UN Concerned Over Plight Of Civilians In Falluja

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights today voiced deep concern about the situation of civilians caught up in the ongoing fighting in Falluja, Iraq and called on all concerned to protect them.

Through her spokesman in Geneva, Louise Arbour cited allegations that the rules of war designed to shield civilians and combatants had been broken during the current confrontation.

"All violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law must be investigated and those responsible for breaches - including deliberate targeting of civilians, indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks, the killing of injured persons and the use of human shields - must be brought to justice, be they members of the Multinational Force or insurgents," spokesman José Diaz told reporters.

He also voiced the High Commissioner's concern about poor access to humanitarian aid in Falluja and about the lack of information regarding the number of civilian casualties.

Ms. Arbour called on parties in the fighting to take "every possible precaution" to protect civilians," he said.

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http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0411/S00190.htm

Not exactly a good source for information.

edit: must work on sarcasm more. :)

The suffering and horror of the people of Fallujah must be brought out in the open, if we let the military cover this one up, as they desperately trying, they will have no second thoughts next time about doing an even greater display of disrespect for human life.

The stories are starting to come out, lets help it get some recognition.

She's a former Canadian Supreme Court Judge, and has been involved in the past in prosecuting international war crimes. She's not one to take lightly.

Having said that, I suspect the cover-up will work fine in the US. The U.S media don't like reporting atrocities unless they are by the enemy, and most Americans don't want to hear about them.

In the rest of the world, however, a UN investigation will be closely followed by media, and could help to further isolate the U.S, which at least as of Nov. 2, is a good thing.