he war on terrorism seems to have been more effective in eroding principles of international humanitarian rights rather than contrasting international terrorism,” said Amnesty International in its 2005 annual report, which was presented in London, Rome and other world cities. “In 2004 human rights of simple men, women, children in every corner of the planet suffering because of economic interests, social discrimination and conflict all over the world”.
The map of systematic violations touches the 4 corners of the planet, where torture is practiced in at least a hundred or so countries, in many of these there is no freedom of the press.
Amnesty International has documented in 149 countries the “failure of national governments and international organizations to face violations of human rights.” Irene Khan, secretary general of the organization, denounces the “lethal combination of indifference, erosion and impunity characterizing the scope of human rights today”.
Starting with the forgotten conflicts such as Darfour, in western Sudan. “In the camp at Jenina, in Darfour, I heard a woman that described an attack on her village by pro-government militias; a girl who was raped, a man that lost all except his dignity”.
The map of systematic violations touches the 4 corners of the planet, where torture is practiced in at least a hundred or so countries, in many of these there is no freedom of the press. And as for the violations: In Africa – Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria – to Asia with con Nepal, China, India and Pakistan, up to Latin America with the 40 years long civil war in Colombia.
But attacks on human dignity also take place in the rich part of the world. “In no other part of the world has there been such serious damage done than the efforts by the US administration to weaken the absolute repudiation of torture”.
“Despite the almost planetary offense caused by photos form Baghdad’s Abu Ghraib prison, there is plenty of evidence that such practices are still being applied against other prisoners in the hands of US torturers – said Khan – nor has the US administration or Congress asked for a full and independent inquiry.”
The USA, “as a unrivaled economic and military superpower, the USA has indicated the behavioral line to be adopted by governments all over the world. From Israel – which Amnesty International has singled out for committing war crimes in the same report – to Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Nepal, governments that have clearly defied human rights and international humanitarian law in the name of national security and counter-terrorism”.
There is some progress, however, toward the affirmation of such rights as the Italian head of Amnesty, Paolo Pobbiati, has outlined, speaking of ‘signals of hope’. “the duplicity of governments and the brutality of armed groups are ever more challenged by judiciary sentences, by popular resistance, by public pressure and by reform initiatives at the UN. The challenge for the movement of human rights is to grow the power of civil society and push governments to maintain their promises on human rights”.
(From MISNA)