War on terror has ‘eroded human rights’
The war on terror has meant that people are now ‘more insecure’ than they have been since the end of the Cold War, Amnesty International has claimed.
The human rights pressure group also argued that the war in Iraq has led to an erosion of human rights and has taken people’s eyes off a ‘myriad of forgotten conflicts’ that have taken a heavy toll on human rights and human lives.
Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International argued that the war on terror, far from making the world a safer place, has made the world more dangerous by curtailing human rights, undermining the rule of international law and shielding governments from scrutiny.
Ms Khan argued that the security crackdown after the terror attacks of September 11th have led to the oppression of democratic protests and allowed the inhumane treatment of prisoners in the American prisoner camp in Guantanamo Bay.
Ms Khan stated, “It is vital that we resist the manipulation of fear and challenge the narrow focus of the security agenda. The definition of security must be broadened to encompass the security of people, as well as states. That means a commitment to human rights. That means recognising that insecurity and violence are best tackled by effective, accountable states which uphold, not violate human rights.”
Amnesty International believes that the ‘manipulation of fear by nation states’ deepened the divisions between people of different faiths and origins, which is ‘sowing the seeds for further conflict’.
The human rights group stated that conflicts and human rights abuses in places such as Cote d’Ivoire, Colombia, Burundi, Chechnya and Nepal are ignored because of the news coverage of Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Territories.
Amnesty International accused the United States of claiming to bring justice to the victims of Iraq whilst undermining the International Criminal Court, the mechanism for universal justice which would supply a collective system of security.
