Amnesty urges 4 Arab states to tell truth about the disappeared

by AFP Staff Writers
Beirut (AFP) Aug 30, 2023
Amnesty International called Wednesday on Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen to reveal the fate of people missing in decades of war and unrest, to mark International Day for the Disappeared.

The four Middle East states "have a very large population of missing and disappeared people", Amnesty's Aya Majzoub told AFP at an event with families of the missing in Beirut.

Yet "respective governments have failed to take any action to ensure the rights of the families", she added.

These are also "countries where the families themselves have organised and led on campaigns and advocacy demanding their rights", Majzoub said.

In Iraq, the United Nations estimates that between 250,000 and one million people have been "disappeared" since 1968, "making it one of the countries with the highest number of disappearances in the world", an Amnesty statement said.

Disappearances are still carried out today by government-affiliated militias, the rights group added.

Widad Shammari of the Iraqi Al Haq Foundation for Human Rights, whose son has been missing since 2006, said she was a lone protester "until I met many like me who shared my struggle".

In Syria, tens of thousands are believed to be missing, or disappeared in jails run by various sides of the 12-year conflict -- chief among them the Syrian government.

"We had big dreams in 2011. But we paid a very heavy price," said former regime detainee Fadwa Mahmoud of Families for Freedom.

In 2012, Syrian authorities arrested her husband Abdel Aziz Khayer, a dissident, and their son Maher Tahan. She has not heard from them since.

In June, the UN General Assembly created an independent body to "clarify" the fate of those missing in Syria since war broke out.

In Yemen, human rights groups have documented 1,547 cases of missing and disappeared persons since 2015.

The conflict there broke out in 2014 when Iran-backed Huthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year to prop up the internationally recognised government.

"We have pledged to keep fighting until the last detainee is freed," said Najla Fadel, an activist with the Abductees' Mothers Association, despite group members enduring "threats and beatings" during protests.

Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war saw 17,415 people go missing, Amnesty said, citing official figures.

"We will not give up our rights," Wadad Halwani, who heads the Committee of the Families of the Kidnapped and Missing, in Lebanon, told AFP.

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Artificial Intelligence Analysis

Defense Industry Analyst: 8

Stock Market Analyst: 6

General Industry Analyst: 7

Analyst

Summary

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Amnesty International has called on Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen to reveal the fate of people missing in decades of war and unrest, in recognition of International Day for the Disappeared. It is estimated that between 250,000 and one million people have been disappeared in Iraq since 1968, and disappearances are still carried out today by government-affiliated militias. In Syria, tens of thousands are believed to have gone missing in jails run by various sides of the 12-year conflict, and in Yemen, 1,547 cases of missing and disappeared persons have been documented since 201

• 1. In June, the UN General Assembly created an independent body to clarify the fate of those missing in Syria since war broke out.

  The implications of this article are important for the defense industry, stock market, and general industry. From a defense industry perspective, Amnesty Internationals call to action is an important reminder of the ongoing human rights issues in the Middle East, and could result in increased efforts to protect civilians in military conflicts. From a stock market perspective, the potential for increased military spending in the region could lead to a surge in stock prices for companies in the defense industry. For general industry analysts, this article highlights the importance of human rights in the Middle East, emphasizing the need to protect civilians in military conflicts and promote accountability for human rights abuses.

  This article is in line with significant events and trends in the space and defense industry over the past 25 years. For instance, since the 1990s, there have been numerous conflicts in the Middle East, resulting in large numbers of people disappearing in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. This article is reflective of the ongoing human rights violations and the need for governments to take action to ensure the rights of families.

  Investigative

  Question:

  • 1. How have governments in the Middle East responded to Amnesty Internationals call to reveal the fate of the people missing in decades of war and unrest?

  • 2. What are the legal implications for government-affiliated militias who are responsible for disappearances in the Middle East?

  • 3.
  Are there any international laws in place to protect civilians in conflicts in the Middle East?

  4. What has been the international communitys response to Amnesty Internationals call for action?

  5. What strategies can be implemented to ensure accountability for human rights violations in the Middle East?

  This AI report is generated by a sophisticated prompt to a ChatGPT API. Our editors clean text for presentation, but preserve AI thought for our collective observation. Please comment and ask questions about AI use by Spacedaily. We appreciate your support and contribution to better trade news.

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