Human Rights Watch goes to bat for the Islamists
The Saudi money collected by Human Rights Watch has been put to use defending Islamists, albeit not in the Middle East. In Nigeria, a member of Boko Haram, an Islamist group likened to the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been shot dead while trying to escape police custody. And Human Rights Watch has already indicted, tried and convicted the police (Hat Tip: Norman B).A BBC reporter in the city was among journalists shown two films, one apparently showing Mr Yusuf making a confession; the other showing what appeared to be his body, riddled with bullets.A later version of the BBC report adds:
"Mohammed Yusuf was killed by security forces in a shootout while trying to escape," the regional police assistant inspector-general, Moses Anegbode, told Nigerian television.
A spokesman for the state governor was also quoted as saying that Mr Yusuf had been trying to escape.
One policeman told AFP news agency Mr Yusuf had "pleaded for mercy and forgiveness before he was shot."
...
Staff at Human Rights Watch said there should be an immediate investigation into the case.
"The extrajudicial killing of Mr Yusuf in police custody is a shocking example of the brazen contempt by the Nigerian police for the rule of law," said Human Rights Watch's Eric Guttschuss.
Another Human Rights Watch researcher, Corinne Dufka, told AP news agency: "The Nigerian authorities must act immediately to investigate and hold to account all those responsible for this unlawful killing and any others associated with the recent violence in northern Nigeria."
Information Minister Dora Akunyili told the BBC's Network Africa that she was concerned about the death and that the government would find out "exactly what happened".Okay, maybe that's a bit much....
However Mohammed Yusuf's demise was "positive" for Nigeria, she added.
"What is important is that he [Yusuf] has been taken out of the way, to stop him using people to cause mayhem."
She accused Mr Yusuf of "brainwashing" youths to cause trouble.
Ms Akunyili praised the security forces, saying they had managed to stop the violence spreading even further and that normality was returning to the region.
Human Rights Watch has been bribed. They have indicted, prosecuted and convicted the Nigerian police. They will never again find an Islamist they don't love. And the Saudis paid for it.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:21 PM
2 Comments:
Saudis have a similar problem with rogue Wahabi-Al Qaida groups all over the kingdom.
And Saudi is a strong ally of Nigeria....
I sent that to Carl this morning because word for word it echoes HRW's criticism of Israel's actions against terrorists. So there is already a change in the international human rights culture: not defending the human rights of people violated by oppressive regimes and terrorists but defending the very regimes and terrorists that violate them. When they go to bat for the Islamists, you know something is very wrong. After all, people trying to overthrow a government by force and attacking government buildings and officials in the name of seeking to impose Islamic rule by force are not democrats and they are the last people on earth to be concerned about. Yet that is exactly what happened here.
In contrast to HRW's hypercritical judgment of free societies, we can't expect it to police those in their own ranks who show unwarranted mercy for murderous terrorists who do seek to get rid of all human rights for their own brand of totalitarian rule. In not doing that, the HRW has betrayed its own mandate. And shown contempt for all the genuine human rights victims the world over. The human rights community needs "friends" like HRW like it needs enemies.
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