Human Rights Non-Governmental Organizations Reports

¶ … Amnesty International and Human Rights reports on the U.S. government fair and objective? Explain. Do they cover the full range of rights discussed in the International Bill of Human Rights?

Although both organizations do seem to cover the full range of rights discussed in the International Bill of Human Rights, with some rights, however, being focused on more unevenly than others, the Amnesty International and Human Rights reports on the U.S. government are not always fair and objective. For instance, the Amnesty International report in May 25, 2005 claimed that the U.S. is a top offender of human rights. This was a ridiculous and blanket statement easily refuted by the White House who claimed the allegations to be ridiculous and unsupported by the facts:

The United States is leading the way when it comes to protecting human rights and promoting human dignity. We have liberated 50 million people in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have worked to advance freedom and democracy in the world so that people are governed under a rule of law and that there are protection -- that there are protections in place for minority rights, that women's rights are advanced so that women can fully participate in societies where now they cannot. We're also leading the way when it comes to spreading compassion. & #8230;. So I just think it's ridiculous and not supported by the facts when you look at all that we do to promote human rights and promote human dignity in the world. (The White House (May 25, 2005))

Admittedly there were related incidents such as Guantanamo Bay or Afghanistan, but t hose were isolated incidents and the U.S. Government has policies in place to deal with those incidents.

When dealing with those incidents, the White house affirmed that they were despicable. They, however, renounce them, seek to deal with them, seek to prevent them from reoccurring and make their stance of condemnation public. In other words, the U.S.A. is firm in attempting to uphold principles of justice and right. They publicly condemn wrong and seek to uproot it from their nation. When the wrong does occur, they admit their error, and implement actions that can counter this wrong, correct it, and prevent it from re-occurring.

The United States, contrary to allegations made by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch has no current policies that propound and encourage the monstrosities that the Amnesty International and Human Rights reports on the U.S. government.

The reports too are also one-sided and oblique in that they do not include the full situation. Take for instance the capture of Osama bin Laden which Amnesty International criticized:

Osama bin Laden and several others were killed on 1 May in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, during an operation conducted by U.S. special forces. The U.S. administration made clear that the operation had been conducted under the U.S.A.'s theory of a global armed conflict between the U.S.A. And al-Qa'ida in which the U.S.A. does not recognize the applicability of international human rights law. In the absence of further clarification from the U.S. authorities, the killing of Osama bin Laden would appear to have been unlawful. (Amnesty International, Annual Report, 2012)

Now, this is ridiculous since bin Laden was a man who was wanted on account of numerous global terrorist attacks. The man would have continued to perpetrate dozens more had he not been caught no matter how. Each time, the terrorist had slipped out of their grasp or had killed others who were attempting to capture him. And AI quibbles over the capture of the man!

Many of the reports have also been exaggerated. Take this one, for instance on Guantanamo Bay. In the foreword to AI's Report 2000, the Secretary General, Irene Khan, referred to the Guantanamo Bay prison as: "the gulag of our times, entrenching the practice of arbitrary and indefinite detention in violation of international law. Trials by military commissions have made a mockery of justice and due process." (AI Report 2005 )

She later added:

"If Guantanamo evokes images of Soviet repression, "ghost detainees" -- or the incommunicado detention of unregistered detainees -- bring back the practice of "disappearances" so popular with Latin American dictators in the past. According to U.S. official sources there could be over 100 ghost detainees held by the U.S. In 2004, thousands of people were held by the U.S. In Iraq, hundreds in Afghanistan and undisclosed numbers in undisclosed locations. AI is calling on the U.S. Administration to "close Guantanamo and disclose the rest." ( Amnesty International Report 2005