Action Against Drone Attacks in Pakistan

from Good Governance Forum
to mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
date Jun 25, 2009 2:17 PM
subject Action Against Drone Attacks in Pakistan
mailed-by gmail.com

Hon'ble Chief Justice of Pakistan
Islamabad

Your Honour:

Respectfully, I reproduce below excerpts from various published articles highlighting the civilian casualties in Pakistan caused by frequent US drone attacks with total disregard of the sovereignty and independence of our homeland and the humanitarian considerations.

There are 3 key issues that needs to be addressed. First, the sovereignty and independence of Pakistan are being violated without declaring a war. Second, civilian casualties/injuries/damage of property are being caused of innocent citizens. Third, no compensation is being paid to the victims' families and/or the injured civilians for themselves and their lost/damaged properties.

As the Founder and Moderator of the Good Governance Forum--the Largest, Most Diversified, and Globally Searched platform-- I appeal to Your Honour to direct the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to agitate the issue in the United Nations and the International Court of Justice as well as other relevant forums under the international law on top priority for immediate relief and remedy.

Submitted for due consideration.

signed and issued by

Mumtaz A. Piracha
Founder/Moderator
Good Governance Forum
Pakistan
Tel: 042-5503936
Cell: 0300-2265424
June 25, 2009

Excerpts from published articles in the international media

"As the death toll from a US air raid on Pakistan climbs to 80, Islamabad has once again slammed Washington for attacks on its soil.

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman said such attacks undermine the country's sovereignty, adding that Islamabad made regular contacts with the US over the issue.

On Tuesday, some 80 people have been killed in what has been the deadliest US missile attack on Pakistani soil yet.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Basit urged the US to stop such attacks as military operations to eliminate militants in tribal areas were well proceeding, a Press TV correspondent reported.

The missiles, that left nearly 100 people injured, hit the funeral of people who were killed earlier in the day during a similar strike in the volatile region.

The US has carried out at least 35 drone attacks on Pakistan's tribal areas, killing and wounding over 500 people over the past year."

RZS/MMN

Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=98989§ionid=351020401


"For those who thought drones were something only seen in sc-fi movies, think again. Since October 2001 the US military has been using drones - unmanned, remotely-controlled aircraft - to gather intelligence and bomb targets in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. With the first operations undertaken by the smaller Predator drones, today the US is increasingly using the huge Reaper drones - "hunter-killers" with a 25-metre wingspan and up to 3000lbs of bombs that can be kept in the air for more than 40 hours by pilots working shifts at Creech airbase in Nevada. "The Reaper is a bomber in all but name", says Paul Rodgers, Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University.



According to the US Government the drones are an extremely effective tool in targeting Al-Qaeda leaders and its supporters in the semi-autonomous tribal area of north-west Pakistan. To back up this claim US officials recently leaked to the press information showing the drone strikes had killed 9 of the 20 top Al Qaeda leaders.



However, in response to the US Government's figures the Pakistani Government leaked data of its own to The News International, the second-largest English language newspaper in the country. These records revealed that out of the 60 US drone strikes that had been carried out in Pakistan since January 2006 only 10 hit their actual targets, killing 14 Al-Qaeda leaders. Meanwhile these attacks have killed 687 Pakistani civilians (about 160 of which have been killed since Obama took office according to the Los Angeles Times).



This shocking number of civilian fatalities and disgraceful targeting history has produced some unsurprising results, with the Times newspaper reporting last month that the drone attacks are "causing a massive humanitarian emergency" with "as many as 1m people" fleeing their homes "to escape attacks by the unmanned spy planes as well as bombings by the Pakistani army."

Source: http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/21492

"The drones have been used occasionally in other countries, including Yemen and Somalia. But the use of the drones in Pakistan is sustained and shows no sign of letting up. The attacks violate Pakistan's sovereignty.

Retired Army Col. Andrew Bacevich, a professor of history and international affairs at Boston University, says the U.S. needs to admit it's opened another front and another war.

"This is a war that is mostly conducted by remote control, unmanned aerial vehicles launching missiles at targets on the ground," Bacevich says. "But it is a war … that deserves very critical scrutiny by the new administration."

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100131283