Human Rights Watch slams US 'torture' in annual report
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NEW YORK : US counter-terrorism policies, with their deliberate use of "torture and mistreatment," put the global defense of human rights on the back foot in 2005, Human Rights Watch said in its annual report.
The New York-based monitor said the US strategy, as well as fuelling terrorist recruitment, had hampered Washington's ability to pressure other countries into respecting international law.
"Fighting terrorism is central to the human rights cause," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "But using illegal tactics against alleged terrorists is both wrong and counterproductive."
The watchdog also criticized US allies in the war on terror for undermining critical international protections, citing Britain for seeking to send suspects to governments likely to torture and Canada for moves to dilute a new treaty outlawing enforced disappearances.
The European Union was also taken to task for subordinating human rights in its relationships with others deemed useful in fighting terrorism, such as Russia, China and Saudi Arabia.
The annual report charged both Moscow and Beijing with exploiting the prevailing atmosphere to clamp down on political opponents by branding them "Islamic terrorists."
In its critique of US policy, Human Rights Watch dismissed the argument that cases of abusive interrogation could be put down to a small number of "bad apples" in the military when they were clearly "a conscious policy choice" by senior US government officials.
Roth said evidence of that deliberate policy included the threat by President George W. Bush to veto a bill opposing "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment," and moves by Vice President Dick Cheney to exempt the Central Intelligence Agency from the law.
"Responsibility for the use of torture and mistreatment can no longer credibly be passed off to misadventures by low-ranking soldiers on the nightshift," said Roth.
"The Bush administration must appoint a special prosecutor to examine these abuses, and Congress should set up an independent, bipartisan panel to investigate," he added.
The annual Human Rights Watch report comprised a survey of human rights developments in more than 70 countries in 2005.
Outside the war on terror, the report documented numerous serious abuses, including the massacre of thousands of demonstrators in Uzbekistan in May and Sudan's "ethnic cleansing" policy in the region of Darfur.
"Persistent atrocities" were reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chechnya, while "severe repression" continued in Burma, North Korea, Turkmenistan, and the Chinese regions of Tibet and Xinjiang.
The report also highlighted some bright spots in efforts to uphold human rights, including India's decision to suspended most military aid to Nepal after the king's coup.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was cited for forcing Burma to relinquish its 2006 chairmanship because of its human rights record, and Kyrgyzstan for withstanding intense pressure from Uzbekistan to rescue all but four of 443 refugees from the Andijan massacre.
- AFP -
How come HRW never criticise the terrorists for human rights abuse? Not fair lah. They get to saw people's heads off and get a pass.
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With that, you mean you wanted the US to be on the same level as the Terrorist ? By the understanding what terrorist means do not need to be human rights abuse classification - they are all that.Originally posted by Salman:How come HRW never criticise the terrorists for human rights abuse? Not fair lah. They get to saw people's heads off and get a pass.
BTW the US can be classified as a terrorist state by their very own definition too. -
By that I want the terrorists to be condemned so that they will be highlighted as the worst violaters of human rights.
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The USA lost the right to be called a civilised nation after declaring war on Iraq.Originally posted by MobyDog:With that, you mean you wanted the US to be on the same level as the Terrorist ? By the understanding what terrorist means do not need to be human rights abuse classification - they are all that.
BTW the US can be classified as a terrorist state by their very own definition too.
But if you are talking about terrorist states, Israel fits the bill to a T. -
USA ... Israel... their one of the same - one global, the other regional, respectively. CIA / Mossad - hand in hand in a gay marriage.Originally posted by iveco:The USA lost the right to be called a civilised nation after declaring war on Iraq.
But if you are talking about terrorist states, Israel fits the bill to a T. -
they did, we all did. don't be stupid.Originally posted by Salman:How come HRW never criticise the terrorists for human rights abuse? Not fair lah. They get to saw people's heads off and get a pass. -
Terrorists are called "terrorists" for a reason.Originally posted by Salman:By that I want the terrorists to be condemned so that they will be highlighted as the worst violaters of human rights.
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So why don't we see them in the report? Why? I find the report so silly!Originally posted by Ito_^:they did, we all did. don't be stupid. -
I wouldn't go so far as to call a US a terrorist state yer...at least by my definition.
After all there is one key difference - The terrorist goes out of his way to harm civilians. The US just doesn't give a fcuk. -
Salman, I know that you are trying to play the devil's advocate on this forum. I understand that. Devil's advocates have a part to play as well since at the very least, by posing difficult qns they force us out of our comfort zone.
I just think you sometimes go so far as to be totally absurd. -
Its not a silly question but a logical one.
Why aren't these terrorists called into account for their human rights abuses by HRW? Why? What does HRW stand for? -
I'll bite. Because there is no point repeating the obvious.
Terrorists are scum. Fact.
US? It is still not widely acknowledged that they are using torture. HRW has an agenda probably. But exposing the US for using illegal and some might say 'terrorist' tactics in The War Against Terror is a laudable thing to do.
Now, if the US were to be given free reign to carry out "extraordinary renditions" w/o any accountability whatsoever, what makes you think that one night you will not simply disappear.
This is an all too familiar tale. You give someone too much free reign and they test the boundries of decency. Bit by bit, every day they inch towards the threshold. Until one day they cross the line.
Eg. In the 1970(s), the UK's West Midlands Crime Squad...they were known to be 'hard'. So hard that one day, it became apparent that they were torturing poeple to obtain confessions. The line has been crossed, they were disbanded, etc. The point is it is already too late when that happens. -
The problem with the Liberalist and Leftist minds is their pure utopic idealism of a spotless world in which HUMAN RIGHTS exist.
Can such a world exist when the world do not operate merely in BLACK and WHITE - but also in different shades of GREY ?
Governments, Criminals, Gangsters, MAFIASO, YAKUZA - and even OSAMA BIN LADEN - operate under different precepts, philosophies; with their operating principles based on the values and social-political-cultural-religious experiences of their different background and that of their societies.
When those who prefer to walk on the DARK SIDE, and operate under different sets of values from the Main Stream Society that walk on the WHITE SIDE, can we fight them on our terms ?
When those who choose to walk on the DARK SIDE - and do not place any value to the collateral damage in human lives lost from their "Dark Actions", then the WHITE SIDE must fight them based on their methods, operating principles, strategies and tactics.
Can we get any information using 'pussy foot' methods on those captured - who are battle hardened and have seen quite a few beheadings over the last two years ?
If only side operate under the Internationally recognised methods of war, while the other side utilise the most barbaric methods of intimidation and beheadings, can those in the Civilized World walking in the White Side win any battles following the Geneva Conventon Methods in conducting War ?
What constitute 'TORTURE' ?
Our Singapore ISD is famous in using the Cold Room Treatment during interrogation; using disorientating strategy by continuous deprivation of sleep; and long period of solitary incarceration.
Physical assault by the ISD is cleverly planned and executed, and will not normally leave any marks or external injuries.
Under the new guidelines from the Human Rights Watch, these methods used by the ISD will probably fall out of synch with the Human Rights Group.
Read:
A detainee remembers
http://www.singapore-window.org/tfhmemo.htm
Teo Sung Lung and ISD
http://www.singapore-window.org/teo.htm
Human Rights in Singapore
http://www.singapore-window.org/sw00/000310sj.htm -
In that case, these liberals are hypocrites and playing double standards.
Whatever rights abuse US committed is pittance compared to what terrorists did. We shouldn't play double standards with human rights.
BTW, I do support the torture of terrorists for information so that innocewnt lives can be saved from their activities. Torturing terrorists for info to prevent terrorist attacks is abiut protecting human rights. I simply think logical and straight. I don't like all this politically correct thinking that doesn't make sense. -
How amazingly refreshing ?Originally posted by Salman:In that case, these liberals are hypocrites and playing double standards.
Whatever rights abuse US committed is pittance compared to what terrorists did. We shouldn't play double standards with human rights.
BTW, I do support the torture of terrorists for information so that innocewnt lives can be saved from their activities. Torturing terrorists for info to prevent terrorist attacks is abiut protecting human rights. I simply think logical and straight. I don't like all this politically correct thinking that doesn't make sense.
When you do not write in your usual style in those "one-liner, no brainer type" of statements, and stop your attempts to run ring around anyone, you can achieve some semblance of normalcy.
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Those one liners actually carry lots of wisdom. It makes you think hard about your hypocrisies.
Let those with brains see. -
Wisdom ?Originally posted by Salman:Those one liners actually carry lots of wisdom. It makes you think hard about your hypocrisies.
Let those with brains see.
That is just your opinion of your own 'one liners', and unfortunately it has been said once too oftern that:
"Patience is the companion of wisdom." - but unfortunately, you have none with everyone whose opinion differ from yours.
What wisdom have you shown in your 'one liners' ?
You may wish to take some wisdom from others who are more accomplished:
"Show me a thoroughly satisfied man, and I will show you a failure." -- Thomas Edison
On behalf of all Government critics in this sgForum, we are not thoroughly satisfied Singaporeans, and if you are quite satisfied with the policies of the Singapore Government, you had better take the advice of Thomas Edison.
I guess my earlier surprise was ill founded as you seem to be incapable of transcending from your "no brainer, one-liners" .
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err. "
Mahatma Gandhi ( 1869 - 1948 ) -
bla bla bla bla bla..... bunch of lousy spoilt whiners. Typical Singaporean kids.
I think those who complain so much should take time to travel around the world and see with their own eyes how other countries work. -
Ah... so now you're shifting the goalposts by lamenting about how Singaporean kids are whiners. You've complained in other threads about how other forummites seem to shift the goalposts, and here you are doing it yourself.Originally posted by Salman:bla bla bla bla bla..... bunch of lousy spoilt whiners. Typical Singaporean kids.
I think those who complain so much should take time to travel around the world and see with their own eyes how other countries work.
Typical hypocrite.
Your move. -
That is the whole trouble with the position that you have taken - prejudice, biasness, presumptions, and BLIND LOYALTY .Originally posted by Salman:bla bla bla bla bla..... bunch of lousy spoilt whiners. Typical Singaporean kids.
I think those who complain so much should take time to travel around the world and see with their own eyes how other countries work.
What makes you think that we have not travelled around the world ?
It is due to the fact that there are some, who have travelled around the world, have come to realise that this SWISS STANDARD OF LIVING is nothing more than a 'HOLLOW PIPE DREAM' ; to lull those Heartlanders who have never been further then Batam Island, or Bangkok, or China to believe in this 'HOLLOW PIPE DREAM'
Here is some sound advice for your misplace sense of 'moral indignation' :
Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo. ~ H.G. Wells -
did you? how u noe any of us didn't?Originally posted by Salman:bla bla bla bla bla..... bunch of lousy spoilt whiners. Typical Singaporean kids.
I think those who complain so much should take time to travel around the world and see with their own eyes how other countries work. -
Cos if you did, you wouldn't be complaining.
Visiting a place is not seeing. You don't know how and why the place works. You simply look, you don't see. -
Our dear iveco terrorize victims who may have features similar to Bonny Wright. Or is he already doing it?
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Originally posted by Salman:
The problem with you is that you are too presumptious and too conceited in your silliness to treat others with any respect.
Cos if you did, you wouldn't be complaining.
Visiting a place is not seeing. You don't know how and why the place works. You simply look, you don't see.
'The smaller the mind the greater the conceit.'
Aesop (620 BC - 560 BC)
'Conceit is God's gift to little men.'
Bruce Barton
'The world tolerates conceit from those who are successful, but not from anybody else.'
John Blake