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ISLAMABAD: The United Nations has taken up with the government of Pakistan allegations of human rights violations on the part of the state in the militancy-plagued areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas.
UN Special Envoy for Pakistan Ambassador Jean Maurice Ripert has raised the alleged abuses by military personnel in separate meetings with state officials such as President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and other military commanders and government ministries. During these meetings, Mr Ripert has discussed issues such as arbitrary detentions, extra-judicial killings and the safety of the civilian population, including abductions and the use of violence against them, during militarys operations in Fata and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The allegations backed by specific instances, the envoy said, were taken up by him as part of his mandate. Practically what is important is to ensure and promote respect for humanitarian and human rights rules and principles, he said while talking to Dawn.
The army, after years of piece-meal and half-hearted attempts at rooting out the Taliban and other militant groups from the tribal areas and parts of the province, launched decisive military operations in 2009 to dismantle and destroy the militant networks. The military action resulted in massive displacement of the civilian population. This caused great concern among local and human rights organisations. Later when the people were allowed to return, in places such as Swat in particular, media reports and rights organisations highlighted violations, including extra-judicial killings and illegal detentions.
Just last week Amnesty International, an international human rights group, pointed out similar alleged abuses in its report saying: The Pakistani military at times used indiscriminate or excessive force in attacks on suspected Taliban hideouts, leading to high numbers of civilian casualties. Security forces detained family members of suspected insurgents, including children, to force them to surrender. Additionally, the report noted that the security forces carried out suspected extra-judicial executions.
However, Special Envoy Riperts disclosure to Dawn is surprising as it is in contrast to the UNs usual practice of avoiding public discussions on human rights for fear of touching a raw nerve as far as the government is concerned. Islamabad is so wary of the issue that it has, in the past, hindered the establishment of the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country.
However, it now seems that the UN and the international community are making efforts to address the issue. This, observers say, is linked to the general perception that an insurgency cannot be defeated until the hearts and minds of the civilian populations are won over an impossible task in the face of human rights violations. Perhaps this is what he had in mind when the envoy said that some of the violations were so troubling that the world community would have to provide tools to address them; though he was not willing to explain this further.
Mr Ripert did not, in the interview, doubt the commitment of the government to uphold human rights, but felt that some local situations prevented the administration from complying with relevant international conventions.
The government functionaries, he told Dawn, were forthcoming and promised to address the complaints. He particularly praised President Zardari for encouraging him to raise the issue with other organs of the state and other officials.
One of the UN officials big concerns was the fact that the civilian government had failed to adequately replace the military in the areas that had been cleared of militants.
This is not an unusual concern. Many rights organisations and media reports have commented that such abuses and the continuing presence of the military is widening the gulf between the state and the civilian population in areas such as Swat; recently Taliban resurgence had been noticed in several previously cleared areas.
Military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas, however, rejected the UN officials statement. He told Dawn that the militarys counter-terrorism operations enjoyed massive public support and that this would not have been possible if the armed forces indulged in human rights abuses.
Foreign Office spokesman Mr Abdul Basit provided a more ambiguous response: the government is fully committed to improving the human rights situation in Pakistan. Having said that I would like to say that GoP is sparing no effort to ensure that human rights of all our citizens are in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan.DAWN.COM | Front Page | UN alleges rights violation in dealing with militants
UN Special Envoy for Pakistan Ambassador Jean Maurice Ripert has raised the alleged abuses by military personnel in separate meetings with state officials such as President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and other military commanders and government ministries. During these meetings, Mr Ripert has discussed issues such as arbitrary detentions, extra-judicial killings and the safety of the civilian population, including abductions and the use of violence against them, during militarys operations in Fata and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The allegations backed by specific instances, the envoy said, were taken up by him as part of his mandate. Practically what is important is to ensure and promote respect for humanitarian and human rights rules and principles, he said while talking to Dawn.
The army, after years of piece-meal and half-hearted attempts at rooting out the Taliban and other militant groups from the tribal areas and parts of the province, launched decisive military operations in 2009 to dismantle and destroy the militant networks. The military action resulted in massive displacement of the civilian population. This caused great concern among local and human rights organisations. Later when the people were allowed to return, in places such as Swat in particular, media reports and rights organisations highlighted violations, including extra-judicial killings and illegal detentions.
Just last week Amnesty International, an international human rights group, pointed out similar alleged abuses in its report saying: The Pakistani military at times used indiscriminate or excessive force in attacks on suspected Taliban hideouts, leading to high numbers of civilian casualties. Security forces detained family members of suspected insurgents, including children, to force them to surrender. Additionally, the report noted that the security forces carried out suspected extra-judicial executions.
However, Special Envoy Riperts disclosure to Dawn is surprising as it is in contrast to the UNs usual practice of avoiding public discussions on human rights for fear of touching a raw nerve as far as the government is concerned. Islamabad is so wary of the issue that it has, in the past, hindered the establishment of the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country.
However, it now seems that the UN and the international community are making efforts to address the issue. This, observers say, is linked to the general perception that an insurgency cannot be defeated until the hearts and minds of the civilian populations are won over an impossible task in the face of human rights violations. Perhaps this is what he had in mind when the envoy said that some of the violations were so troubling that the world community would have to provide tools to address them; though he was not willing to explain this further.
Mr Ripert did not, in the interview, doubt the commitment of the government to uphold human rights, but felt that some local situations prevented the administration from complying with relevant international conventions.
The government functionaries, he told Dawn, were forthcoming and promised to address the complaints. He particularly praised President Zardari for encouraging him to raise the issue with other organs of the state and other officials.
One of the UN officials big concerns was the fact that the civilian government had failed to adequately replace the military in the areas that had been cleared of militants.
This is not an unusual concern. Many rights organisations and media reports have commented that such abuses and the continuing presence of the military is widening the gulf between the state and the civilian population in areas such as Swat; recently Taliban resurgence had been noticed in several previously cleared areas.
Military spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas, however, rejected the UN officials statement. He told Dawn that the militarys counter-terrorism operations enjoyed massive public support and that this would not have been possible if the armed forces indulged in human rights abuses.
Foreign Office spokesman Mr Abdul Basit provided a more ambiguous response: the government is fully committed to improving the human rights situation in Pakistan. Having said that I would like to say that GoP is sparing no effort to ensure that human rights of all our citizens are in accordance with the Constitution of Pakistan.DAWN.COM | Front Page | UN alleges rights violation in dealing with militants
