File spoon-archives/aut-op-sy.archive/aut-op-sy_2001/aut-op-sy.0109, message 138


From: CESR <rights-AT-cesr.org>
Subject: AUT: CESR Statement on Tuesday Atttacks in US
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 23:13:15 +0000


CENTER FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS RESPONSE TO ATTACKS IN THE UNITED 
STATES

(New York, September 13, 2001) – We condemn and deplore Tuesday’s 
horrific attacks in the United States and express our sorrow and 
solidarity with the victims, their relatives and friends, and all people 
who have been wounded by these crimes.

Amidst the devastation, the response in New York has been inspiring.  
Despite palpable anger, New Yorkers have largely resisted the lure of 
answering hate with hate and instead joined together in grief for the 
victims and resolve to carry on.  Despite continuing danger, 
firefighters, rescue workers and volunteers have worked nonstop to 
control the inferno and locate survivors.  Mayor Giuliani himself rushed 
to the danger zone to supervise the rescue effort, and also announced 
zero tolerance for vigilante reprisals. 

In contrast, our highest federal officials in Washington went missing 
from the scene of destruction and issued what can only be termed 
dangerously irresponsible calls for military vengeance.  President 
Bush’s warning that we “will make no distinction between the terrorists 
who committed these acts and those who harbored them” can be interpreted 
to justify attacking an entire nation rather than strictly targeting 
those responsible.  Democratic Senator Zell Miller of Georgia made this 
explicit: “I say, bomb the hell out of them.  If there’s collateral 
damage, so be it.  They certainly found our civilians to be expendable.”

We affirm that all civilians, regardless of nationality or any other 
status, are protected by fundamental principles of international law, 
human rights and common decency.  The tragic loss of life in lower 
Manhattan and elsewhere must not be followed by another slaughter of 
innocents in another part of our world. 

US media coverage has simplified the issues as good versus evil, 
American liberty versus irrational Islamic fundamentalism.  This 
indicates a profound lack of political reflection on the US role in 
supporting oppressive governments and policies in the Middle East, from 
Israeli occupation of Palestinian land to Egyptian and Saudi repression 
of democratic dissent.  It is never popular to discuss root causes in 
the midst of such carnage.  But these disaster scenes will become 
increasingly frequent unless we resolve to consistently support human 
rights in all countries for all peoples. 

Indiscriminate bombardment of Afghanistan or Iraq – whose populations 
are already brutalized by war, US-driven economic sanctions and 
repressive governments – will destroy fragile infrastructure, kill 
civilians, inflame anti-American sentiment throughout the region and 
escalate the cycle of violence – while leaving the architects of the 
suicide attacks untouched.  The damage to our own society could be even 
greater – increased militarization, potential suspension of civil 
liberties and widespread scapegoating of minority communities.  Already 
there have been scores of bias crimes against Arabs and Muslims reported 
across the country.

We urge all people of conscience to extend all possible support to 
victims of Tuesday’s heinous attacks, to stand fast against all forms of 
racism and stereotyping, and to oppose calls by certain political 
leaders for indiscriminate vengeance abroad and diminished freedoms at 
home.  The path to increased security for Americans and other peoples 
lies through more justice and more democracy, not less.  

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