Israel Matzav: 'Human Rights Watch' cleans up their moral equivalence

Monday, May 02, 2011

'Human Rights Watch' cleans up their moral equivalence

'Human Rights Watch' appears to have misread the mood in the 'international community' over the death of Osama Bin Laden. You can't even find this in the Google Cache yet, but thanks to Anne H, I'm able to bring it to you.

The picture you see above is part of the cached page of the press release that 'Human Rights Watch' put out to announce the death of Osama Bin Laden early on Monday. The full press release is here. Just in case, I've screen captured the entire page and will post it below. Then, I will quote the entire press release (emphases mine):

US: Osama Bin Laden Killed in Shoot-out
Report
—
Human Rights Watch

(New York, May 2, 2011) – The announcement from President Barack Obama that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a US-led undercover operation in Pakistan brings to an end the search for one of the most notorious terrorism suspects in history, Human Rights Watch said today. In addition to the September 11, 2001 attacks, bin Laden’s al Qaeda is blamed for the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 231 people, and the 2000 attack on the USS Cole, as well as other attacks.

“Osama Bin Laden will never again be responsible for mass atrocities such as the September 11 attacks,” said Iain Levine, deputy executive director for program at Human Rights Watch. “His death should also bring an end to a horrific chapter of human rights abuses in the name of counterterrorism.”

Al Qaeda and affiliated groups have killed thousands of civilians in Pakistan and other Muslim countries since September 11, 2011. Since Obama said this operation happened with Pakistani cooperation, there may be retaliation by al Qaeda in Pakistan against its people and government. Human Rights Watch said the United States should help to support the basic rights of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, free from the threat of those who perpetrate international crimes.

The US and other countries that have suffered terrorist attacks should mark this moment as a new chapter, Human Rights Watch said – one in which they no longer resort to torture, ill-treatment, and other violations of basic rights in their understandable quest to prevent further strikes.
Human Rights Watch:

© Copyright, Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA

Somewhere along the line, someone must have told 'Human Rights Watch' that here was no equivalence - moral or otherwise - between those 'victimized' because they were allies of Osama Bin Laden and those who were murdered by his al-Qaeda terror group. And it must have become clear to them that they totally misread the mood in most of the World outside of Hamastan. So the Monday morning press release has been replaced with the following (again, screen capture followed by full text):

The announcement that Osama bin Laden was killed in a US-led undercover operation in Pakistan is a reminder of the devastating human toll that terrorism has brought to every continent of the world, Human Rights Watch said today. In addition to the September 11, 2001 attacks, bin Laden’s al Qaeda organization is blamed for the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 231 people, as well as many other terrorist plots.

“At a time when citizens around the world have engaged in peaceful demonstrations in the name of freedom and democracy, bin Laden’s death is a reminder of the thousands of innocents who suffer when terrorist groups seek political change through brutal means,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director at Human Rights Watch.

Note no Iain Levine and no mention of torture by "the US and other countries." Hmmm.

By the way, if you go to the BBC's Bin Laden page and scroll down the timeline along the left to 0744 British time, you will find a blurb about 'Human Rights Watch's reaction that includes Levine's statement. So it was definitely out there - at least until someone woke up and realized it was the wrong statement at the wrong time.

'Human Rights Watch': Looking out for the terrorists. Heh.

Labels: al-Qaeda, Human Rights Watch, moral equivalence, Osama Bin Laden, targeted killings