The US has called out Bangladesh over increasing human rights violations, urging the country to uphold international standards. Reports highlight a rise in attacks on journalists and alarming cases of child abuse. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's army chief warns of growing extremism. Watch this report for more details!

US warns Bangladesh over human rights violations, rising extremism

<p>Condemning China for “severe and systematic” human rights violations in the Xinjiang region, 50 countries signed a statement during a UN debate calling for ''urgent attention'' to the atrocities against the Uyghurs.</p>

<p>"We are gravely concerned about the human rights situation in the People's Republic of China, especially the ongoing human rights violations of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang," read the statement signed by mostly Western countries.</p>

<p>The 50 signatories include the United States, UK, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Turkey, Israel, Guatemala and Somalia.</p>

<p>The condemnation is largely being viewed as a symbolic victory after an earlier attempt to debate on the issue at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was shot down by a majority of the body’s 47 members at China’s insistence.</p>

<p>The need to discuss Uyghurs rights violation came in response to a August report by the UNHRC which claimed that China was committing human rights violations in Xinjiang under the garb of its anti-terrorism and anti-extremism policies.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Uyghurs Muslim Crisis: 'Major issues go unattended,' US concerned over UNHRC chief's Xinjiang visit</strong></p>

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<p>The signatory countries have urged Beijing to “implement the recommendations of the OHCHR assessment” which include “taking prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty in Xinjiang, and to urgently clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing family members and facilitate safe contact and reunion.”</p>

<p>“Such severe and systematic violations of human rights cannot be justified on the basis of counter-terrorism. In view of the gravity of the OHCHR assessment, we are concerned that China has so far refused to discuss its findings,” the statement added.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>

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Condemning China for “severe and systematic” human rights violations in the Xinjiang region, 50 countries signed a statement during a UN debate calling for ''urgent attention'' to the atrocities against the Uyghurs.

Condemning China for “severe and systematic” human rights violations in the Xinjiang region, 50 countries signed a statement during a UN debate calling for ''urgent attention'' to the atrocities against the Uyghurs. "We are gravely concerned about the human rights situation in the People's Republic of China, especially the ongoing human rights violations of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang," read the statement signed by mostly Western countries. The 50 signatories include the United States, UK, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Turkey, Israel, Guatemala and Somalia. The condemnation is largely being viewed as a symbolic victory after an earlier attempt to debate on the issue at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was shot down by a majority of the body’s 47 members at China’s insistence. The need to discuss Uyghurs rights violation came in response to a August report by the UNHRC which claimed that China was committing human rights violations in Xinjiang under the garb of its anti-terrorism and anti-extremism policies. Watch | Uyghurs Muslim Crisis: 'Major issues go unattended,' US concerned over UNHRC chief's Xinjiang visit The signatory countries have urged Beijing to “implement the recommendations of the OHCHR assessment” which include “taking prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty in Xinjiang, and to urgently clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing family members and facilitate safe contact and reunion.” “Such severe and systematic violations of human rights cannot be justified on the basis of counter-terrorism. In view of the gravity of the OHCHR assessment, we are concerned that China has so far refused to discuss its findings,” the statement added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

50 countries at UN condemn China for Xinjiang human rights violations

<p>On Thursday (October 27), a body was discovered in the aircraft's undercarriage after it arrived from Tehran.</p>

<p>The Frankfurt airport authorities in a statement said that during a maintenance check at 5:30 am, the staff members discovered a male body. They further claimed that the body was found with an oxygen cylinder next to it.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-axe-murderer-googled-what-part-of-body-to-go-for-before-killing-529279"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Australia: Axe murderer googled ‘what part of body to go for’ before killing</strong></a></p>

<p>The German police and Lufthansa confirmed the news that a dead body was found during the daily inspection of an Airbus A340-300 after it landed, CNN reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following the death of Mahsa Amini,22, protests raged not just in Iran but in Berlin as well. Thousands of protesters marched through Berlin to support the ongoing anti-gov demonstrations.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/body-of-54-year-old-woman-found-inside-stomach-of-seven-metre-long-python-in-indonesia-528649"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Body of 54-year-old woman found inside stomach of seven-metre long python in Indonesia</strong></a></p>

<p>In response to Iran's deteriorating human rights, Germany plans to take restrictive measures including imposing restrictions on their travel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Mehr News cited that Iran's foreign ministry summoned Germany's ambassador to Tehran, Hans-Udo Muzel, on Thursday morning and accused Berlin of meddling in its internal affairs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The German Foreign Ministry stated that the Iranian ambassador was summoned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Further investigations are in process.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


On Thursday (October 27), a body was discovered in the aircraft's undercarriage after it arrived from Tehran. The Frankfurt airport authorities in a statement said that during a maintenance check at 5:30 am, the staff members discovered a male body.

On Thursday (October 27), a body was discovered in the aircraft's undercarriage after it arrived from Tehran. The Frankfurt airport authorities in a statement said that during a maintenance check at 5:30 am, the staff members discovered a male body. They further claimed that the body was found with an oxygen cylinder next to it. Also read | Australia: Axe murderer googled ‘what part of body to go for’ before killing The German police and Lufthansa confirmed the news that a dead body was found during the daily inspection of an Airbus A340-300 after it landed, CNN reported. Following the death of Mahsa Amini,22, protests raged not just in Iran but in Berlin as well. Thousands of protesters marched through Berlin to support the ongoing anti-gov demonstrations. Also read | Body of 54-year-old woman found inside stomach of seven-metre long python in Indonesia In response to Iran's deteriorating human rights, Germany plans to take restrictive measures including imposing restrictions on their travel. However, Mehr News cited that Iran's foreign ministry summoned Germany's ambassador to Tehran, Hans-Udo Muzel, on Thursday morning and accused Berlin of meddling in its internal affairs. The German Foreign Ministry stated that the Iranian ambassador was summoned. Further investigations are in process. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Dead body with oxygen cylinder found in aircraft's undercarriage at Frankfurt airport

<p>Nearly all of Afghanistan's main online shopping services have closed, with the two biggest online shopping services, Click.af and Baqal, recently announcing their closure due to the country's financial turmoil.</p>

<p>The South Asian country has been in a complete state of turmoil for over a year now, ever since the Taliban seized power. The Taliban dismantled the system to address gender-based violence, erected new obstacles to women's healthcare and education, and even attacked women's rights protesters.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-ex-president-karzai-openly-supports-protesting-female-students-515230"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Afghanistan: Ex-President Karzai openly supports protesting female students</strong></a></p>

<p>Click.af, a well-known online shopping app, announced its closure on Saturday (September 10). The firm posted a message on its Facebook page stating its closure due to financial issues.</p>

<p>Baqal on Sunday (September 11), a three-year-old company, declared its collapse owing to financial difficulties.</p>

<p>Both companies posted their closures on their respective Facebook pages.</p>

<p>The owner of Click, Masih Stanekzai, said, "The precarious economic situation, the capital flight, and the stalling of the economic cycle led sales in the market to be severely affected, and Click.af is no exception," ANI reported.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-the-unhappiest-nation-under-the-dictatorship-of-taliban-says-report-515006"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Afghanistan: The unhappiest nation under the Taliban dictatorship, says report</strong></a></p>

<p>Baqal, on the other hand, a medium-sized investment, ultimately failed due to a decline in the purchasing power of locals and the freezing of customers' money due to the Taliban's restrictions on the banking industry.</p>

<p>Online services in Afghanistan have facilitated and improved communications between customers and retailers. The online taxi service, Bubbar, and Hindukosh, an online shopping website, were closed a few months after the collapse of the country's administration.</p>

<p>Afghanistan is in trouble, with nearly 59 per cent of the population currently requiring humanitarian aid—an increase of six million people since the beginning of the year 2021.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Nearly all of Afghanistan's main online shopping services have closed, with the two biggest online shopping services, Click.af and Baqal, recently announcing their closure due to the country's financial turmoil.

Nearly all of Afghanistan's main online shopping services have closed, with the two biggest online shopping services, Click.af and Baqal, recently announcing their closure due to the country's financial turmoil. The South Asian country has been in a complete state of turmoil for over a year now, ever since the Taliban seized power. The Taliban dismantled the system to address gender-based violence, erected new obstacles to women's healthcare and education, and even attacked women's rights protesters. Also read | Afghanistan: Ex-President Karzai openly supports protesting female students Click.af, a well-known online shopping app, announced its closure on Saturday (September 10). The firm posted a message on its Facebook page stating its closure due to financial issues. Baqal on Sunday (September 11), a three-year-old company, declared its collapse owing to financial difficulties. Both companies posted their closures on their respective Facebook pages. The owner of Click, Masih Stanekzai, said, "The precarious economic situation, the capital flight, and the stalling of the economic cycle led sales in the market to be severely affected, and Click.af is no exception," ANI reported. Also read | Afghanistan: The unhappiest nation under the Taliban dictatorship, says report Baqal, on the other hand, a medium-sized investment, ultimately failed due to a decline in the purchasing power of locals and the freezing of customers' money due to the Taliban's restrictions on the banking industry. Online services in Afghanistan have facilitated and improved communications between customers and retailers. The online taxi service, Bubbar, and Hindukosh, an online shopping website, were closed a few months after the collapse of the country's administration. Afghanistan is in trouble, with nearly 59 per cent of the population currently requiring humanitarian aid—an increase of six million people since the beginning of the year 2021. (With inputs from agencies)

Amid economic crisis in Afghanistan, online shopping services to shut after Taliban takeover 

<p>Ilhan Omar, the Democratic Congresswoman from Minnesota who is known for her pro-Pakistan stance and bias against India, has introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives condemning India for the alleged human rights violations, specifically those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis and “other religious and cultural minorities”.</p>

<p>The resolution, co-sponsored by Congresswomen Rashida Talib and Juan Vargas, urges the US Secretary of State to designate India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ under the International Religious Freedom, according to the&nbsp;press release by her office.&nbsp;Comoros, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia&nbsp;are on the list.</p>

<p>The resolution urges the Biden administration to implement the recommendations of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom which has called for designating India as a country of particular concern for three consecutive years.</p>

<p>Introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, the resolution has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action.</p>

<p>During several Congressional hearings related to India, Omar has repeatedly shown her bias against India but has never raised her voice against Pakistan for gross human rights violations.</p>

<p>Omar, a Somali-American, was recently criticised by India after she visited Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) last April.</p>

<p>India had said that her travel to the region violated the country's sovereignty and it reflected her "narrow-minded" politics.</p>

<p>"If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours. This visit is condemnable," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Ilhan Omar, the Democratic Congresswoman from Minnesota who is known for her pro-Pakistan stance and bias against India, has introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives condemning India for the alleged human rights violations, specifically those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis and “other religious and cultural minorities”.

Ilhan Omar, the Democratic Congresswoman from Minnesota who is known for her pro-Pakistan stance and bias against India, has introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives condemning India for the alleged human rights violations, specifically those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis and “other religious and cultural minorities”. The resolution, co-sponsored by Congresswomen Rashida Talib and Juan Vargas, urges the US Secretary of State to designate India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ under the International Religious Freedom, according to the press release by her office. Comoros, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia are on the list. The resolution urges the Biden administration to implement the recommendations of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom which has called for designating India as a country of particular concern for three consecutive years. Introduced in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, the resolution has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action. During several Congressional hearings related to India, Omar has repeatedly shown her bias against India but has never raised her voice against Pakistan for gross human rights violations. Omar, a Somali-American, was recently criticised by India after she visited Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) last April. India had said that her travel to the region violated the country's sovereignty and it reflected her "narrow-minded" politics. "If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours. This visit is condemnable," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar introduces resolution against India for human rights violations

Italy's top court has ruled that your neighbour's noisy toilet counts as a human rights violation. In a world plagued by genocides and persecution, is Italy trivialising the idea of human rights? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Italy says noisy toilets are a human rights violation

<p>The United States on Friday blacklisted a Chinese artificial intelligence start-up and imposed sanctions on two ethnic Uyghur political leaders for human rights violations of Muslims in Xinjian’s Uyghur region.</p>

<p>The US Treasury Department in a statement said that China's artificial intelligence company SenseTime, and two ethnic Uyghur political leaders, Shohrat Zakir and Erken Tuniyaz, took part in the sweeping oppression of Uyghurs.</p>

<p>The US added that Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime to a list of “Chinese military-industrial complex companies”, accusing it of having developed facial recognition programs that can determine a target's ethnicity, with a particular focus on identifying ethnic Uyghurs.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tribunal-rules-china-committed-genocide-against-uyghurs-jinping-primarily-responsible-435811">Tribunal rules China committed genocide against Uyghurs, Jinping 'primarily' responsible</a></p>

<p>The Treasury said SenseTime's facial recognition programs were designed in part to be used in Xinjiang against Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities, more than one million of who have been incarcerated in prison camps in the region.</p>

<p>"The mass detention of Uyghurs is part of an effort by (Chinese) authorities to use detentions and data-driven surveillance to create a police state in the Xinjiang region," the Treasury said.</p>

<p>The US sanctions come on the day when the world was observing the International Human Rights Day on Friday.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/a-day-in-the-life-of-uighurs-251734"><strong>Also see |&nbsp;A day in the life of China’s persecuted Uighur community</strong></a></p>

<p>“Our actions today, particularly those in partnership with the United Kingdom and Canada, send a message that democracies around the world will act against those who abuse the power of the state to inflict suffering and repression.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-condemns-rights-groups-report-on-xinjiang-and-uighur-muslims-366040"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;China condemns rights group's report on Xinjiang and Uighur Muslims</strong></a></p>

<p>Apart from China, Myanmar, North Korea and Bangladesh have also been placed under sanctions for alleged human rights violations.</p>

<p>Canada and the United Kingdom also joined the United States in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuse in Myanmar.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The United States on Friday blacklisted a Chinese artificial intelligence start-up and imposed sanctions on two ethnic Uyghur political leaders for human rights violations of Muslims in Xinjian’s Uyghur region.

The United States on Friday blacklisted a Chinese artificial intelligence start-up and imposed sanctions on two ethnic Uyghur political leaders for human rights violations of Muslims in Xinjian’s Uyghur region. The US Treasury Department in a statement said that China's artificial intelligence company SenseTime, and two ethnic Uyghur political leaders, Shohrat Zakir and Erken Tuniyaz, took part in the sweeping oppression of Uyghurs. The US added that Chinese artificial intelligence company SenseTime to a list of “Chinese military-industrial complex companies”, accusing it of having developed facial recognition programs that can determine a target's ethnicity, with a particular focus on identifying ethnic Uyghurs. Also read | Tribunal rules China committed genocide against Uyghurs, Jinping 'primarily' responsible The Treasury said SenseTime's facial recognition programs were designed in part to be used in Xinjiang against Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities, more than one million of who have been incarcerated in prison camps in the region. "The mass detention of Uyghurs is part of an effort by (Chinese) authorities to use detentions and data-driven surveillance to create a police state in the Xinjiang region," the Treasury said. The US sanctions come on the day when the world was observing the International Human Rights Day on Friday. Also see | A day in the life of China’s persecuted Uighur community “Our actions today, particularly those in partnership with the United Kingdom and Canada, send a message that democracies around the world will act against those who abuse the power of the state to inflict suffering and repression.” Also read | China condemns rights group's report on Xinjiang and Uighur Muslims Apart from China, Myanmar, North Korea and Bangladesh have also been placed under sanctions for alleged human rights violations. Canada and the United Kingdom also joined the United States in imposing sanctions related to human rights abuse in Myanmar. (With inputs from agencies)

US blacklists Chinese firm, sanctions political leaders over human rights violations of Uyghurs

Now in a move that can further worsen the already strained tasks between the United States and China the United States has now interestingly decided to impose human rights-related sanctions on China for its alleged atrocities in the Xinjiang province.

The U.S imposes human rights sanctions

The US President Joe Biden has taken a direct hit at China and Russia once again. While speaking at the US Memorial Day Biden has pledged to bring up the issue of Human Rights with Russian leader Vladimir Putin at the June summit in Geneva.

Biden warns China and Russia on Human Rights violations

Warning of human rights abuses and Ethiopia's Tigray. The G7 nations have condemned the killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement of residence. In the joint statement, the group of leading nations has called for a swift withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia's conflict-hit northern Tigray region.

G7 nations have has call for a swift withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray region

<p>Countries like China, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba don't care about human rights. Then why, do they want a place on the United Nations Human Rights Council?</p>

<p>There are two possible reasons: They want to deflect attention from their own record, and block any criticism. And they want to weaken the council's ability to address any other global rights issues.</p>

<p>For instance:&nbsp; Burundi, considered one of the worst violators of human rights was a member of the rights council and served for three years from 2015 to 2018. In this period Burundi blocked all resolutions against itself and it voted against every country resolution that came its way.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-russia-and-pakistan-set-to-join-un-human-rights-council-334862" hreflang="en">China, Russia and Pakistan set to join UN human rights council</a></p>

<p>The United Nations Human Rights Council was created in 2006.</p>

<p>In the last 14 years, China has served as a board member multiple times. And each time, China has deflected all criticism that came its way. In 2017 China sponsored a resolution called "promoting development over human rights". It was a resolution that prioritised development over human rights.</p>

<p>In 2018, China moved another resolution called "promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of human rights".</p>

<p>Through this resolution China wanted to stop the practice of "naming and shaming" countries for violations. Beijing wanted countries to adopt a "state-led peer review process". The resolution passed but only after significant edits were made to water down China's original text. Interestingly, a high number of countries abstained from voting on this resolution.</p>

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<p>In recent times, China has voted against resolutions on grave international crimes in countries like Syria, Yemen and Myanmar.</p>

<p><b>Is the UNHRC compromised?</b></p>

<p>The members of the UNHRC should represent its values, and believe in human rights.</p>

<p>The UNHRC in its present form is only copying its failed predecessor - The Commission for Human Rights. Countries with records of abuses like torture, extrajudicial killings, political imprisonment and disappearances were its members.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/around-40-nations-rebuke-chinas-human-rights-policies-in-xinjiang-tibet-333035" hreflang="en">Around 40 nations rebuke China's human rights policies in Xinjiang, Tibet</a></p>

<p>An editorial of The New York Times in 2006 had called this body "the shame of the United Nations" because it had China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as its members. The same countries look set to join the board of the UNHRC.</p>


Countries like China, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba don't care about human rights. Then why, do they want a place on the United Nations Human Rights Council?

Countries like China, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Cuba don't care about human rights. Then why, do they want a place on the United Nations Human Rights Council? There are two possible reasons: They want to deflect attention from their own record, and block any criticism. And they want to weaken the council's ability to address any other global rights issues. For instance: Burundi, considered one of the worst violators of human rights was a member of the rights council and served for three years from 2015 to 2018. In this period Burundi blocked all resolutions against itself and it voted against every country resolution that came its way. Also read: China, Russia and Pakistan set to join UN human rights council The United Nations Human Rights Council was created in 2006. In the last 14 years, China has served as a board member multiple times. And each time, China has deflected all criticism that came its way. In 2017 China sponsored a resolution called "promoting development over human rights". It was a resolution that prioritised development over human rights. In 2018, China moved another resolution called "promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of human rights". Through this resolution China wanted to stop the practice of "naming and shaming" countries for violations. Beijing wanted countries to adopt a "state-led peer review process". The resolution passed but only after significant edits were made to water down China's original text. Interestingly, a high number of countries abstained from voting on this resolution. × In recent times, China has voted against resolutions on grave international crimes in countries like Syria, Yemen and Myanmar. Is the UNHRC compromised? The members of the UNHRC should represent its values, and believe in human rights. The UNHRC in its present form is only copying its failed predecessor - The Commission for Human Rights. Countries with records of abuses like torture, extrajudicial killings, political imprisonment and disappearances were its members. Also read: Around 40 nations rebuke China's human rights policies in Xinjiang, Tibet An editorial of The New York Times in 2006 had called this body "the shame of the United Nations" because it had China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as its members. The same countries look set to join the board of the UNHRC.

Why do chronic violators of human rights like China & Pak want a seat at the UNHRC?

US Uses Human Rights & Democracy As Sticks To Beat Adversaries With One story, many Presidents, one theme, many versions; whenever the U.S. rakes up human rights and democracy in other countries, it's done for strategic gains. Be it Iraq, Libya or Syria, the U.S. intervention has only resulted in chaos and destruction. This report explores

Gravitas: U.S. & Its Dodgy Human Rights Reputation

Political crisis in Sudan intensifies. Over 100 civilians have been killed, with 40 bodies pulled out of the Nile river. Internet is shut down too. Pro-democracy protesters are being targetted. Here's a report on the grim situation in Sudan.

Gravitas: Human rights violation in Sudan

<p>Baloch and Sindhi activists have pledged unity for a common struggle against Pakistan in London.</p>

<p>The Sindhi Baloch Forum (SBF), in a statement shared on their Facebook page, announced they would protest on December 10 in London against the gross human rights violations in Sindh and Balochistan by Pakistan.</p>

<p>The Baloch and the Sindhi activists will organise a rally in London to highlight the enforced disappearances and the &#39;kill and dump&#39; policy of the Pakistani security agencies in Balochistan and Sindh.</p>

<p>The decision was taken during a meeting of the SBF, held in London on October 29.</p>

<p>The meeting deplored irrelevant statements from certain quarters regarding geographical boundaries of Sindh and Balochistan.</p>

<p>&quot;The Sindhi Baloch Forum resolves to thwart all designs to create disunity among the Baloch and Sindhi nations London, UK. The destiny of the Sindhi and the Baloch nations are intertwined, and the alliance of their national struggles for sovereignty cannot be separated,&quot; a statement by the SBF read.</p>

<p>The meeting was attended by the Baloch and Sindhis, belonging to all walks of life and organisations including the Baloch National Movement (BNM), the World Baloch Organisation (WBO), the World Sindhi Congress (WSC) and the Baloch Human Rights Council UK (BHRC-UK).</p>

<p>World Sindhi Congress Chairman Hidayat Bhutto will be attending and speaking at the event.</p>

<p>&quot;The meeting called upon intellectuals, social-political activists, writers and all conscientious elements among the Baloch and Sindhis to take cognisance of the nefarious designs of individual personalities and groups on the pay role of enemy forces who have been given the duty of creating chasm of all kinds among the brotherly nations in order to weaken their national resistance against subjugation,&quot; the statement further read.</p>

<p>The SBF will also approach members of the British Parliament, the Members of European Parliament and other relevant quarters in the civilised world to highlight the plight of Sindhi and the Baloch masses and to present the case of human rights violation perpetrated by the state of Pakistan in Sindh and Balochistan.</p>

<p>&quot;The meeting also took notice of the propaganda by hostile elements of the Baloch national struggle by exploiting the murders of innocent labourers belonging to Sindh in recent years,&quot; the statement added.</p>

<p>&quot;It was declared that in the prevailing murky situation in Balochistan where it is quite impossible to ascertain who is targetting who and on whose behalf, exploiting the issue is not in the interest of the national struggles for national sovereignty and the historical alliance of both nations,&quot; it concluded.</p>

<p>The Sindhi Baloch Forum will also initiate a campaign of awareness among the Sindhi masses in order to convince them to avoid getting employment in conflict areas and especially in projects affiliated with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).</p>


The Sindhi Baloch Forum, in a statement shared on their Facebook page, announced they would protest on December 10 in London against the gross human rights violations in Sindh and Balochistan by Pakistan

Baloch and Sindhi activists have pledged unity for a common struggle against Pakistan in London. The Sindhi Baloch Forum (SBF), in a statement shared on their Facebook page, announced they would protest on December 10 in London against the gross human rights violations in Sindh and Balochistan by Pakistan. The Baloch and the Sindhi activists will organise a rally in London to highlight the enforced disappearances and the 'kill and dump' policy of the Pakistani security agencies in Balochistan and Sindh. The decision was taken during a meeting of the SBF, held in London on October 29. The meeting deplored irrelevant statements from certain quarters regarding geographical boundaries of Sindh and Balochistan. "The Sindhi Baloch Forum resolves to thwart all designs to create disunity among the Baloch and Sindhi nations London, UK. The destiny of the Sindhi and the Baloch nations are intertwined, and the alliance of their national struggles for sovereignty cannot be separated," a statement by the SBF read. The meeting was attended by the Baloch and Sindhis, belonging to all walks of life and organisations including the Baloch National Movement (BNM), the World Baloch Organisation (WBO), the World Sindhi Congress (WSC) and the Baloch Human Rights Council UK (BHRC-UK). World Sindhi Congress Chairman Hidayat Bhutto will be attending and speaking at the event. "The meeting called upon intellectuals, social-political activists, writers and all conscientious elements among the Baloch and Sindhis to take cognisance of the nefarious designs of individual personalities and groups on the pay role of enemy forces who have been given the duty of creating chasm of all kinds among the brotherly nations in order to weaken their national resistance against subjugation," the statement further read. The SBF will also approach members of the British Parliament, the Members of European Parliament and other relevant quarters in the civilised world to highlight the plight of Sindhi and the Baloch masses and to present the case of human rights violation perpetrated by the state of Pakistan in Sindh and Balochistan. "The meeting also took notice of the propaganda by hostile elements of the Baloch national struggle by exploiting the murders of innocent labourers belonging to Sindh in recent years," the statement added. "It was declared that in the prevailing murky situation in Balochistan where it is quite impossible to ascertain who is targetting who and on whose behalf, exploiting the issue is not in the interest of the national struggles for national sovereignty and the historical alliance of both nations," it concluded. The Sindhi Baloch Forum will also initiate a campaign of awareness among the Sindhi masses in order to convince them to avoid getting employment in conflict areas and especially in projects affiliated with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Baloch, Sindhis pledge unity for common struggle against Pakistan in London

<p>Harmful customary practices, deeply rooted in societal attitudes, regard women as inferior to men. These practices are often used to justify gender-based violence as a form of &quot;protection&quot;&nbsp;or control of women. One such custom is the cutting of genitals of a seven-year-old, practiced by the Bohra community in India.&nbsp;The chopping of the girl&#39;s clitoris is called Khatna by the Bohras. The world calls it Female Genital Mutilation--a term that describes the practice quite literally. Within the community residing in India, 80-90 per cent girls are cut in total secrecy.</p>

<p>&quot;Globally, the practice is traditionally considered necessary in order to raise a girl with characteristics of a &lsquo;proper&rsquo; wife, given that female genital mutilation is believed to preserve virginity or to restrain sexual desire,&rdquo; says&nbsp;Veronica&nbsp;Birga, Chief of Women&#39;s Human Rights and Gender Section at&nbsp;the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.</p>

<p>The practice is banned in United States, Canada, 24 African countries and the United Kingdom, to name a few. Even though India abides by international conventions that condemn the practice and has laws for child abuse and sexual assault, there is no distinct law for female genital mutilation.</p>

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<p><strong>More on FGM:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/cutting-their-genitals-more-than-500000-women-in-india-are-at-risk-of-undergoing-female-genital-mutilation-16768?v=zn%20Read%20more%20at%20Aryamantavya:%20More%20than%20500,000%20girls%20in%20India%20at%20risk%20of%20female%20genital%20mutilation%20http://wp.me/p6VtLM-4Mp">More than 500,000 girls in India at risk of female genital mutilation</a></strong></p>

<p>According to media reports, Maneka Gandhi, the Union Women and Child Development minister, called the custom of a criminal offense and said that if the community does not stop it voluntarily, the government will bring in a law to ban the practice. It is only recently that women from the community have started speaking up against the practice. In 2015, an online petition on the website Change.org &quot;Speak out on FGM&quot;&nbsp;was started by women from Bohra community. Later on, non-Bohras also joined the campaign. On May 8, the Supreme Court sought a response from the Centre and four states on a PIL seeking a ban on female genital cutting. But, except for the National Commission for Women that has backed the campaign; the government has mostly remained silent.</p>

<p>The NGO also published a report, &quot;<em>A Guide to Eliminating FGM in India&quot;&nbsp;</em>and&nbsp;evolved a blueprint of how the law in India should look like.&nbsp;</p>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 1000px;">
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		<tr>
			<td>
			<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>PROPOSED LAWS AND SUGGESTIONS</strong></p>

			<ul>
				<li>Amendments and definition of FGM</li>
				<li>Relief, rehabilitation, and protection for the victim</li>
				<li>Penalisation of the parent, who is performing the act, the cutters and propagators (<em>Amils</em>)</li>
				<li>Compensation for victims</li>
				<li>FGM to not be justified as a &lsquo;religious practice&rsquo;</li>
				<li>Restraining order in case of proposed FGM</li>
				<li>Sanction of Jamaat resolutions decrying the practice by Syedna (religious head of Bohras)</li>
				<li>Awareness drives by Syedna and <em>Amils</em></li>
				<li>Categorisation of FGM as a form of professional misconduct by Indian Medical Council</li>
			</ul>
			</td>
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<p><br />
<strong>&#39;It is a matter of our right to customary practice&#39;</strong></p>

<p>This was the very first argument brought up by a supporter of FGM. Communities always see&nbsp;any change as a threat, without realising that not only are the justifications for FGM baseless and disproven by science, but also the practice is a form of child abuse and torture. &ldquo;Patriarchial practices against women cannot be justified by some archaic cruel custom,&rdquo; says Hilary Burrage, activist and author of two award-winning novels on FGM.</p>

<p>The prevailing belief&nbsp;in the community is that Khatna should not be classified as Type 1 FGM and that it is a matter of customary freedom. &quot;There is also a misguided comparison being made, by Khatna-supporters, that female circumcision on seven-year-old girls is the same thing as clitoral unhooding, also called hood reduction, which is chosen voluntarily by an adult, sexually active women,&quot;&nbsp;says&nbsp;Aarefa Johari, co-founder of Sahiyo, a non-profit dedicated to ending the FGM in India.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Many also insist that female Khatna is equivalent to male circumcision. If boys can be cut, why not girls? &quot;This argument is only partially&nbsp;valid. Yes, infant boys are cut without their consent too--so one can compare them on the grounds of consent. But that should not be a reason to defend both practices - instead, it should encourage us to re-examine both male and female circumcision of minors. However, female Khatna is not done for the same reasons as male Khatna. Boys are not cut to control or curb their sexual desire, neither are they cut to enhance their sexual pleasure. But these reasons are often associated with female Khatna,&quot; Johari adds.</p>

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<p><strong>A Customary practice or human rights violation?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>In the legal argument to abolish FGM, the defendants would use &quot;Right to customary practice&quot;&nbsp;to protect the practice. During the fight in the United States, the same was used as a tool of defense. &ldquo;We know that the same will be used against us in India,&rdquo; says Masooma Ranalvi, founder of SpeakOut, who is herself a survivor.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
A practice can be both a &quot;custom&quot;&nbsp;and a violation of human rights. &quot;Religions are filled with practices and rituals that violate human rights and dignity, particularly for women - look at menstrual taboos, one-sided polygamy, iddat (the period where a&nbsp;Bohra woman must observe after the death of her spouse or after a divorce, during which she may not marry another man), Sati, the caste system--it is an endless list. When we are schooled to think of something as a sacred religious practice, something to be followed unquestioningly, and we tend to lose the perspective that these practices are violative,&rdquo; adds Johari.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><b>&#39;There can be no surveillance -- we have the right to privacy&#39;</b></p>

<p>The proposed law also suggests that vigilant surveillance on cutters is necessary to bring an end to the practice. Although defendants of FGM believe that this will violate their right to privacy, the view of activists, however, differ. &quot;We are talking about a serious form of gender-based violence, which, even if committed in the private, calls into question the due diligence obligation of the state. This requires the state to take steps implement prevention measures, to investigate and prosecute cases and ensure remedies for the victims,&quot; &nbsp;adds Birga.<br />
<br />
It is important to recognise that violent practices cannot be defended by labeling them as&nbsp;private. &quot;Only because it has been a well-protected secret for such a long time and have come to public&#39;s attention only recently, does not mean any privacy rights have been violated. Moreover, when it comes to violence against women, issues are often swept under the run as being a private issue,&rdquo; says Mariya Taher, co-founder of Sahiyo.</p>

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<p><strong>&#39;What if the girl wants to get cut?&#39;</strong></p>

<p>The issue of whether individuals can consent to practices that are harmful to their health is a complex one. Many legislation prohibits practices that are detrimental to the health of individuals- even when they may consent to them, such as the one on alcohol or drug use. Practices such as Sati, even under consent were declared illegal. &quot;The case of FGM is quite straightforward. It is often performed on very young girls that do not have the maturity and knowledge to give genuine and informed consent to the practice. Also, even in the case of adult women, in assessing consent one would really have to keep in mind the high social pressure for the practice to be performed in certain communities and the concrete risks of ostracism for those.&rdquo; Birga explains.</p>

<p>But can a mere law end a thousand-year-old practice that supposedly purifies women? &quot;Consistent community engagement is perhaps the most effective way to go. We&nbsp;need a multi-pronged approach for this, including a law against the practice, medical practitioners denouncing it, calling it out as a form of human and child rights violation - but without community engagement and education, a sociocultural norm rooted so deeply in tradition cannot end,&rdquo; Johari concludes.</p>


Should female genital mutilation be allowed on grounds of customary rights or banned for violating human rights?

Harmful customary practices, deeply rooted in societal attitudes, regard women as inferior to men. These practices are often used to justify gender-based violence as a form of "protection" or control of women. One such custom is the cutting of genitals of a seven-year-old, practiced by the Bohra community in India. The chopping of the girl's clitoris is called Khatna by the Bohras. The world calls it Female Genital Mutilation--a term that describes the practice quite literally. Within the community residing in India, 80-90 per cent girls are cut in total secrecy. "Globally, the practice is traditionally considered necessary in order to raise a girl with characteristics of a ‘proper’ wife, given that female genital mutilation is believed to preserve virginity or to restrain sexual desire,” says Veronica Birga, Chief of Women's Human Rights and Gender Section at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The practice is banned in United States, Canada, 24 African countries and the United Kingdom, to name a few. Even though India abides by international conventions that condemn the practice and has laws for child abuse and sexual assault, there is no distinct law for female genital mutilation. Even though India abides by international conventions that condemn the practice and has laws for child abuse and sexual assault, there is no distinct law for female genital mutilation. × More on FGM: More than 500,000 girls in India at risk of female genital mutilation According to media reports, Maneka Gandhi, the Union Women and Child Development minister, called the custom of a criminal offense and said that if the community does not stop it voluntarily, the government will bring in a law to ban the practice. It is only recently that women from the community have started speaking up against the practice. In 2015, an online petition on the website Change.org "Speak out on FGM" was started by women from Bohra community. Later on, non-Bohras also joined the campaign. On May 8, the Supreme Court sought a response from the Centre and four states on a PIL seeking a ban on female genital cutting. But, except for the National Commission for Women that has backed the campaign; the government has mostly remained silent. The NGO also published a report, "A Guide to Eliminating FGM in India" and evolved a blueprint of how the law in India should look like. PROPOSED LAWS AND SUGGESTIONS Amendments and definition of FGM Relief, rehabilitation, and protection for the victim Penalisation of the parent, who is performing the act, the cutters and propagators (Amils) Compensation for victims FGM to not be justified as a ‘religious practice’ Restraining order in case of proposed FGM Sanction of Jamaat resolutions decrying the practice by Syedna (religious head of Bohras) Awareness drives by Syedna and Amils Categorisation of FGM as a form of professional misconduct by Indian Medical Council 'It is a matter of our right to customary practice' This was the very first argument brought up by a supporter of FGM. Communities always see any change as a threat, without realising that not only are the justifications for FGM baseless and disproven by science, but also the practice is a form of child abuse and torture. “Patriarchial practices against women cannot be justified by some archaic cruel custom,” says Hilary Burrage, activist and author of two award-winning novels on FGM. The prevailing belief in the community is that Khatna should not be classified as Type 1 FGM and that it is a matter of customary freedom. "There is also a misguided comparison being made, by Khatna-supporters, that female circumcision on seven-year-old girls is the same thing as clitoral unhooding, also called hood reduction, which is chosen voluntarily by an adult, sexually active women," says Aarefa Johari, co-founder of Sahiyo, a non-profit dedicated to ending the FGM in India. Many also insist that female Khatna is equivalent to male circumcision. If boys can be cut, why not girls? "This argument is only partially valid. Yes, infant boys are cut without their consent too--so one can compare them on the grounds of consent. But that should not be a reason to defend both practices - instead, it should encourage us to re-examine both male and female circumcision of minors. However, female Khatna is not done for the same reasons as male Khatna. Boys are not cut to control or curb their sexual desire, neither are they cut to enhance their sexual pleasure. But these reasons are often associated with female Khatna," Johari adds. Yes, infant boys are cut without their consent too--so one can compare them on the grounds of consent. But that should not be a reason to defend both practices - instead, it should encourage us to re-examine both male and female circumcision of minors. × A Customary practice or human rights violation? In the legal argument to abolish FGM, the defendants would use "Right to customary practice" to protect the practice. During the fight in the United States, the same was used as a tool of defense. “We know that the same will be used against us in India,” says Masooma Ranalvi, founder of SpeakOut, who is herself a survivor. A practice can be both a "custom" and a violation of human rights. "Religions are filled with practices and rituals that violate human rights and dignity, particularly for women - look at menstrual taboos, one-sided polygamy, iddat (the period where a Bohra woman must observe after the death of her spouse or after a divorce, during which she may not marry another man), Sati, the caste system--it is an endless list. When we are schooled to think of something as a sacred religious practice, something to be followed unquestioningly, and we tend to lose the perspective that these practices are violative,” adds Johari. 'There can be no surveillance -- we have the right to privacy' The proposed law also suggests that vigilant surveillance on cutters is necessary to bring an end to the practice. Although defendants of FGM believe that this will violate their right to privacy, the view of activists, however, differ. "We are talking about a serious form of gender-based violence, which, even if committed in the private, calls into question the due diligence obligation of the state. This requires the state to take steps implement prevention measures, to investigate and prosecute cases and ensure remedies for the victims," adds Birga. It is important to recognise that violent practices cannot be defended by labeling them as private. "Only because it has been a well-protected secret for such a long time and have come to public's attention only recently, does not mean any privacy rights have been violated. Moreover, when it comes to violence against women, issues are often swept under the run as being a private issue,” says Mariya Taher, co-founder of Sahiyo. It is often performed on very young girls that do not have the maturity and knowledge to give genuine and informed consent to the practice × 'What if the girl wants to get cut?' The issue of whether individuals can consent to practices that are harmful to their health is a complex one. Many legislation prohibits practices that are detrimental to the health of individuals- even when they may consent to them, such as the one on alcohol or drug use. Practices such as Sati, even under consent were declared illegal. "The case of FGM is quite straightforward. It is often performed on very young girls that do not have the maturity and knowledge to give genuine and informed consent to the practice. Also, even in the case of adult women, in assessing consent one would really have to keep in mind the high social pressure for the practice to be performed in certain communities and the concrete risks of ostracism for those.” Birga explains. But can a mere law end a thousand-year-old practice that supposedly purifies women? "Consistent community engagement is perhaps the most effective way to go. We need a multi-pronged approach for this, including a law against the practice, medical practitioners denouncing it, calling it out as a form of human and child rights violation - but without community engagement and education, a sociocultural norm rooted so deeply in tradition cannot end,” Johari concludes.

Raising a 'proper' wife through cutting her genitals

<p style="text-align: justify;">The US has accused Syria of building a crematorium inside the Sednaya prison complex, on the outskirts of Damascus.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The crematorium, the US says, is being used to destroy the remains of thousands of murdered prisoners.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">The charge is sensational, but the evidence the US has proffered to back up its claim is shaky.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs Stuart Jones told reporters Monday, &quot;We now believe that the Syrian regime has installed a crematorium in the Sednaya prison complex which could dispose of detainees&#39; remains with little evidence.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">He added, &quot;Credible sources have believed that many of the bodies have been disposed in mass graves.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">To back up his claim, Jones showed a few black and white aerial images of Sednaya prison.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">He gave no further details of his &#39;credible sources&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Jones said they came to the conclusion that a crematorium had possibly been built inside Sednaya after noticing that a building in the complex remained free of snow in the winter.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">He then added they noticed structures compatible with a crematorium in the building. (It was not clear which structures he meant exactly.)&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">But when pressed by a reporter, Jones admitted that perhaps the reason the building was snow-free all winter was that it was just warmer than other parts of the complex.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Sednaya is the largest prison in the Damascus region; this is where thousands of anti-Assad activists and Syrian rebels were jailed and tortured during the Syrian chapter of the so-called Arab Spring.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Amnesty International published a report (read it <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde24/5415/2017/en/" target="_blank">here</a>) in February stating that as many as 13,000 prisoners might have been hanged &ndash; in the four years between 2011 and 2015 &ndash; inside Sednaya&#39;s boundary walls.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Stories of torture, random beatings, and illegal detentions by Syrian security forces in the country&#39;s many undercover military prisons are rife.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/abuse-torture-sexual-assault-in-syrias-prisons-12141">Abuse, torture, sexual assault in Syria&#39;s prisons</a></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Many Syrians detained at these centres have spoken of their harrowing experiences.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syrias-government-detention-centre-survivor-recalls-torture-beating-12251">Syria&#39;s government detention centre survivor recalls torture, beating</a></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">More evidence of the torture and the beatings came when a Syrian military doctor working across many of the prisons managed to take and sneak out thousands of pictures &ndash; which came to be known as the Ceasar report &ndash; showing what was happening behind those walls.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Read the Human Rights Watch report on Caesar <a href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2015/12/16/if-dead-could-speak/mass-deaths-and-torture-syrias-detention-facilities" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-syrians-living-a-political-genocide-says-writer-and-dissident-yassin-al-haj-saleh-10574">Exclusive: Syrians living a political genocide, says writer and dissident Yassin al-Haj Saleh</a></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">When questioned, President Bashar al-Assad has always denied the allegations against him.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">He defends himself saying his western enemies are making up stories about him, to delegitimise him, and to win over international public opinion so that they can intervene militarily in Syria.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">But none of this should mean we make the mistake of blindly believeing every allegation the American government makes against him.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Truth is war&#39;s first casualty and the US is no exception to the rule. If at all we need to refresh our memories, we only have to remember that the Bush administration told the world in 2003 that invading Iraq was a necessity because Saddam Hussain had weapons of mass destruction, and that he was ready to use them.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Fourteen years later, the international community is yet to see those weapons.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">As for the Iraqi population, they now live in a scarred country where conflict and insecurity hammer their lives every day.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">There is enough concrete evidence of the Assad government&#39;s human rights violations &ndash; from the relentless bombing of civilians to the indiscriminate and extrajudicial repression of dissent and the use of chemical agents &ndash; to try and drag him before the International Criminal Court. (The US is not a signatory to the ICC, so someone else will have to do it.)&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">But the evidence presented by Jones on Monday was shaky at best.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">If true, it would be one of the worst crimes &ndash; with its sinister resemblance to the Nazi concentration camps &ndash; of the 21st century.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">But if Jones&#39;s allegation turns out to be untrue, it will perfectly serve the denialist narrative of President Bashar al-Assad. And of course dent the US&#39; credibility.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">In a context like the Syrian conflict, where the reality on the ground is constantly twisted to serve competing narratives, there is no need for any more smoke in the eyes.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">There is no need for the US to feed us shaky &ndash; and perhaps fake &ndash; evidence in order to present themselves as &ldquo;the good guys&rdquo; fighting &ldquo;the bad guys&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">There is no such thing as a &ldquo;good fake&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">A fake is a fake and it does not matter who fabricates it, period.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">Foreign countries are already fighting, directly or through their proxies, a war on Syrian soil to establish their hegemony over West Asia. Their wars have very little, if not nothing, to do with what the Syrians were asking for in the first place &ndash; more democracy and political freedom.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">As long as independent observers will not be allowed to conduct an on-the-ground assessment of the situation in Syria, this is what we will have to live with. We are destined to cope with second-hand, unverifiable reports contradicting each other.&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


The US came to the conclusion that a crematorium had possibly been built inside Saydnaya prison complex after noticing that a building in the complex remained free of snow in the winter.

The US has accused Syria of building a crematorium inside the Sednaya prison complex, on the outskirts of Damascus. The crematorium, the US says, is being used to destroy the remains of thousands of murdered prisoners. The charge is sensational, but the evidence the US has proffered to back up its claim is shaky. US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs Stuart Jones told reporters Monday, "We now believe that the Syrian regime has installed a crematorium in the Sednaya prison complex which could dispose of detainees' remains with little evidence." He added, "Credible sources have believed that many of the bodies have been disposed in mass graves." To back up his claim, Jones showed a few black and white aerial images of Sednaya prison. He gave no further details of his 'credible sources'. Jones said they came to the conclusion that a crematorium had possibly been built inside Sednaya after noticing that a building in the complex remained free of snow in the winter. He then added they noticed structures compatible with a crematorium in the building. (It was not clear which structures he meant exactly.) But when pressed by a reporter, Jones admitted that perhaps the reason the building was snow-free all winter was that it was just warmer than other parts of the complex. Sednaya is the largest prison in the Damascus region; this is where thousands of anti-Assad activists and Syrian rebels were jailed and tortured during the Syrian chapter of the so-called Arab Spring. Amnesty International published a report (read it here) in February stating that as many as 13,000 prisoners might have been hanged – in the four years between 2011 and 2015 – inside Sednaya's boundary walls. Stories of torture, random beatings, and illegal detentions by Syrian security forces in the country's many undercover military prisons are rife. Read: Abuse, torture, sexual assault in Syria's prisons Many Syrians detained at these centres have spoken of their harrowing experiences. Read: Syria's government detention centre survivor recalls torture, beating More evidence of the torture and the beatings came when a Syrian military doctor working across many of the prisons managed to take and sneak out thousands of pictures – which came to be known as the Ceasar report – showing what was happening behind those walls. Read the Human Rights Watch report on Caesar here. Also read: Exclusive: Syrians living a political genocide, says writer and dissident Yassin al-Haj Saleh When questioned, President Bashar al-Assad has always denied the allegations against him. He defends himself saying his western enemies are making up stories about him, to delegitimise him, and to win over international public opinion so that they can intervene militarily in Syria. But none of this should mean we make the mistake of blindly believeing every allegation the American government makes against him. Truth is war's first casualty and the US is no exception to the rule. If at all we need to refresh our memories, we only have to remember that the Bush administration told the world in 2003 that invading Iraq was a necessity because Saddam Hussain had weapons of mass destruction, and that he was ready to use them. Fourteen years later, the international community is yet to see those weapons. As for the Iraqi population, they now live in a scarred country where conflict and insecurity hammer their lives every day. There is enough concrete evidence of the Assad government's human rights violations – from the relentless bombing of civilians to the indiscriminate and extrajudicial repression of dissent and the use of chemical agents – to try and drag him before the International Criminal Court. (The US is not a signatory to the ICC, so someone else will have to do it.) But the evidence presented by Jones on Monday was shaky at best. If true, it would be one of the worst crimes – with its sinister resemblance to the Nazi concentration camps – of the 21st century. But if Jones's allegation turns out to be untrue, it will perfectly serve the denialist narrative of President Bashar al-Assad. And of course dent the US' credibility. In a context like the Syrian conflict, where the reality on the ground is constantly twisted to serve competing narratives, there is no need for any more smoke in the eyes. There is no need for the US to feed us shaky – and perhaps fake – evidence in order to present themselves as “the good guys” fighting “the bad guys”. There is no such thing as a “good fake”. A fake is a fake and it does not matter who fabricates it, period. Foreign countries are already fighting, directly or through their proxies, a war on Syrian soil to establish their hegemony over West Asia. Their wars have very little, if not nothing, to do with what the Syrians were asking for in the first place – more democracy and political freedom. As long as independent observers will not be allowed to conduct an on-the-ground assessment of the situation in Syria, this is what we will have to live with. We are destined to cope with second-hand, unverifiable reports contradicting each other. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Syria prison crematorium: Evidence US has shown is shaky, at best

<p>Sri Lanka must make more progress towards meeting commitments to establishing a credible investigation into alleged war crimes during the country&#39;s civil war and enacting reforms, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) said on Thursday.</p>

<p>The Geneva-based body handed Sri Lanka a two-year extension to implement fully the commitments that were made under a 2015 resolution after the United Nations top human rights official, Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein, expressed concern at the &quot;slow progress&quot; of reforms in Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>The United Nations and rights groups have accused the Sri Lankan military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, during the final weeks of the war and have pressed for justice for the families of those who disappeared.</p>

<p>The United Nations launched a probe in 2014 into war crimes allegedly committed by both state forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels. The government of then-leader Mahinda Rajapaksa resisted the probe and denied UN officials entry to the island nation.</p>

<p>Many council members welcomed Sri Lanka&#39;s engagement, but called on President Maithripala Sirisena&#39;s government to present a clear plan aimed at meeting reconciliation, reform and justice commitments.</p>

<p>In the eight years that have passed since the war ended, the government has failed to prosecute alleged war crimes such as torture, unlawful killings and enforced disappearances.</p>

<p>Families whose loved ones disappeared during the conflict have urged the United Nations to pressure the Sri Lankan government to speed up the war crimes probe.</p>

<p>More than 100,000 are believed estimated to have died and some 65,000 went missing during the 26-year conflict.</p>

<p>Sri Lanka&#39;s deputy foreign affairs minister, Harsha De Silva, told the U.N. rights body on Thursday that the government was striving to establish the rule of law and end impunity under &quot;Sri-Lankan government-led processes&quot;.</p>

<p>However, John Fisher, Geneva director of Human Rights Watch, said the president&#39;s opposition to the involvement of foreign judges, which had been agreed in the 2015 resolution, raised questions over the government&#39;s commitment to justice and undermined confidence in the government&#39;s efforts.</p>

<p>&quot;Sri Lanka needs to stop equivocating and move forward with a clear plan and timetable so that the promise of justice and accountability can finally become a reality,&rdquo; Fisher said in a statement.</p>

<p>Tania Baldwin-Pask, head of international advocacy at Freedom from Torture said security reforms were needed to ensure torure and other abuses were not repeated.</p>

<p>(Reuters)</p>


The Geneva-based body handed Sri Lanka a two-year extension to implement fully the commitments that were made under a 2015 resolution

Sri Lanka must make more progress towards meeting commitments to establishing a credible investigation into alleged war crimes during the country's civil war and enacting reforms, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) said on Thursday. The Geneva-based body handed Sri Lanka a two-year extension to implement fully the commitments that were made under a 2015 resolution after the United Nations top human rights official, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, expressed concern at the "slow progress" of reforms in Sri Lanka. The United Nations and rights groups have accused the Sri Lankan military of killing thousands of civilians, mostly Tamils, during the final weeks of the war and have pressed for justice for the families of those who disappeared. The United Nations launched a probe in 2014 into war crimes allegedly committed by both state forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels. The government of then-leader Mahinda Rajapaksa resisted the probe and denied UN officials entry to the island nation. Many council members welcomed Sri Lanka's engagement, but called on President Maithripala Sirisena's government to present a clear plan aimed at meeting reconciliation, reform and justice commitments. In the eight years that have passed since the war ended, the government has failed to prosecute alleged war crimes such as torture, unlawful killings and enforced disappearances. Families whose loved ones disappeared during the conflict have urged the United Nations to pressure the Sri Lankan government to speed up the war crimes probe. More than 100,000 are believed estimated to have died and some 65,000 went missing during the 26-year conflict. Sri Lanka's deputy foreign affairs minister, Harsha De Silva, told the U.N. rights body on Thursday that the government was striving to establish the rule of law and end impunity under "Sri-Lankan government-led processes". However, John Fisher, Geneva director of Human Rights Watch, said the president's opposition to the involvement of foreign judges, which had been agreed in the 2015 resolution, raised questions over the government's commitment to justice and undermined confidence in the government's efforts. "Sri Lanka needs to stop equivocating and move forward with a clear plan and timetable so that the promise of justice and accountability can finally become a reality,” Fisher said in a statement. Tania Baldwin-Pask, head of international advocacy at Freedom from Torture said security reforms were needed to ensure torure and other abuses were not repeated. (Reuters)

UN presses Sri Lanka to meet commitments on war crime probe

<p>&quot;There were children with me, three to four-month-old babies and there was no place for them or their mothers. In one single room there were thirteen women,&quot; says Rowaida.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Did the babies die?&quot; asks the interviewer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;One baby. She was four or five days old. She died after her mother gave her birth,&quot; answers Rowaida. The baby&#39;s mother was arrested when she was pregnant and gave birth behind bars. Without any medical support, her baby did not survive.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Amnesty International today accused Syria&#39;s government of hanging up to 13,000 people at a notorious prison over five years in a &quot;policy of extermination&quot;, two weeks before planned peace talks. Here&#39;s more to this story. (WION)</p>
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<p>Rowaida is one of the many women that Syrian government forces locked in a jail during the anti-Assad protests. Her crime: working for a non-aligned media. She spent ten months in prison, moving from one location to another. The worst jail, according to her, was the one managed by the Mukhabarat, Syria&#39;s military intelligence service. Prisoners were fed only with semi-raw potatoes, there was no light and prisoners were constantly tortured.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I was a prisoner...,&quot; she says. She hesitates for a moment. &quot;Taedhib... taedhib,&quot; she whispers in Arabic looking for the English word for it. &quot;Torture,&quot; says a metallic voice coming from a translator.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;In my room, there were also 70 to 80-year-old women. Maybe their sons were activists.&quot; They were jailed to put pressure on their family members, to convince them to turn themselves in. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The admin of the Facebook page &#39;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PalmyraNewsUpdates/">Palmyra and Aleppo news updates</a>&#39; made the recording of this conversation available to WION and requested to remain anonymous for safety reasons. The interview was taken in 2015.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Boys were tortured more than women. We could hear the sounds. I saw three men dying,&quot; says Rowaida with a trembling voice. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Certain memories are so brutal that it is difficult to find enough voice to express them. Often they are not even very clear in your mind, they are like frames. The more you think about them the more frames come&nbsp;to your mind and the more difficult it becomes to narrate them.</p>

<p>&quot;Tortured to death?&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Yes.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>For those who survived imprisonment, talking about their experiences is not easy. Recalling torture and humiliation is like experiencing it again.</p>

<p>Speaking out sometimes makes it more difficult for women than for men. In conservative context, a woman who ends up in jail during protests risks being condemned twice. The first time because she is protesting and the second because she is a &quot;woman&quot; protesting. Most feel she should be at home, taking care of her family.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is might not be the case of Syria, a country which is largely secular in its approach to gender. Women have been on the forefront of protests, leading networks and cimmittees, but social stigma plays a central role&nbsp;in rape&nbsp;cases though. Prison guards know it, they know how families and the society in general value&nbsp;virginity, how it is considered a pillar of a woman&#39;s reputation.&nbsp;It happens that female prisoners who have been sexually assaulted by their guards&nbsp;are afraid to admit it. They fear that their communities will morally judge them, and that no one will ever consider to approach them, let alone marry them. The major risk is that there comes a point when a victim convinces herself to actually be somehow responsible for what happened and refuses to denounce it. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The human rights NGO Amnesty International published on Tuesday a report which explicitly states that between 2011 and 2015 nearly 13,000 Syrians were&nbsp;secretly hanged in Saydnaya prison, near Damascus. &nbsp;In 2014, a former Syrian military photographer nicknamed Caesar smuggled out of the country 55,000 pictures coming from an extended underground network of prisons operated by Assad&#39;s security agencies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Syrian President has always denied any&nbsp;allegations on the use of torture and random imprisonment. &quot;Who said this is done by the government, not by the rebels? Who said this is a Syrian victim, not someone else?&quot; argued Assad in an interview with the magazine&#39;s foreign affairs correspondent. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is difficult to believe that the government was unaware of what was going on in their jails. The possibility that a President does not know anything about his government&#39;s security agencies torturing and killing thousands of citizens is even more alarming. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Memory is a collective mechanism with many witnesses speaking and recalling abuses they faced during often random detentions. The overall picture points towards only one thing: The Assad government most likely has tried to stop political dissent through torture and murder. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Amnesty International published a report that said nearly 13,000 Syrians have been secretly hanged in Saydnaya prison between 2011 and 2015

"There were children with me, three to four-month-old babies and there was no place for them or their mothers. In one single room there were thirteen women," says Rowaida. "Did the babies die?" asks the interviewer. "One baby. She was four or five days old. She died after her mother gave her birth," answers Rowaida. The baby's mother was arrested when she was pregnant and gave birth behind bars. Without any medical support, her baby did not survive. Amnesty International today accused Syria's government of hanging up to 13,000 people at a notorious prison over five years in a "policy of extermination", two weeks before planned peace talks. Here's more to this story. (WION) × Rowaida is one of the many women that Syrian government forces locked in a jail during the anti-Assad protests. Her crime: working for a non-aligned media. She spent ten months in prison, moving from one location to another. The worst jail, according to her, was the one managed by the Mukhabarat, Syria's military intelligence service. Prisoners were fed only with semi-raw potatoes, there was no light and prisoners were constantly tortured. "I was a prisoner...," she says. She hesitates for a moment. "Taedhib... taedhib," she whispers in Arabic looking for the English word for it. "Torture," says a metallic voice coming from a translator. "In my room, there were also 70 to 80-year-old women. Maybe their sons were activists." They were jailed to put pressure on their family members, to convince them to turn themselves in. The admin of the Facebook page 'Palmyra and Aleppo news updates' made the recording of this conversation available to WION and requested to remain anonymous for safety reasons. The interview was taken in 2015. "Boys were tortured more than women. We could hear the sounds. I saw three men dying," says Rowaida with a trembling voice. Certain memories are so brutal that it is difficult to find enough voice to express them. Often they are not even very clear in your mind, they are like frames. The more you think about them the more frames come to your mind and the more difficult it becomes to narrate them. "Tortured to death?" "Yes." For those who survived imprisonment, talking about their experiences is not easy. Recalling torture and humiliation is like experiencing it again. Speaking out sometimes makes it more difficult for women than for men. In conservative context, a woman who ends up in jail during protests risks being condemned twice. The first time because she is protesting and the second because she is a "woman" protesting. Most feel she should be at home, taking care of her family. This is might not be the case of Syria, a country which is largely secular in its approach to gender. Women have been on the forefront of protests, leading networks and cimmittees, but social stigma plays a central role in rape cases though. Prison guards know it, they know how families and the society in general value virginity, how it is considered a pillar of a woman's reputation. It happens that female prisoners who have been sexually assaulted by their guards are afraid to admit it. They fear that their communities will morally judge them, and that no one will ever consider to approach them, let alone marry them. The major risk is that there comes a point when a victim convinces herself to actually be somehow responsible for what happened and refuses to denounce it. The human rights NGO Amnesty International published on Tuesday a report which explicitly states that between 2011 and 2015 nearly 13,000 Syrians were secretly hanged in Saydnaya prison, near Damascus. In 2014, a former Syrian military photographer nicknamed Caesar smuggled out of the country 55,000 pictures coming from an extended underground network of prisons operated by Assad's security agencies. Syrian President has always denied any allegations on the use of torture and random imprisonment. "Who said this is done by the government, not by the rebels? Who said this is a Syrian victim, not someone else?" argued Assad in an interview with the magazine's foreign affairs correspondent. It is difficult to believe that the government was unaware of what was going on in their jails. The possibility that a President does not know anything about his government's security agencies torturing and killing thousands of citizens is even more alarming. Memory is a collective mechanism with many witnesses speaking and recalling abuses they faced during often random detentions. The overall picture points towards only one thing: The Assad government most likely has tried to stop political dissent through torture and murder. (WION)

Abuse, torture, sexual assault in Syria's prisons

<p>War changes the shape of a territory. Not only geographically, but also socially and legally. What happens in conflict areas is often tough to assess; laws that prevailed during peacetime are somehow suspended in favour of a new set of rules that address conditions and actions which would not have been considered normal during peace.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>With morality and ethics being redefined every day in a conflict zone, human rights are constantly violated in every war of the world. The main point of a war, after all, is winning quickly; how to do it, does not often matter too much. Real war is far from any &#39;romantic&#39; idea we might have of it: it is not a fair challenge between gentlemen and the longer it lasts, the worse it gets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>When as a reporter deployed in a conflict zone, I pose the question why I do what I do; my answer is to witness, note and expose any human rights violation. In the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/as-a-war-reporter-why-i-do-what-i-do-9882">first article of my war series</a>, I dwelled on why covering the conditions of refugees constitute an integral part of war reporting. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>If there are cases where war is considered the only solution to a conflict, it is important that reporters watch it closely, insist to be constantly on the spot and to move as freely as possible. It is, however, not as easy as saying it: war heavily limits the freedom of movement and not only physically.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sometimes, it is too dangerous to reach certain areas; at other times, armies deny access due to ongoing operations; also, things often happen without reporters necessarily knowing exactly where and when. Moreover, governments do not always appreciate our narratives and, as a reaction, they limit our access. Unfortunately, sometimes we are used as instruments of propaganda showing only what is convenient for one side.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Therefore, when possible, it is important to spend time with all actors involved. And this is a major challenge, but it is important we insist to the point of becoming even annoying for the military establishment. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>During my two months of deployment in Iraq, I witnessed - four times in total - pickups with civilians blindfolded and handcuffed in the back</h5>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Conflicts, whatever their reason, should not let armies, governments and organisations to think they are not accountable for human rights violations. Even if we have no sympathy for the belligerents, our role in a conflict area is neither to support or to denigrate but to convey and describe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>We are obviously entitled to political opinions and feelings, but that should be kept out as much as possible from our job in a conflict zone or at least clearly mentioned when we write or speak in front of the camera.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>A very small example could help. On November 24th, I was in Al Samah, an eastern neighbourhood of Mosul where a small field hospital treats all the injured coming from the frontline, civilians as well as soldiers. &nbsp;In the afternoon, we spotted two blindfolded men on the back of an armoured vehicle. One of them was quickly dragged inside a house by the Iraqi army. Several journalists on the spot, included me, tried to get closer and ask about the man: who was him? what was happening? why was he dragged inside the house? what was his fate?&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>We were ordered to stay out of the matter, no pictures or videos allowed. We all knew the man was suspected of having supported the Islamic State. During my two months of deployment in Iraq, I witnessed - four times in total - pickups with civilians blindfolded and handcuffed in the back. This made me wonder what was the legal procedure behind that. Will they have a fair trial, a lawyer or will they just be summarily jailed only on the basis of suspicion? &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>I had the same doubts, and continue to do so,&nbsp; in regards to terrorists of the Islamic State captured alive. If they are killed in combat, nothing to say as they were fighting and war rely on killing the enemy. In any other cases, though, they must be guaranteed a fair trial, as any other individual who has committed a crime.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>I understand it is difficult, many soldiers in Iraq lost friends, fellow tribe members, relatives due to the Islamic State in the worst ways possible. IS had tortured, burnt, raped, beheaded, drowned people but paying back the enemy with its own weapons is dangerous and could lead to an endless brutalisation of the conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is too easy to justify everything with war when there are no direct witnesses on the ground, when nobody can independently try to get as close as possible to facts. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mine was just a small example, but I can think about many others, for instance, Napalm in Vietnam, genocide in Rwanda , depleted uranium in the Balkans, extensive use of pellet guns in Kashmir, Abu Grahib tortures in Iraq, mass executions in Chechnya, extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and hundreds of others. No army, no government, no party, no tribe, no organisation should think it is unaccountable only because &#39;war is war&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The presence of international journalists should be a barrier to this. Exposing random executions, torture, defamation, illegal repression makes organisation accountable. Reporters are often the only individuals on the ground who can directly witness and describe what happens, hopefully igniting reactions of the international community, when needed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Limiting the brutalisation caused in a conflict also limits the brutalisation of the society.&nbsp; For a solid peace-building process, it is imperative that a society successfully survives the brutalities caused from a war. In this constructive process, we the conflict reporters, have a significant role to play.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


With morality and ethics being redefined, human rights are constantly violated in every war of the world

War changes the shape of a territory. Not only geographically, but also socially and legally. What happens in conflict areas is often tough to assess; laws that prevailed during peacetime are somehow suspended in favour of a new set of rules that address conditions and actions which would not have been considered normal during peace. With morality and ethics being redefined every day in a conflict zone, human rights are constantly violated in every war of the world. The main point of a war, after all, is winning quickly; how to do it, does not often matter too much. Real war is far from any 'romantic' idea we might have of it: it is not a fair challenge between gentlemen and the longer it lasts, the worse it gets. Real war is far from any 'romantic' idea we might have of it × When as a reporter deployed in a conflict zone, I pose the question why I do what I do; my answer is to witness, note and expose any human rights violation. In the first article of my war series, I dwelled on why covering the conditions of refugees constitute an integral part of war reporting. If there are cases where war is considered the only solution to a conflict, it is important that reporters watch it closely, insist to be constantly on the spot and to move as freely as possible. It is, however, not as easy as saying it: war heavily limits the freedom of movement and not only physically. Sometimes, it is too dangerous to reach certain areas; at other times, armies deny access due to ongoing operations; also, things often happen without reporters necessarily knowing exactly where and when. Moreover, governments do not always appreciate our narratives and, as a reaction, they limit our access. Unfortunately, sometimes we are used as instruments of propaganda showing only what is convenient for one side. Therefore, when possible, it is important to spend time with all actors involved. And this is a major challenge, but it is important we insist to the point of becoming even annoying for the military establishment. During my two months of deployment in Iraq, I witnessed - four times in total - pickups with civilians blindfolded and handcuffed in the back × Conflicts, whatever their reason, should not let armies, governments and organisations to think they are not accountable for human rights violations. Even if we have no sympathy for the belligerents, our role in a conflict area is neither to support or to denigrate but to convey and describe. We are obviously entitled to political opinions and feelings, but that should be kept out as much as possible from our job in a conflict zone or at least clearly mentioned when we write or speak in front of the camera. A very small example could help. On November 24th, I was in Al Samah, an eastern neighbourhood of Mosul where a small field hospital treats all the injured coming from the frontline, civilians as well as soldiers. In the afternoon, we spotted two blindfolded men on the back of an armoured vehicle. One of them was quickly dragged inside a house by the Iraqi army. Several journalists on the spot, included me, tried to get closer and ask about the man: who was him? what was happening? why was he dragged inside the house? what was his fate? We were ordered to stay out of the matter, no pictures or videos allowed. We all knew the man was suspected of having supported the Islamic State. During my two months of deployment in Iraq, I witnessed - four times in total - pickups with civilians blindfolded and handcuffed in the back. This made me wonder what was the legal procedure behind that. Will they have a fair trial, a lawyer or will they just be summarily jailed only on the basis of suspicion? I had the same doubts, and continue to do so, in regards to terrorists of the Islamic State captured alive. If they are killed in combat, nothing to say as they were fighting and war rely on killing the enemy. In any other cases, though, they must be guaranteed a fair trial, as any other individual who has committed a crime. No army, no government, no party, no tribe, no organisation should think it is unaccountable only because 'war is war' × I understand it is difficult, many soldiers in Iraq lost friends, fellow tribe members, relatives due to the Islamic State in the worst ways possible. IS had tortured, burnt, raped, beheaded, drowned people but paying back the enemy with its own weapons is dangerous and could lead to an endless brutalisation of the conflict. It is too easy to justify everything with war when there are no direct witnesses on the ground, when nobody can independently try to get as close as possible to facts. Mine was just a small example, but I can think about many others, for instance, Napalm in Vietnam, genocide in Rwanda , depleted uranium in the Balkans, extensive use of pellet guns in Kashmir, Abu Grahib tortures in Iraq, mass executions in Chechnya, extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and hundreds of others. No army, no government, no party, no tribe, no organisation should think it is unaccountable only because 'war is war'. The presence of international journalists should be a barrier to this. Exposing random executions, torture, defamation, illegal repression makes organisation accountable. Reporters are often the only individuals on the ground who can directly witness and describe what happens, hopefully igniting reactions of the international community, when needed. Limiting the brutalisation caused in a conflict also limits the brutalisation of the society. For a solid peace-building process, it is imperative that a society successfully survives the brutalities caused from a war. In this constructive process, we the conflict reporters, have a significant role to play.

The job of war reporter: Reporting from the ground the contour of brutality

A prominent Kashmiri activist was on Wednesday barred from boarding a flight headed out of New Delhi airport for Geneva. The group he represents said he held a valid visa and the move was aimed at denying human rights in Kashmir Valley. The northern-most Indian state has been witnessing violent protests and counter-strikes by security forces for over two months.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Khurram Pervez is coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and &nbsp;was on his way to attend a UN Human Rights Council session from September 14-24 in Geneva, Switzerland. Pervez was expected to brief officials on the ongoing situation in Kashmir that has been reeling from daily protests and violence.<br />
<br />
He was not only blocked from boarding his flight, but also detained at Delhi&#39;s Indira Gandhi International airport.<br />
<br />
Pervez was reportedly told that his trip to Geneva was being stopped because of orders from India&#39;s Intelligence Bureau.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Khurram Parvez prevented from attending UN Human Rights Council Session by India<br />
<br />
Press Statement<br />
14 September... <a href="https://t.co/5EFwDJlbb0">https://t.co/5EFwDJlbb0</a></p>
&mdash; Khurram Parvez (@KhurramParvez) <a href="https://twitter.com/KhurramParvez/status/776034221164941312">September 14, 2016</a></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
&quot;It appears that Khurram Parvez is not being allowed to travel because he has been highlighting violations of human rights,&quot; Parvez Imroz, president of JKCCS, said in a statement.<br />
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&quot;The Indian State seeks to isolate the people of... Kashmir at all costs, and disallowing human rights activists access to the UN is a part of this attempt to isolate and ensure impunity for violence and denial of human rights.&quot;<br />
<br />
More than 80 have died in violent skirmishes with the security forces since July 8 when a militant leader was shot dead by Indian soldiers during a gun battle. Kashmir has literally been under siege for two months and curfew was imposed on Eid for the first time in over two decades on Tuesday.<br />
<br />
(WION, with inputs from AFP)

Khurram Pervez was reportedly told his trip to Geneva was being stopped because of orders from India's Intelligence Bureau

A prominent Kashmiri activist was on Wednesday barred from boarding a flight headed out of New Delhi airport for Geneva. The group he represents said he held a valid visa and the move was aimed at denying human rights in Kashmir Valley. The northern-most Indian state has been witnessing violent protests and counter-strikes by security forces for over two months. Khurram Pervez is coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and was on his way to attend a UN Human Rights Council session from September 14-24 in Geneva, Switzerland. Pervez was expected to brief officials on the ongoing situation in Kashmir that has been reeling from daily protests and violence. He was not only blocked from boarding his flight, but also detained at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport. Pervez was reportedly told that his trip to Geneva was being stopped because of orders from India's Intelligence Bureau. Khurram Parvez prevented from attending UN Human Rights Council Session by India Press Statement 14 September... https://t.co/5EFwDJlbb0 — Khurram Parvez (@KhurramParvez) September 14, 2016 "It appears that Khurram Parvez is not being allowed to travel because he has been highlighting violations of human rights," Parvez Imroz, president of JKCCS, said in a statement. "The Indian State seeks to isolate the people of... Kashmir at all costs, and disallowing human rights activists access to the UN is a part of this attempt to isolate and ensure impunity for violence and denial of human rights." More than 80 have died in violent skirmishes with the security forces since July 8 when a militant leader was shot dead by Indian soldiers during a gun battle. Kashmir has literally been under siege for two months and curfew was imposed on Eid for the first time in over two decades on Tuesday. (WION, with inputs from AFP)

Kashmiri activist says blocked from leaving India

Raising the issue of Balochistan for the first time before the United Nations, India today accused Pakistan of widespread human rights violations there as well as in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).<br />
<br />
In a scathing attack on Pakistan during the 33rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council, India said the main reason for the the disturbances in Kashmir is the cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan that stems from its territorial ambitions over the place that has found concrete expression in repeated armed aggressions.<br />
<br />
Pakistan&#39;s dismal track record is well known and many countries have repeatedly called upon Pakistan to end cross- border infiltration; dismantle the terrorism infrastructure, and stop acting as an epicentre of terrorism, India&#39;s ambassador and permanent representative at the UN, Ajit Kumar said.<br />
<br />
India&#39;s credentials as a peaceful, democratic, pluralistic society that is deeply committed to the welfare of its people are well established and on the contrary, Pakistan is characterised by authoritarianism, absence of democratic norms and widespread human rights violations across the country including Balochistan, Kumar said.<br />
<br />
Exercising its right of reply to the statement made by Pakistan, Kumar said Pakistan is a country, which has systematically abused and violated the human rights of its own citizens, including in Balochistan, as well as of the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.<br />
<br />
&quot;The fundamental reason for disturbances in Kashmir is the cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan which has provided active support since 1989 to separatist groups and terrorist elements including those operating from the territory under Pakistan&#39;s control.<br />
<br />
&quot;Pakistan has once again sought to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the garb of concern for human rights.<br />
<br />
&quot;J&amp;K is an integral part of India and will always remain so. We reject attempts by Pakistan to denigrate the democratic choice that has been regularly exercised by the people of J&amp;K,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
In a no-holds-barred offensive, India said while advocating restraint to others, Pakistan has no hesitation in using air power against its own people.<br />
<br />
&quot;Pakistan also continues to provide sanctuary to UN- designated terrorists. It was, therefore, no surprise that Pakistan failed to convince the international community to secure the membership of the Human Rights Council last year,&quot; Kumar added.<br />
<br />
India strongly rejects Pakistan&#39;s continued misuse of the Council to make tendentious references about internal matters pertaining to the Indian state of J&amp;K, the ambassador said.<br />
<br />
&quot;This stems from Pakistan&#39;s territorial ambitions over Kashmir that has found concrete expression in repeated armed aggressions. Pakistan continues to be in illegal occupation of a large part of territory in J&amp;K,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
Reiterating that the situation in the Valley arose from the death of a self-acknowledged commander of Hizb-ul- Mujahideen terror group, India said it was further aggravated by sustained cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.<br />
<br />
Kumar said the high number of causalities sustained by Indian security forces is a reflection of the tremendous restraint they have displayed in difficult circumstances.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Kumar asserted that India has a robust institutional framework to ensure adherence to rule of law and respect for fundamental rights of the people in J&amp;K, including independent judiciary, National Human Rights Commission, vibrant civil society and free and vocal media.<br />
<br />
In contrast, the people of Pakistan as well as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have become victims of sectarian conflict, terrorism and extreme economic hardship due to Pakistan&#39;s authoritarian and discriminatory policies in complete disregard of human rights, he added.<br />
<br />
Emphasising that terrorism was the grossest violation of human rights and should be so acknowledged by any impartial observer.<br />
<br />
&quot;The heart of the matter is that we are dealing with a state that regards the use of terrorism as a legitimate instrument of statecraft.<br />
<br />
&quot;The world watches with concern as the consequences of Pakistan?s actions have spread beyond its immediate neighbour. All of us stand prepared to help, if only the creators of this monster wake up to the dangers of what they have done to themselves,&quot; the Indian envoy added.<br />
<br />
&quot;The institutions of governance in Pakistan have corroded to such an extent that it has become a hub for the global export of terror,&quot; he said.<br />
<br />
The envoy also said that it will be in the fitness of things if instead of ritually raking up alleged human rights violations elsewhere, Pakistan were to focus its energies on improving human rights situation within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.<br />
<br />
It must also take action against the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on its neighbours who are roaming freely in Pakistan with impunity, so that terrorism emanating from Pakistan - the gravest risk for peace and stability of the region - could be addressed effectively, he added.<br />
<br />
(PTI)

India said the main reason for the the disturbances in Kashmir is the cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan

Raising the issue of Balochistan for the first time before the United Nations, India today accused Pakistan of widespread human rights violations there as well as in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In a scathing attack on Pakistan during the 33rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council, India said the main reason for the the disturbances in Kashmir is the cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan that stems from its territorial ambitions over the place that has found concrete expression in repeated armed aggressions. Pakistan's dismal track record is well known and many countries have repeatedly called upon Pakistan to end cross- border infiltration; dismantle the terrorism infrastructure, and stop acting as an epicentre of terrorism, India's ambassador and permanent representative at the UN, Ajit Kumar said. India's credentials as a peaceful, democratic, pluralistic society that is deeply committed to the welfare of its people are well established and on the contrary, Pakistan is characterised by authoritarianism, absence of democratic norms and widespread human rights violations across the country including Balochistan, Kumar said. Exercising its right of reply to the statement made by Pakistan, Kumar said Pakistan is a country, which has systematically abused and violated the human rights of its own citizens, including in Balochistan, as well as of the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. "The fundamental reason for disturbances in Kashmir is the cross-border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan which has provided active support since 1989 to separatist groups and terrorist elements including those operating from the territory under Pakistan's control. "Pakistan has once again sought to mask its territorial ambitions and use of terrorism as a state policy under the garb of concern for human rights. "J&K is an integral part of India and will always remain so. We reject attempts by Pakistan to denigrate the democratic choice that has been regularly exercised by the people of J&K," he said. In a no-holds-barred offensive, India said while advocating restraint to others, Pakistan has no hesitation in using air power against its own people. "Pakistan also continues to provide sanctuary to UN- designated terrorists. It was, therefore, no surprise that Pakistan failed to convince the international community to secure the membership of the Human Rights Council last year," Kumar added. India strongly rejects Pakistan's continued misuse of the Council to make tendentious references about internal matters pertaining to the Indian state of J&K, the ambassador said. "This stems from Pakistan's territorial ambitions over Kashmir that has found concrete expression in repeated armed aggressions. Pakistan continues to be in illegal occupation of a large part of territory in J&K," he said. Reiterating that the situation in the Valley arose from the death of a self-acknowledged commander of Hizb-ul- Mujahideen terror group, India said it was further aggravated by sustained cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Kumar said the high number of causalities sustained by Indian security forces is a reflection of the tremendous restraint they have displayed in difficult circumstances. Kumar asserted that India has a robust institutional framework to ensure adherence to rule of law and respect for fundamental rights of the people in J&K, including independent judiciary, National Human Rights Commission, vibrant civil society and free and vocal media. In contrast, the people of Pakistan as well as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have become victims of sectarian conflict, terrorism and extreme economic hardship due to Pakistan's authoritarian and discriminatory policies in complete disregard of human rights, he added. Emphasising that terrorism was the grossest violation of human rights and should be so acknowledged by any impartial observer. "The heart of the matter is that we are dealing with a state that regards the use of terrorism as a legitimate instrument of statecraft. "The world watches with concern as the consequences of Pakistan?s actions have spread beyond its immediate neighbour. All of us stand prepared to help, if only the creators of this monster wake up to the dangers of what they have done to themselves," the Indian envoy added. "The institutions of governance in Pakistan have corroded to such an extent that it has become a hub for the global export of terror," he said. The envoy also said that it will be in the fitness of things if instead of ritually raking up alleged human rights violations elsewhere, Pakistan were to focus its energies on improving human rights situation within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It must also take action against the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on its neighbours who are roaming freely in Pakistan with impunity, so that terrorism emanating from Pakistan - the gravest risk for peace and stability of the region - could be addressed effectively, he added. (PTI)

India raises Balochistan for first time at UN, lashes out at Pak

<p>The new Sri Lankan government acknowledged on Wednesday for the first time that about 65,000 went missing during its 26-year war with the separatist Tamil Tigers. This is being seen as a further step towards reconciliation.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br />
President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to address past human rights violations through independent probes and to implement a resolution by the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The UN and rights groups have long urged justice for the families of the missing, including the ones allegedly abducted by state-backed groups and paramilitary outfits.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Before losing the 2015 elections, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa had firmly opposed any international interference in what he believed was an internal issue.&nbsp;<br />
A specific office will be in charge to independently investigate each case of the thousands of missing cases, mostly belonging to the Tamil ethnic minority.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The government will issue a certificate of absence which will help relatives, allowing them to temporarily manage properties and assets of missing people, to obtain provisional guardianship of their children and apply for government welfare schemes.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Many relatives have been critic, accusing the government of doing almost nothing to find the missing people as promised in the UN resolution.&nbsp;<br />
The government will make an oral representation in Geneva later this month to show its progresses in implementing the resolution.&nbsp;<br />
(Reuters)</p>


Agrees to implement a UN resolution which will help families to manage assets of those missing and obtain guardianship for their children

The new Sri Lankan government acknowledged on Wednesday for the first time that about 65,000 went missing during its 26-year war with the separatist Tamil Tigers. This is being seen as a further step towards reconciliation. President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to address past human rights violations through independent probes and to implement a resolution by the United Nation Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The UN and rights groups have long urged justice for the families of the missing, including the ones allegedly abducted by state-backed groups and paramilitary outfits. Before losing the 2015 elections, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa had firmly opposed any international interference in what he believed was an internal issue. A specific office will be in charge to independently investigate each case of the thousands of missing cases, mostly belonging to the Tamil ethnic minority. The government will issue a certificate of absence which will help relatives, allowing them to temporarily manage properties and assets of missing people, to obtain provisional guardianship of their children and apply for government welfare schemes. Many relatives have been critic, accusing the government of doing almost nothing to find the missing people as promised in the UN resolution. The government will make an oral representation in Geneva later this month to show its progresses in implementing the resolution. (Reuters)

Sri Lanka declares 65,000 missing during civil war