UN Special Rapporteur Condemns Deadly US Drone Attacks
Local Editor
Christof Heyns, a UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions has condemned the use of deadly drones by the United States, questioning the legality of such attacks that have led to the death of thousands of people.
The UN rapporteur said that the US should clarify its policy of drone assassinations and targeted killings.
In a report to the UN Human Rights Council, the UN official urged the Obama Administration to abide by international laws and ensure accountability and justice for victims of the attacks.
The US military has conducted drone attacks in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, said Mr. Heyns, a South African jurist.
"Disclosure of these killings is critical to ensure accountability, justice and reparation for victims or their families," he said in a 28-page report.
"The [US] government should clarify the procedures in place to ensure that any targeted killing complies with international humanitarian law and human rights and indicate the measures or strategies applied to prevent casualties, as well as the measures in place to provide prompt, thorough, effective and independent public investigation of alleged violations," he noted.
Citing figures from the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, he said US drone strikes killed at least 957 people in Pakistan in 2010 alone. Thousands have been killed in 300 drone strikes there since 2004.
"Although figures vary widely with regard to drone attack estimates, all studies concur on one important point: there has been a dramatic increase in their use over the past three years," Heyns said.
Christof Heyns, a UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial summary or arbitrary executions has condemned the use of deadly drones by the United States, questioning the legality of such attacks that have led to the death of thousands of people.
The UN rapporteur said that the US should clarify its policy of drone assassinations and targeted killings.In a report to the UN Human Rights Council, the UN official urged the Obama Administration to abide by international laws and ensure accountability and justice for victims of the attacks.
The US military has conducted drone attacks in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen, said Mr. Heyns, a South African jurist.
"Disclosure of these killings is critical to ensure accountability, justice and reparation for victims or their families," he said in a 28-page report.
"The [US] government should clarify the procedures in place to ensure that any targeted killing complies with international humanitarian law and human rights and indicate the measures or strategies applied to prevent casualties, as well as the measures in place to provide prompt, thorough, effective and independent public investigation of alleged violations," he noted.
Citing figures from the Pakistan Human Rights Commission, he said US drone strikes killed at least 957 people in Pakistan in 2010 alone. Thousands have been killed in 300 drone strikes there since 2004.
"Although figures vary widely with regard to drone attack estimates, all studies concur on one important point: there has been a dramatic increase in their use over the past three years," Heyns said.
Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, defended Washington's use of drone strikes, claiming the drones are only targeting militants but fatalities and causalities from such strikes have mostly been civilians.
Source: News Agencies, edited by moqawama.org
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