NEW YORK \u2013 A United Nations report has concluded that United States\nattacks on vessels suspected of involvement in drug trafficking in the\nCaribbean and Eastern Pacific regions are illegal and can be categorised\nas \u201ccrimes against humanity\u201d. Previously, the US was also accused of\nsimilar crimes involving the killing of over one hundred children at a\nschool in Minab, Iran.<\/p>\n
In a report published on Monday, UN Special Rapporteur Ben Saul\nstated that attacks on 68 vessels between September last year and August\nhave resulted in at least 223 deaths and involved the \u201cillegal use of\nforce\u201d that was disproportionate.<\/p>\n
These findings were released just days after the US military\nannounced its latest attack on another vessel, which killed four people.\nThe administration of US President Donald Trump, which views the\noperations against these vessels as part of a military conflict, stated\nthat such actions were necessary to prevent the influx of deadly drugs\ninto the United States.<\/p>\n
The administration described the drug shipments as an \u201carmed attack\u201d\nagainst US territory.<\/p>\n
The report concluded that the attacks carried out by US forces cannot\nbe justified under either national or international law, and thus can be\ncategorised as a \u201cseries of extrajudicial killings that violate the\nright to life.\u201d<\/p>\n
The report stated that these actions \u201care allegedly crimes against\nhumanity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the report noted that although the targets were proven\nto be members of organised criminal groups or \u201cterrorist\u201d groups as\nclaimed by the US, there is no evidence to show that they had launched\narmed attacks against the US or were acting as proxies for another\nstate\u2014actions that could otherwise serve as justification for US\nmilitary strikes.<\/p>\n
Saul, the UN Special Rapportiment on counter-terrorism and human\nrights, added that drug trafficking \u201cis not equivalent to a military\nattack.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, observers noted that the Trump administration never\nprovided any evidence to demonstrate that the vessels they attacked were\nactually transporting drugs.<\/p>\n
The UN report also questioned the legality of US efforts to forcibly\narrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January\u2014an event that\nresulted in 75 deaths\u2014as well as cooperation with other Latin American\nnations under the \u201cShield of the Americas\u201d framework initiated by the\nTrump administration. This initiative aimed to expand US anti-drug\noperations into the region\u2019s mainland.<\/p>\n
The UN report called for an internal investigation and requested\naccountability for the commanders involved in these operations. The\nreport concluded that the attacks failed to prevent the entry of cocaine\ninto the United States via insufficiently inspected container ships.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/un-reports-us-committed-crimes-against-humanity-twice-in-one-week-1790078120", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }