drone blame game
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Drone Blame Game Dawn Pakistan articleTRANSCRIPT
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Droneblamegame
BYSIKANDERAHMEDSHAH|6/9/201512:00:00AMUSDRONEstrikeshavecontinuedrelentlesslyintheFataregion.Mostrecently,onJune6,aUSdronestrikekilledatleastninesuspectedmilitantsintheShawalvalleyofNorthWaziristan.
Afewmonthsago,theUSdroneprogrammecameunderintensescrutiny.AdronestrikeconductedinJanuaryresultedinthedeathsoftwoWesternersheldhostagebymilitants.OutcryfollowedintheWest,whichpromptedPresidentObamatoissueaformalapology.Inawelcomedevelopment,theUSpromisedtoprovidecompensationtothevictims`families.TheUS,however,refusestometeoutthesametreatmenttodronevictimsofFataorigin.Noapologiesareissuedorcompensationpromised.Attimeslossofcivilianlifeissimplydenied.
TheeventsofthepastfewmonthsconfirmtheobservationthatcivilianlifeinFataislessvaluableandinturnelicitslowerlevelsofgriefcomparedtothelossofinnocentlifeinconflictelsewhere.ThisblatantdehumanisationofPakistanidronevictimscanbeattributedtomanyexternalfactors,butonecannotdiscounttheroleplayedbylocalactors.
ThereexistsverylittleconnectivitybetweenFataandthesprawlingurbanandpoliticalcentresofmainstreamPakistan.
Becauseofthis,thereisverylittleempathyforandunderstandingoftheplightofFataresidents.ManyurbandwellersviewFataresidentsasprimitive.ThisopinionfurthercontributestothedevaluationofFatalife.
ThisapathyinsocietyallowsthestatetosheditsresponsibilitytowardsFatacivilians.ThePakistanistateisnotheldtoaccountforfailingtoprotectinnocentFataresidents,toamelioratetheirsufferingbyprovidingcompensation,ortopreventtheirdeathsbyeffectivelyworkingtowardshaltingsuchattacks.Thestateisbeingletoffthehookandthisallowsittopassthebuck.
Let`stakethepoliticalestablishment.
Barringonemajorpoliticalparty,andthattooduringanelectioncampaign,nopartyhasseriouslytakenanymeasuresthatcouldendthedronecampaign.Thebureaucracyhasalsoevadedtheissue.ApartfromthetritecondemnationofdronestrikeswhichincreasinglylookslikepayinglipserviceintheformofatemplateandabriefstatementdecryingaviolationofthesovereigntyofPakistanissuedbytheForeignOffice,nootherministries,includingthosedealingwithlawandsecurity,havepubliclyvoicedtheirconcernsorcirculatedanactionplan.
Noformallegaldocumentorwhitepaperhasbeenprepared.Inaddition,thecondemnationbytheForeignOfficeisprimarilyfocusedonthedisregardforsovereignty,andnotontheviolationsofhumanrightswitnessedbyFatacivilianresidents.
Pakistanhasratifiedanumberofinternationalhumanrightsconventions,notablytheICCPR,whichupholdstherighttolife,providesprotectionagainstextrajudicialkillings,requirestherighttocompensation,andguaranteestherightofassemblyandfreedomofmovement.Alltheserightsareunderminedbythestate`sinabilitytopreventdronestrikes.Moreover,theICJhasheldinthePalestinianwallcasethatinhabitantsofanyterritoryunderthecontrolofastatethathasratifiedtheICCPRwhateverthelegalstatusoftheterritoryhavetobeaccordedICCPRprotections.Fata`sautonomousnaturecannotbeusedtodepriveitsresidentsoftheprotectionsoffundamentalrights.
Thejudiciaryhasplayedamoreproactiveandpositiveroleinrecognisingthehumanrightsofdronevictims.In2013,thePeshawarHighCourtinaseminaljudgementrecognisedjurisdictionover
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droneattacksinFata,andfoundtheminviolationofinternationallaw.ThecourtheldthatconstitutionalfundamentalrightswereavailabletothepeopleofFata.ThecourtfurtherfoundboththeUSandthePakistanigovernmentanswerableanddemandeddamagesfordronevictims.
Subsequently,thecourtissuedacontemptofcourtnoticetotheForeignOfficeforfailingtocomplywithitsorder.Manyingovernmentwerenothappywiththesedecisionsastheyviewedthemasjudicialintrusionsinforeignrelationsmattersanexecutiveprerogative.Recently,thejudiciaryhasbacktrackedonitsjudicialactivismondrones.InApril,aSupremeCourtbenchdismissedaconstitutionalpetitionagainstUSdronestrikesinFatabecauseitdidnotfallwithintheambitofArticle184(3).
TheUSostensiblyperceivesdronesasaneffectiveweapontotackleterrorism.AplethoraofhumanrightsorganisationsintheUSstronglydisagreewiththispositionandareexertingpressureontheirgovernmenttoprotecthumanrights.Pakistan`scivilsocietyhasagreaterresponsibilitytopressureitsgovernmentandholditanswerable,consideringthatitisPakistanicivilianswhoarecaughtinthemidstofthedronecampaign.ThewriteristheauthorofInternationalLawandDroneStrikesinPakistan:TheLegalandSociopoliticalAspects.[TOP]