New Delhi: Amnesty International apologised Sunday for the “distress and anger” caused by a report released last week, in which it accused Ukrainian forces of putting “civilians in harm’s way” by setting up “bases and operating weapons systems in populated residential areas”.
#UPDATE Amnesty International said Sunday it “deeply regrets the distress and anger” caused after it documented alleged violations of international law by Ukrainian forces fighting Russian invaders. pic.twitter.com/NLMjzflkFe
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) August 7, 2022
However, Amnesty declared they fully “stand by our findings” while maintaining that they “regret the pain caused”. Amnesty also added that by no means was the report aimed at blaming Ukraine for violations committed by Russia.
The report drew such strong reactions within Ukraine that Oksana Pokalchuk, the head of Amnesty International’s Ukraine office, resigned.
Pokalchuk stated on Facebook she was resigning from her post as she could neither get the report changed nor removed. Polkachuk added she opposed the report while also arguing the report provided context for supporting Russia’s discourse around the war.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the organisation was “attempting to grant amnesty to the terrorist state and to shift blame from the aggressor to the victim of aggression,” reported Politico.
What does the Amnesty report say?
Amnesty accused Ukraine of violating international humanitarian law by setting up military bases and deploying weapons from residential areas. After research and investigation conducted for many weeks, Amnesty concluded the pattern of Ukraine’s forces holding themselves in residential areas was found in “19 towns and villages”.
These residential areas included schools and hospitals. According to Amnesty, such tactics by Ukraine turn civilian areas into targets for the Russians, leading to the death of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure.
Amnesty argued, “Viable alternatives were available that would not endanger civilians – such as military bases or densely wooded areas nearby, or other structures further away from residential areas.”
However, the report added this pattern did not apply to all areas of Russian attack. Specifically, in Kharkiv city, the Ukrainian forces did not turn residential areas into operating commands.
Amnesty spoke to survivors in Mykolaiv, Donbas, & Kharkiv
To corroborate findings, Amnesty spoke to survivors of Russian strikes and attacks in Mykolaiv, Donbas and Kharkiv.
Amnesty reported that survivors said, “Ukrainian military had been operating near their homes around the time of the strikes, exposing the areas to retaliatory fire from Russian forces.”
The report further found that the Ukrainian army was using hospitals and schools as “de facto military bases”. Amnesty stated five hospitals were being used as military bases.
The report added that of the 22 out of 29 schools visited, Amnesty International researchers either found soldiers using the premises or found evidence of current or prior military activity –including the presence of military fatigues, discarded munitions, army ration packets and military vehicles.
Amnesty concluded, “The Ukrainian government should immediately ensure that it locates its forces away from populated areas, or should evacuate civilians from areas where the military is operating.”
“Militaries should never use hospitals to engage in warfare and should only use schools or civilian homes as a last resort when there are no viable alternatives,” the report added.
Also read: Jolted by Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan ‘taking steps to strengthen economy’, says FM Dorji
Source: The Print
