The Dubious Swat Deal With Taliban
Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:47 pm
Pakistan: Swat peace deal threatens human rights says Amnesty
Mingora/London, 17 Feb. (AKI) - Human rights, especially women's rights, would be further threatened once Islamic Sharia law is imposed troubled northwestern Swat district under a controversial peace accord signed this week, leading campaign group Amnesty International has said.
"The Pakistani government must ensure it protects the human rights of nearly two million people in the Swat valley and neighbouring Malakand district," Amnesty said.
Once one of Pakistan's most popular holiday destinations, the Swat valley is now mostly under Taliban control since an insurgency began there in 2007 following the siege of Islamabad's Red Mosque in which over 100 people died.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Swat and hundreds of girls' schools have been destroyed since the Taliban began a reign of terror including beheadings of officials and members of the Pakistani security forces sent to quell the insurgency.
The Taliban in Swat has also publicly whipped men for shaving their beards, destroyed music shops and forcibly prohibited women from leaving their homes, unless escorted by a male relative, Amnesty noted.
The controversial peace deal signed between Taliban insurgents in Swat and the government of surrounding North West Frontier Province could legitimise the human rights abuses that have been taking place in the region as the Taliban influence has increased, Amnesty warned.
“The government is reneging on its duty to protect the human rights of people from Swat Valley by handing them over to Taliban insurgents,†said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty's Asia-Pacific director.
Amnesty also accused the Pakistani authorities of launching "indiscriminate and disproportionate" attacks against the Taliban that have mostly harmed civilians.
Females in Swat have been systematically targeted by the Taliban for "gender based" violence and discrimination, the group said.
Girls and women's rights to freedom of movement, work and education have been severely curtailed, it said.
"The Pakistani government cannot just abandon these people and sign away their rights,†said Zarifi.
NWFP chief minister, Ameer Hussain Hoti on Monday announced an accord had been signed that would implement a new "order of justice" in Malakand and Swat.
A new law will create a separate system of justice for the whole area, although the Taliban have reportedly already set up their own system of Islamic justice, as they understand it.
Between 250,000 – 500,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Swat valley since 2007.
The Taliban campaign against female education has led to tens of thousands of children being denied an education, according to local observers.
Mingora/London, 17 Feb. (AKI) - Human rights, especially women's rights, would be further threatened once Islamic Sharia law is imposed troubled northwestern Swat district under a controversial peace accord signed this week, leading campaign group Amnesty International has said.
"The Pakistani government must ensure it protects the human rights of nearly two million people in the Swat valley and neighbouring Malakand district," Amnesty said.
Once one of Pakistan's most popular holiday destinations, the Swat valley is now mostly under Taliban control since an insurgency began there in 2007 following the siege of Islamabad's Red Mosque in which over 100 people died.
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Swat and hundreds of girls' schools have been destroyed since the Taliban began a reign of terror including beheadings of officials and members of the Pakistani security forces sent to quell the insurgency.
The Taliban in Swat has also publicly whipped men for shaving their beards, destroyed music shops and forcibly prohibited women from leaving their homes, unless escorted by a male relative, Amnesty noted.
The controversial peace deal signed between Taliban insurgents in Swat and the government of surrounding North West Frontier Province could legitimise the human rights abuses that have been taking place in the region as the Taliban influence has increased, Amnesty warned.
“The government is reneging on its duty to protect the human rights of people from Swat Valley by handing them over to Taliban insurgents,†said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty's Asia-Pacific director.
Amnesty also accused the Pakistani authorities of launching "indiscriminate and disproportionate" attacks against the Taliban that have mostly harmed civilians.
Females in Swat have been systematically targeted by the Taliban for "gender based" violence and discrimination, the group said.
Girls and women's rights to freedom of movement, work and education have been severely curtailed, it said.
"The Pakistani government cannot just abandon these people and sign away their rights,†said Zarifi.
NWFP chief minister, Ameer Hussain Hoti on Monday announced an accord had been signed that would implement a new "order of justice" in Malakand and Swat.
A new law will create a separate system of justice for the whole area, although the Taliban have reportedly already set up their own system of Islamic justice, as they understand it.
Between 250,000 – 500,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Swat valley since 2007.
The Taliban campaign against female education has led to tens of thousands of children being denied an education, according to local observers.