Jeremy Scahill / Rebel Reports – 2009-06-07 22:08:15
http://rebelreports.com/post/117895883/un-human-rights-council-blasts-us-for-killing
(June 4, 2009) — The UN Human Rights Council has issued a report blasting the US for killing civilians, violating human rights and creating a “zone of impunity” for unaccountable private contractors to fight its wars. The UN group also criticized the US use of drones to attack Pakistan. The report, released this week was authored by Philip Alston, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
“First, the government has failed to track and make public the number of civilian casualties, or the conditions under which deaths occurred,” he said. “Second, the military justice system fails to provide ordinary people, including US citizens and families of Iraqi and Afghan victims, basic information on the status of investigations into civilian casualties or prosecutions resulting therefrom.”
Alston called on the US to establish a national commission to investigate the killing of civilians and for the appointment of a Special Prosecutor to criminally investigate government officials accused of crimes.
“The government has failed to effectively investigate and punish lower-ranking soldiers for such deaths, and has not held senior officers responsible,” Alston said. “Worse, it has effectively created a zone of impunity for private contractors and civilian intelligence agents by only rarely investigating and prosecuting them.”
On the issue of drone attacks, Alston said, “Targeted killings carried out by drone attacks on the territory of other states are increasingly common and remain deeply troubling… The US government should disclose the legal basis for such killings and identify any safeguards designed to reduce collateral civilian casualties and ensure that the government has targeted the correct person.”
According to Reuters:
US diplomat Lawrence Richter objected to Alston’s remarks, saying the UN investigator did not have the mandate to cover military and intelligence operations related to armed conflict. Richter told the Human Rights Council that the United States has an extensive legal framework to respond to unlawful killings and is doing all it can to provide information about the deaths that occur in its armed conflicts.
Alston, who is an Australian law professor, visited the United States last year, before Obama became president.
UN Envoy Rips US over Drone Attacks
CNN
(June 4, 2009) — The United States has created a “zone of impunity” by rarely investigating private contractors involved in the unlawful killing of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq, a UN human rights envoy said.
The US government should track the number of civilians killed in its military operations abroad and limit collateral damage from unmanned drone attacks, Special Investigator Philip Alston said in a stinging report submitted Wednesday to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The government has failed to effectively investigate and punish lower-ranking soldiers for such deaths, and has not held senior officers responsible,” Alston said. “Worse, it has effectively created a zone of impunity for private contractors and civilian intelligence agents by only rarely investigating and prosecuting them.”
Alston recommended that the United States establish a national commission to independently look into the policies and practices that are leading to the deaths. He also urged that an independent special prosecutor be charged with pursuing criminal allegations against government officials accused of wrongdoing.
“First, the government has failed to track and make public the number of civilian casualties, or the conditions under which deaths occurred,” he said. “Second, the military justice system fails to provide ordinary people, including US citizens and families of Iraqi and Afghan victims, basic information on the status of investigations into civilian casualties or prosecutions resulting therefrom.”
He called the United States’ reliance on pilotless missile-carrying aircraft “increasingly common” and “deeply troubling.”
US forces operating in Afghanistan have used drones to attack militant targets in Pakistan. Pakistan has said the attacks have claimed hundreds of civilian lives.
Mark Cassayre, the American representative to the UN Human Rights Council, said US military and intelligence operations during armed conflict did not fall within the special investigator’s mandate. Alston is the special investigator on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
“We wish to be clear that the prosecution of private contractors who commit crimes is an important priority of the Department of Justice, and despite the difficulty of these cases, the United States continues to attempt to bring private contractor cases to justice,” Cassayre said.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
UN Official Criticizes US for Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan
United Nations Multimedia
The UN Special Rapporteur on unlawful executions, Philip Alston calls for the United States government to set up an independent investigation into the killing of civilians by military personnel, private contractors and civilian intelligence agents in other countries and to improve transparency and accountability on civilian casualties. UNTV
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (June 3, 2009) — Transcript: Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions:
“Despite its sophistication and the good intentions of many of its personnel, the US military justice system suffers from serious shortcomings in terms of accountability for killings which violate the applicable law. The government has failed to effectively investigate and punish lower-ranking soldiers for such deaths, and has not held senior officers responsible under the doctrine of command responsibility. Worse, it has effectively created a zone of impunity for private contractors and civilian intelligence agents by only rarely investigating and prosecuting them.”
SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Cassayre, United States Representative:
“We wish to be clear that the prosecution of private contractors who commit crimes is an important priority of the Department of Justice, and despite the difficulty of these cases, the United States continues to attempt to bring private contractor cases to justice.”
STORYLINE: The UN Human Rights Council’s expert on summary executions, Philip Alston is calling for an investigation into the number of civilians killed in targeted US military and intelligence operations in other countries.
Alston visited the United States last year at the government’s invitation and reported on his findings to the Council today (3 June). The Australian jurist said there was a need for greater transparency and accountability with regard to civilian casualties in the context of the US’s international military and intelligence operations.
Targeted killings carried out by drone attacks on the territory of other States are increasingly common and remain troubling, Alston told the Council. He said the US government should disclose the legal basis for such killings and identify safeguards aimed at reducing collateral civilian casualties.
The Rapporteur said despite the good intentions of many of its personnel, the US military justice system suffers from serious shortcoming in terms of accountability for unlawful killings.
He accused the government of failing to effectively investigate and punish lower ranking soldiers and of not holding senior officers responsible for such deaths, and of rarely investigating and prosecuting private contractors and civilian intelligence agents.
SOUNDBITE (English) Philip Alston, Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions:
“Despite its sophistication and the good intentions of many of its personnel, the US military justice system suffers from serious shortcomings in terms of accountability for killings which violate the applicable law. The Government has failed to effectively investigate and punish lower-ranking soldiers for such deaths, and has not held senior officers responsible under the doctrine of command responsibility. Worse, it has effectively created a zone of impunity for private contractors and civilian intelligence agents by only rarely investigating and prosecuting them.”
Alston recommended the establishment of a national commission of inquiry to investigate the causes of deaths and other abuses. He called too for the appointment of a special prosecutor to pursue criminal activities by government officials.
Speaking for the United States, Mark Cassayre said the US did not believe that military and intelligence operations during armed conflict fell within the Special Rapporteur’s mandate.
The American diplomat said the United States agreed with significant portions of the report’s discussion of the Military Commissions Act, recalling that President Obama had noted that military commissions under the act were flaws.
Cassayre however contested the report’s assertions about a lack of transparency regarding civilian casualties and its failure to prosecute private contractors.
He described the difficulties in gathering evidence and securing witness cooperation in overseas cases and said the prosecution of private contractors who commit crimes remained an important US priority.
SOUNDBITE (English) Mark Cassayre, United States Representative:
“We wish to be clear that the prosecution of private contractors who commit crimes is an important priority of the Department of Justice, and despite the difficulty of these cases, the United States continues to attempt to bring private contractor cases to justice.”
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
