Posted on 21-2-2003
Amnesty
Petition Against War
The population of Iraq is in imminent danger of a human rights
and
humanitarian catastrophe. Military action could trigger a disaster
for the
people of Iraq and surrounding countries.
Before it takes any further action, Amnesty International calls
upon the UN
Security Council to assess the human rights and humanitarian
impact on the
civilian population of any military action against Iraq. The
assessment
should take place in a public session of the Security Council,
open to all
UN member states, and it must include consideration of:
- the potential effects of military action on the human rights
of the Iraqi
population.
- the effects on the humanitarian situation as Iraqis are already
suffering
under severe economic sanctions and violations by their government.
- the risk that military action would lead to massive numbers
of people
being forced into flight.
- potential grave violations of international humanitarian law,
including
direct attacks on civilians, the use of human shields and the
use of
inherently indiscriminate weapons.
Amnesty International urges the Security Council to deploy human
rights
monitors immediately throughout Iraq to report on human rights
abuses by
any party.
Join Amnesty International's call. Sign AI's online petition
to the
President of the Security Council at
www.amnesty.org/go/iraq
before 8 March.
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