News

Chinese NGO reveals U.S. violation of human rights in Middle East

Published

2 years ago

09/08/2022

MNN

The China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS) on Tuesday released a report, revealing a series of crimes committed by the United States in the Middle East and surrounding areas that seriously violated international law.

Titled U.S. Commits Serious Crimes of Violating Human Rights in the Middle East and Beyond, the CSHRS report focused on Washington’s systematic violations of human rights, including launching wars, massacring civilians, and damaging the right to life and survival; forced regime change, unilateral sanctions, infringing on people’s rights to development, life and health; creating a “clash of civilizations” and abusing imprisonment and torture, and violating freedom of religion and human dignity.

Taking the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War as examples, the report said they are the two largest wars launched by the United States in the Middle East and surrounding regions, spelling dreadful disasters to the lives and living conditions of the people of the two countries.

More than 174,000 people died directly in the war in Afghanistan, of whom more than 47,000 were civilians, according to the report, citing the Brown University’s Costs of War Project.

The nearly 20-year war in Afghanistan forced 2.6 million Afghans to flee abroad and displaced 3.5 million others, the report said, citing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

And after U.S. unilaterally launched the Iraq War in 2003, about 209,000 Iraqi civilians died in wars and violent conflicts, and about 9.2 million Iraqis became refugees or were forced to leave their homeland between 2003 and 2021, the report said, citing data from Statista, a global statistical database.

Almost two decades after the war started, the U.S. public is still divided over whether it’s right to use military force in the Iraq War.

A survey published by the Pew Research Center in March 2018 showed that in late March 2003, a few days after the U.S. invasion, 71 percent supported the decision to use military force, while just 22 percent said it was the wrong decision. Fifteen years later, those supporting fell to 43 percent.

The report underlined that the United States has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, arbitrary detention, abuse of torture, torture of prisoners, and indiscriminate unilateral sanctions in the Middle East and surrounding areas.

The United States established Guantanamo Bay detention camp to lock up a total of nearly 780 “terrorists” from the Middle East and elsewhere, many of whom have been held without bringing any criminal charge, according to the report, adding that, more than 30 people, old and frail, remain in the prison, who are deprived of liberty for long periods of time and subjected to endless mental and physical torture.

Facts show that the United States has seriously violated the basic human rights of people in the Middle East and other places, causing permanent damage and irreparable losses to countries and people in the region, the report said.

As the nature of American hegemony and the barbarity, cruelty and perniciousness of its power politics have been completely exposed, people of the world would have a better understanding of the hypocrisy and deception of American democracy and its human rights, the report noted.

Source: CGTN

News

Foreign observers impressed with election arrangements

Published

3 hours ago

23/04/2024

Foreign observers have praised the voting arrangements made by the Elections Commission (EC) for the this year’s parliamentary election.

A total of 19 international observers from nine different countries visited the Maldives to observe the election for the 20th parliament assembly. The observer groups consisted of elections commissioners and chief elections commissioners of the foreign countries.

The chair of the foreign observers team spoke with the local media, noting they monitored the elections by splitting the team into four groups.

The observers team chair also highlighted peaceful proceedings across the all polling stations from commencement until the end, and singled out the installation of fans for voters in waiting areas.

“It is delightful to see that 90% of the elections officials were women. Vote counting had begun almost immediately after polling closed, which too proceeded peacefully,” the observers team chair commented.

Besides this, majority of the observers had praised the use of technological equipment in the voting as well. Nelson Sallis, the election monitor from the Philippines highlighted the voter’s details could be accessed promptly using the tablets used by the officials, which allowed voters to cast the ballots faster.

“This was an exemplary usage of technology by the Maldives Elections Commission,” Nelson said.

The monitors unanimously singled out the lack of any notable confrontations or commotions at the polling stations during the election, and praised the Elections Commission for it.

Source(s): sun.mv

World

Biden tells Zelenskyy new arms will be provided quickly to Ukraine

Published

3 hours ago

23/04/2024

U.S. President Joe Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over phone on Monday that his administration will soon quickly provide additional arms to Ukraine once a bill authorizing related funds clears Congress and becomes law.

“President Biden shared that his administration will quickly provide significant new security assistance packages to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield and air defense needs as soon as the Senate passes the national security supplemental and he signs it into law,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

Biden was referring to the $61 billion aid for Ukraine that the House passed Saturday. The measure, now bundled with other foreign aid funding, will be voted on as a comprehensive national security supplemental appropriations bill in the Senate this week, with passage all but certain and Biden pledging to sign it as soon as it reaches his desk.

“President Biden also underscored that the U.S. economic assistance will help maintain financial stability, build back critical infrastructure,” the readout said, adding that the economic assistance will also “support reform as Ukraine moves forward on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.”

Zelenskyy said on Telegram that the new aid from Washington is expected to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense as well as its long-range and artillery capabilities.

The Ukrainian president also discussed with Biden the work on a bilateral security agreement and the preparations for the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland slated for mid-June, he said.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on X on Saturday that senators have reached an agreement to vote on the national security supplemental on Tuesday.

Source(s): CGTN

News

President invites political leaders’ involvement for nation’s progress

Published

3 hours ago

23/04/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has urged all political leaders to refrain from political rivalry and to exert collaborative efforts, aiming for the nation’s expedite development. The remarks were made by the president in the event held to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the People’s National Congress (PNC) in the parliamentary elections.

Speaking at the event, President Dr. Muizzu affirmed that the projects and plans made by the government will be executed and completed at an accelerated rate, following PNC’s victory. The president assured that with the new Parliament, the international community will comprehend the significance of independence and freedom of expression to the Maldivians. On this stance, he invited all political leaders to participate and exert collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable development in a timely manner. He additionally ensured that no individual will be discriminated based on their parties.

Furthermore, President Dr. Muizzu stated that it is a responsibility of all individuals to contribute to the development of the nation. The president urged boosting communal harmony and bolstering Islamic values as well.

Source(s): PsmNews