Amnesty.org

[Dancing David]

This is a link to an article about the detention of prisoners in Iraq which is on Amnesty's web site Iraqi detainees (http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE141422003) .

I post this just because others have accused Amnesty of having some bias against America, I read the article, there seem to be no sweeping generalization or condemnations, there is some advice on preserving human rights in Iraq. The main complaint seems to be that some were detained without evidence and that sometimes conditions were very harsh.

I post this again to refute the idea that Amnesty is some sort of 'liberal' mouthpiece.

There main page is hereAmnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org)

Peace

[Genghis Pwn]

So one report is "proof" that Amnesty is not anti-American? :rolleyes:

If I wanted to, I could post 200 reports that are biased against the US.

[Dancing David]

Aw, now come on GP, you are using the threat of anecdotal evidence. I choose this link because it is on thier front page today and I thought , Wow if they condem America it would be in here.

So other than your boast , where is your evidence.

(I just checked again and on the reports there is also an editorial asking that human rights be recognised.

But I know that you haven't actualy read anything there because the reports condeming the USA are in the ditinct minority.(Unless we anexed Myanmar, Timor or Srebrenicia)

[The Fool]

Originally posted by Genghis Pwn
So one report is "proof" that Amnesty is not anti-American? :rolleyes:

If I wanted to, I could post 200 reports that are biased against the US.
No, 200 would be excessive....why don't you start with 100, just links to the reports will do......ok, off you go.

[DavidJames]

"start with 100, just links to the reports will do"

But keep in mind, a report critical of the U.S. does not imply a bias. You will need to annotate each link to show where the report is biased, okay, back to work for you :)

[Mr Manifesto]

Originally posted by Genghis Pwn
So one report is "proof" that Amnesty is not anti-American? :rolleyes:

If I wanted to, I could post 200 reports that are biased against the US.

I'd be happy with five, just to see what your definition of 'bias' is.


From the Updated New Shorter Oxford Dictionary

bias v Infl. -s-, -ss-. E17 . [f. prec.] 1 v.t Give a bias to (a bowl, etc); cause to swerve from a course (lit. & fig.); influence (usu. unfairly), inspire with prejudice (Genghis Pwn); any criticism, real, perceived, or otherwise, of the United States of America

[peptoabysmal]

Here are a few examples of Amnesty International's bias. (http://www.frontpagemag.com/articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=7463)

[Mr Manifesto]

March 30: The day after four U.S. servicemen were killed by Iraqi civilian suicide bombers, Amnesty International went on a tirade and condemned not only the United States but 14 coalition countries for atrocities such as "attacking the right to freedom of expression and assembly, using excessive force against anti-war demonstrators, and restricting the right to asylum." Despite the warning from the vice president of Iraq that the suicide bombing would become "routine military policy", Amnesty International did not find time to mention Iraq in a report entitled "In the Shadow Of War: Backlash Against Human Rights."

Yes, how dare they criticise the American use of excessive force instead of just criticising the Iraqis for using suicide bombers.

Damn Arabs... they never fight fair, do they?

[The Fool]

Originally posted by peptoabysmal
Here are a few examples of Amnesty International's bias. (http://www.frontpagemag.com/articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=7463)
well, every country that is bagged by amnesty international always cries that amnesty is biased (Even Australia).... However Amnesty tends to comment on what is actually happening now. Saddams regime is not doing a whole heap of human rights violations at the moment because (obviously) it has been removed. When it was in power and commiting atrocities Amnesty was hardly sitting on its hands...

From
http://news.amnesty.org/MAVP/news.nsf/0/E093985A0382903280256CA300476D67?Opendocument


1. The human rights situation in Iraq
Human rights violations have been committed on a massive scale against all sectors of society in Iraq. Most of the victims have been suspected political opponents of the government, their relatives, and members of religious and ethnic groups.

In our numerous reports over the years, we have documented:
"disappearances"
extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings, including mass killings of civilians using chemical weapons
imprisonment of prisoners of conscience
long-term detention without charge or trial
grossly unfair trials
systematic torture including the use of judicial punishments such as flogging, ear amputation and branding of the forehead.
forcible expulsions
extensive use of the death penalty
recruitment of children in the armed forces

Hey!!!!sounds like amnesty is biased against Iraq!!!! When it was slagging Iraq it wasn't pointing out all the nasty things that the Iranians were guilty of!!!

This site also has links to numerous amnesty reports slamming Saddam and his thugs and murderers...... But they are all now more interested in hiding and saving their own skin than persecuting their own people so they don't get a lot of grief from amnesty......

Is amnesty expected to point out all those who have previously persecuted a population and restate all thier previous objections again and again before it can criticize someone for doing something to them?

[a_unique_person]

Originally posted by Genghis Pwn
So one report is "proof" that Amnesty is not anti-American? :rolleyes:

If I wanted to, I could post 200 reports that are biased against the US.

Looks like you didn't want to.

[Dancing David]

Originally posted by peptoabysmal
Here are a few examples of Amnesty International's bias. (http://www.frontpagemag.com/articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=7463)

So what is that link supposed to prove? I don't get it.

So Amnesty is supposed to time it's press releases to make the American war machine happy? Why point out the timing of the reports, the release of Amnesty reports is not timed to the actions of Iraqi suicide bombers. The reports do not condemn American actions.
Rightist kooks who never read any of the other reports about other countries.

How does it compare to the language on Russia and domestic violence?
"Tatiana G. is one of an estimated 36,000 women per day who are beaten by their husbands or partners in the Russian Federation. Figures provided by the Russian government to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in early 2002 stated that 14,000 women die every year at the hands of their husbands or other relatives.

Yet men who beat or rape their wives or commit other acts of violence in the family are unlikely to face prosecution in the Russian Federation. Many victims seeking to prosecute their abusers face indifference or neglect at the hands of the police and the courts. The police often fail to register such cases properly and to conduct thorough investigations; the criminal justice system often denies the victims their right to justice. "


Again my point is that if you actualy read the Amnesty reports the language they use towards the US is very mild.

[kookbreaker]

My problem with Amnesty International is that they have a very good cause, but try to be "correct" and thus criticize nations with a very good human rights track record so they can appear "even handed". The work they have done on the abuse by military dictatorships is excellent, probably done by the most dedicated and talented AI workers. By comparison, they leave the crappy investigators to do "research" in more free countries. The result? Things like the horrible Mumia investigation, which was anything but.