----- Original Message ----- From: Main Line News 2000 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000 7:47 AM Subject: [STOPNATO.ORG.UK] FWD: Philippines: Civilians at risk as ... STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------- Forwarded Message --------- DATE: Sun, 24 Sep 2000 17:59:48 From: "tpl" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "hr-europe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "hr-asia" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "help-asia" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "asia-apec" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PRESS RELEASE > 18 September 2000 > > AI Index ASA 35/006/2000 - News Service Nr. 178 > > Philippines: Civilians at risk as armed forces launch massive attack > > Amid reports that at least 600 civilians have been killed or injured since > the Philippine armed forces launched its Saturday attack on rebel bases on > the southern Philippine island of Jolo, Amnesty International appeals to > the Philippine authorities to take urgent steps to ensure the safety of all > civilians on the island. > > "Indiscriminate bombing of the civilian population must be halted > immediately. No security crisis can justify a military offensive which > involves the killing of civilians," Amnesty International said. > > The Philippine armed forces have committed human rights violations within > the context of counter-insurgency operations against armed opposition > groups throughout the country, including extrajudicial executions, torture, > "disappearances" and indiscriminate killings of civilians. > > Amnesty International is appalled by reports that the armed forces have > denied Jolo based medical and relief workers access to areas where innocent > civilians, including children, are reported to have been killed or injured. > A news blackout imposed by the government has made it impossible to > confirm the numbers of civilian casualties, but > government sources have so far admitted that four civilians have died. > > Several thousand local villagers are reported to have fled their homes as > bombings continue on the island, one of the poorest in the country. All > transport links to and from Jolo have been severed. > > On Saturday, President Estrada ordered thousands of troops to launch an > attack on bases of the armed Islamic separatist group Abu Sayyaf in an > attempt to rescue 22 hostages being held by the group. The hostages > include 16 Filipinos, three Malaysians, two French journalists and an > American. At least one of the Filipinos has been in captivity > for nearly five months. Other hostages, including several foreign > nationals, were released recently reportedly for large sums in ransom money. > > Amnesty International called on both the Abu Sayyaf group, which has > committed human rights abuses including hostage-taking and killings, and > the Philippine armed forces, to respect the 1949 Geneva Conventions. > > "All parties to any conflict have a responsibility to respect the lives of > civilians, and of combatants who are wounded or have laid down their arms" > Amnesty International said. > > ENDS > public document > **************************************** > For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in > London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London > WC1X 0DW > web :http://www.amnesty.org Join 3 leading Email Lists for Law, Announcements & Asian-Info: [EMAIL PROTECTED] , [EMAIL PROTECTED] , [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit: http://www.angelfire.com/az/Sindh/misc.html For Unsubscribing: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------- End Forwarded Message --------- ========================= Leave out the MiddleMan Vote for a Corporation ========================= Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb
