[NUJ Bristol] US/UK breaching Geneva convention x2

Tony Gosling bristol@nuj.org.uk
Wed, 26 Mar 2003 12:34:05 +0000


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1. Iraq TV Raid May Break Geneva Convention
2. Amnesty condemns illegal attacks on civilians

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Iraq TV Raid May Break Geneva Convention
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20030326_203.html

March 26, 2003

=97 BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The head of the world's biggest journalists'=20
organization said a U.S. bomb and missile attack on Iraqi television on=20
Wednesday was an attempt at censorship and may have breached the Geneva=20
Conventions.

"I think there should be a clear international investigation into whether=20
or not this bombing violates the Geneva Conventions," Aidan White, general=
=20
secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), told=
 Reuters.

"We have every reason to believe this is an act of censorship against media=
=20
that U.S. politicians and military strategists don't like," he said.

A U.S. official in Washington earlier said the raid had hit the main=20
television station, a key telecommunications vault and Baghdad satellite=20
communications, damaging the government's command and control capability.

But White said U.S. strikes would have targeted television earlier if it=20
had been a military target.

"There is no question that this attack reflects the anger and frustration=20
of political leaders in the United States over the showing of prisoners on=
=20
television and the use of television to boost the morale of Saddam Hussein=
=20
supporters," said White.

"This is the only credible explanation for this attack."

He said the IFJ, which represents more than 500,000 journalists in 100=20
countries, believed there was no military justification for the raid, which=
=20
recalled NATO's bombing of Radio Television Serbia during the Kosovo war=20
three years ago.

"Once again, we see military and political commanders from the democratic=20
world targeting a television network simply because they don't like the=20
message it gives out," he said.

Despite the attack, Iraqi television came on air at about 9 a.m., and state=
=20
radio was also broadcasting normally. Iraq's 24-hour international=20
satellite television channel ceased broadcasting during the raids but came=
=20
back on air at about 0920 GMT with patriotic songs.

The IFJ said international law forbade attacks on television and radio=20
stations unless they were used for military purposes, and there was no=20
evidence this was the case in Iraq.

Nor did the IFJ believe television broadcasts could include coded messages=
=20
to the Iraqi army. "The idea that Iraqi soldiers are sitting in the desert=
=20
watching television to get their orders is absurd," White said.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20030326_203.html

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2. US and Britain condemned over 'Geneva Convention breach'
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_764628.html?menu=3D

Amnesty International has condemned the US and Britain for targeting=20
civilian buildings in air strikes.

Although the coalition forces state they are hitting Saddam Hussein's=20
regime command centres, the human rights body says the bombing of the Iraqi=
=20
television channel could be a breach of the Geneva Conventions.

Tomahawk cruise missiles and bombs slammed into the headquarters of Iraqi=20
state television as the allies sought to sever the link between Saddam and=
=20
the population.

"The bombing of a television station, simply because it is being used for=20
the purposes of propaganda, cannot be condoned," Amnesty International said.

"It is a civilian object, and thus protected under international=20
humanitarian law."

But a US spokesman insisted: "These targets are key regime command and=20
control assets."

After the pre-dawn air strikes on the Iraqi capital, monitors in London=20
could no longer see the international 24-hour Iraqi Satellite TV. Domestic=
=20
Iraqi TV, which does not broadcast at night, reportedly came back on air at=
=20
about 0600 GMT. State radio was still broadcasting.

Thomas Mcinerney, a former US Air Force General, told an audience at the=20
Council on Foreign Relations on Tuesday there are "pluses and minuses" of=20
such a TV station continuing to operate.

Leaving the station unaffected would allow the Pentagon to broadcast its=20
own propaganda if and when Baghdad falls. And the battle to win the hearts=
=20
and minds of Iraqis depends on not destroying the civilian infrastructure.

But now the allies clearly want Iraqi propaganda, which is co-ordinated by=
=20
Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, taken off the air.

The televised call by Saddam earlier this week for Iraqis to "slit the=20
throats" of the invaders may have boosted the spirits of those who=20
otherwise feared the leadership of their country was close to defeat.

Story filed: 08:15 Wednesday 26th March 2003

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_764628.html?menu=3D


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