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The Forum > Article Comments > Reporting war > Comments

Reporting war : Comments

By Jeremy Sharon, published 15/8/2006

Does Human Rights Watch consider Sri Lankan life worth less than Lebanese?

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An interesting article. What, if anything, did Human Rights Watch have to say about the case of Atefeh Rajabi, the 16 year-old Iranian girl who was hanged for "acts incompatible with chastity" in 2004? And what does Human Rights Watch say about the appalling situation in the Darfur region of Sudan?
Posted by EnerGee, Tuesday, 15 August 2006 9:19:42 AM
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Critical examination of the agendas of NGOs is legitimate. But my view is that NGO Watch is a bogus Israeli cheer-squad. NGO Monitor also accuse Amnesty International, Oxfam and Medecins Sans Frontieres of anti-Israeli bias. Check their website http://www.ngo-monitor.org and draw your own conclusions.

EnerGee, if you're so concerned about HRW's coverage of Iran, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A LOOK??!! Below is part of their backgrounder on Iran:

"Respect for basic human rights in Iran, especially freedom of expression and opinion, deteriorated considerably in 2005. The government routinely uses torture and ill-treatment in detention, including prolonged solitary confinement, to punish dissidents. The judiciary, which is accountable to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been at the center of many serious human rights violations. Abuses are perpetrated by what Iranians call “parallel institutions”: paramilitary groups and plainclothes intelligence agents violently attack peaceful protesters, and intelligence services run illegal secret prisons and interrogation centers. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, elected in June 2005, appointed a cabinet dominated by former members of the intelligence and security forces, some of whom are allegedly implicated in the most serious human rights violations since the Islamic Republic of Iran was established twenty-six years ago, such as the assassination of dissident intellectuals."
Posted by Johnj, Tuesday, 15 August 2006 10:37:25 AM
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good point JohnJ, just goes to show the neo-cons on this forum can't be bothererd doing any research or basing their posts on any sort of facts
Posted by Carl, Tuesday, 15 August 2006 11:05:57 AM
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I'm not a neo-con and I haven't vetted NGO Watch, but it does seem to me that NGOs often apply a weighting that actions with negative results by Western/Western-aligned countries are far more serious than those by others; perhaps they have a rule that, say, 10 deaths caused by westerners is morally equivalent to 1000 deaths caused by undemocratic non-westerners. Or perhaps they are merely acknowledging that they have no influence over the worst offenders. Or perhaps it's anti-Western racism (by Westerners) at work? Or that many NGO leaders are Westerners and feel more mortified by the alleged sins of their compatriots than by those of others?

Answers, please, on a postcard to anywhere but here.
Posted by Faustino, Tuesday, 15 August 2006 2:22:45 PM
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Oh, God, yet another of these tedious Zionist finger pointing exercises. HRW, avert your gaze from our war crimes and focus on somewhere else, anywhere will do, so long as it's not us. You buggers have no shame.
Posted by Strewth, Tuesday, 15 August 2006 4:08:06 PM
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Thank you for introducing me to HRW.

Heaven knows there is little enough hypocrisy and self-satisfied claptrap in this world, so to uncover such a motherlode of smug finger-waving is pure delight.

A glance through its pages shows clearly the value of being able to pontificate at will, on any subject, from the safety of a desk in New York City. Such a sharp perspective on the issues, everything neatly categorized as either black or white. Such ineffable priggishness. Such oozing self-righteousness.

Johnj points out that NGO-watch might be a tad biased in its views, but nor is HRW exactly even-handed in its praise or blame. Their snide diatribe against internet companies, berated simply for observing the laws of the countries in which they operate, is a good case in point.

How petty - but how self-satisfying - to plough a pseudo-moral furrow by claiming that the companies' actions equate to aiding and abetting censorship. I suspect that these are the same people who would encourage censorship in their own country if they could - perhaps under the banner of Women's or Children's Rights - and see no irony in their actions.

If I were younger and less discriminating in the company I keep during my working hours, I would apply to them for a job. I am very capable of churning out emotional garbage to order, so long as someone is prepared to pay me. And there is the usual featherbedding that goes along with government jobs, or any other role that bears absolutely no responsibility for what it says or does.

"HRW offers generous employer-paid benefits to all staff... medical, dental, and vision care for you, your dependents and domestic partner (same or opposite sex)... 20 vacation days... "bankable" sick days... an outstanding pension plan (a 10% employer contribution after two years of employment, no employee match required, fully vested)... in-house training programs, tuition reimbursement... flexible spending accounts, pre-tax transit reimbursements... free auditing at a local university... parental leave, 3-month paid sabbaticals...flexible schedules... telecommuting."

Sure beats working for a living.
Posted by Pericles, Tuesday, 15 August 2006 5:40:34 PM
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