them concern the criminal lack of action by UN Peace Keepers who are currently, this day, refusing to do their duty and stop massacres as accused by Doctors Without Borders. So two statements in 6 months regarding a war where 1000 people a day die according to the United Nations High Commissionaire for Refugees, and where 10 million have died in total, making this the worst loss of life in any war on earth since world war two.
This is as opposed to what, a dozen statements and calls for investigations of the Israel Palestine conflict in the last 6 months. And compared to the 10 MILLION that have died in the DRC, in total approximately 7,000 Palestinians and 2000 Jews have been killed in the last 25 years.
So approximately 1000 times as many victims have died in the DRC conflict than in Israel Palestine yet you spend far more resources on the Israel Palestine conflict.
And you call this even handed ?
Amnesty International, has issued 2 statements on the DRC in the last 6 months that you can provide links to, and none of them concern the criminal lack of action by UN Peace Keepers who are currently, this day, refusing to do their duty and stop massacres as accused by Doctors Without Borders. So two statements in 6 months regarding a war where 1000 people a day die according to the United Nations High Commissionaire for Refugees, and where 10 million have died in total, making this the worst loss of life in any war on earth since world war two.
This is as opposed to what, a dozen statements and calls for investigations of the Israel Palestine conflict in the last 6 months. And compared to the 10 MILLION that have died in the DRC, in total approximately 7,000 Palestinians and 2000 Jews have been killed in the last 25 years.
So approximately 1000 times as many victims have died in the DRC conflict than in Israel Palestine yet you spend far more resources on the Israel Palestine conflict.
And you call this even handed ?