Drone strikes: A Human Rights Issue

Al Jazeera English. “US ‘will continue Pakistan drone attacks”  20 April 2011
Al Jazeera English “Drone Strikes claim lives in Pakistan” 8 January 2013
Amnesty International “US urged to clarify basis for drone killings in Pakistan” 31 January 2012
Martin Khor, “Drone Strikes Very much a Human Rights Issue” 9 August 2012

AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images

The CIA-sponsored drone strikes in Pakistan came into light once again on 8 January, 2013, when an attack left at least seven people dead in the troubled region of North Waziristan, Pakistan. Al Jazeera English reported that the identity of those killed is not yet confirmed but the US, however, claimed that an al-Qaeda operative was among the dead. 

Al Jazeera reported, Legal lobby group Reprieve estimates that up to nearly 900 innocent civilians were among the 2,621 to 3,442 people killed by drones in Pakistan since 2004. Prior to January 2012, Obama did not admit the use of drone attacks.

Imran Khan, a cricketer turned politician who is aiming for the nation’s highest position, Prime Minister, have said in an interview on Geo News channel, “As a Prime Minister, we will shoot down the drones and go to the United Nations and accuse America for violating our sovereignty.” Pakistani people view the CIA-led drone attacks as a clear violation of their sovereignty and human rights.

Khan draws on the popular outrage against the drone strikes to further his political goals. Khan believes that this strategy is counter-productive and is only increasing the militancy and anti-US sentiments in the country.

In the past, Amnesty International urged the US to monitor civilian casualties inflicted by drone attacks in Pakistan.

Sam Zarifi Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific director, said, "The US authorities must give a detailed explanation of how these strikes are lawful and what is being done to monitor civilian casualties and ensure proper accountability.”

US drone strikes have expanded under Obama’s administration. The US drone strikes encourage an armed resistance in the region. It is expected that the use of drone strikes will increase in 2013. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said the remarks about continued US drone attacks came as a surprise especially when the strikes are widely unpopular in Pakistan.

Navi Pillay, The UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, in her overall report to the Human Rights Council on June 18, said that during her recent visit to Pakistan she expressed serious concern over the continuing use of armed drones for targeted attacks, in particular because it is unclear that all persons targeted are combatants or directly participating in hostilities.

On June 26, Pakistan’s Ambassador Zamir Akram told the Council, “Regrettably this call has not been heeded. The drone attacks continue in violation of the UN Charter, international human rights and international humanitarian law. The international human rights machinery must clearly reject attempts to justify these actions.”

The lack of a legal framework allows for drone strikes to be implemented at will usually without permission from the host nation.

References:
Drone Strikes claim lives in  Pakistan. (2013, Jan, 8). Al Jazeera English. Retrieved from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/01/20131851154345478.html

Khor, Martin. (2012, August 9). Drone Strikes Very much a Human Rights Issue. Global Research. Retrieved from
http://www.globalresearch.ca/drone-strikes-very-much-a-human-rights-issue/32281

US ‘will continue Pakistan drone attacks. (2011, April, 20). Al Jazeera English. Retrieved from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2011/04/201142016503942929.html

US urged to clarify basis for drone killings in Pakistan. (2012, Jan, 31). Amnesty International News. Retrieved from
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/usa-urged-clarify-basis-drone-killings-pakistan-2012-01-31


Syira Mughal

Amnesty International Maroc