Amnesty International: World Order on the Verge of Collapse
The world order is threatened by war, from Gaza, Ukraine, to Myanmar. Likewise, artificial intelligence is allowed to run wild.
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French human rights activist and Secretary General of Amnesty International Agnes Callamard in London, England, 23 April 2024.
LONDON, WEDNESDAY — The post-World War II world order is on the verge of collapse. Threats come from various factors, ranging from fierce conflicts, wars, to the rapid and wild development of artificial intelligence.
"Everything we have witnessed in the past 12 months indicates that the global system is on the brink of collapse," said Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard during the release of the annual report "Human Rights in the World" in London, England, on Wednesday (24/4/2024).
The report highlights the veto holders in the United Nations (UN) Security Council, including the United States (US), Russia and China. These countries are considered to be strong actors who currently do not hesitate to risk the post-World War II world order.
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, raised her hand and declared abstention during the voting at the United Nations Security Council on Friday (December 22, 2023).
In particular, Callamard highlighted the US role in Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip. For the past six months, Callamard said, the US has shielded Israeli authorities from scrutiny for various violations committed in Gaza.
By using its veto power to reject the much-needed ceasefire in Gaza, the US has crippled the ability of the UN Security Council to act as it should have. "For millions of people around the world, Gaza now symbolizes the moral failure of the post-World War II order," he said.
Everything we have seen over the last 12 months shows that the global system is on the verge of collapse.
According to data from the Ministry of Health in Gaza, managed by Hamas, Israel's attacks in Gaza have killed at least 34,183 people. The majority of the victims who died were women and children.
Palestinian residents mourn the death of their relatives who were killed in an Israeli bombing attack, at Al-Najar Hospital in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on April 21, 2024.
Meanwhile, Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 resulted in the deaths of at least 1,170 people, mostly civilians. This attack by Hamas became the reason for Israel's attack on Gaza. However, after lasting for 200 days, Israel's attack on Gaza has not stopped and the casualties continue to mount.
Also read: US Continues to Paralyze UN on Gaza
Amnesty International acknowledges that Hamas has committed heinous crimes against the Israeli community near the Gaza border. However, the human rights monitoring organization also criticized Israel's actions, which were deemed to have imposed collective punishment on the entire population of Gaza.
"This is a deliberate campaign, without discrimination, bombing of civilian residents and civil infrastructure, prohibition of humanitarian aid, and deliberate starvation," wrote Callamard in her introduction to the report.
Palestinian health officials stand at a mass grave discovered at the Nasser hospital complex in Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip on April 21, 2024.
Israel's allies also participated in Israel's attack and the horrors that occurred in Gaza, including countries that provide weapons to Israel. Callamard regrets the lack of action by international institutions regarding this matter. She also questions whether the "never again" ideals proclaimed after World War II are no longer in effect.
The phrase "never again" is a slogan that is associated with the lesson of maintaining peace from the genocide of the Jewish people in the Holocaust and other genocides. This slogan is intended to prevent the recurrence of the same tragedy. After World War II, the UN drafted a convention to prevent and punish genocide.
Also read: Accepting Genocide Lawsuit, International Court Does Not Order an End to the Gaza War
At the end of 2023, South Africa filed a lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with allegations of genocide in Gaza. Pretoria pleaded with the ICJ to order a ceasefire or humanitarian truce in Gaza. The ICJ was also requested to order a ban on hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
A demonstrator raised a Palestinian flag in front of the Palace of Peace ahead of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling on the alleged genocide case against Israel filed by South Africa, in The Hague, Netherlands, on January 26, 2024.
This lawsuit has been accepted, but there is no ceasefire order. "The court is very aware of the magnitude of the humanitarian tragedy that is taking place in the area and is deeply concerned with the continued loss of life and human suffering," said International Court of Justice (ICJ) President Joan Donoghue.
After repeatedly failing to produce a resolution for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the UN has called for an investigation into the mass graves found in two major hospitals in Gaza after being attacked by Israel. "Credible investigators must have access to these sites," said UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Also read: Mass Grave of 180 Bodies Found in Hospital Abandoned by Israeli Soldiers
At least 283 bodies were found in mass graves at the main hospital in Khan Younis after the Israeli attack in March 2024. At that time, people could not bury bodies in cemeteries and dug graves in the hospital yard .
Residents walk through rubble to transport humanitarian aid packages collected from the northern region of the Gaza Strip on April 23, 2024.
The spokesperson for the US Department of State, Vedant Patel, has described reports of mass graves at hospitals as deeply concerning. US officials have requested information from the Government of Israel regarding these mass graves.
Another actor
Amnesty International's report also documents Russia's blatant violations of rules during their invasion of Ukraine, including torture or mistreatment of prisoners of war.
Also read: Ukraine and Russia Execute Prisoners of War
The report also mentions that China violates international law by protecting and providing financial assistance to the Myanmar military, which has attacked civilians. "Urgent steps are needed to revitalize and renew international institutions intended to protect humanity," said Callamard.
Police inspect destroyed cars in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, after a Russian attack, on October 10, 2022.
The report states that China continues to shield itself from international scrutiny over its treatment of Uighur minorities. The UN first revealed the existence of a network of detention centers in Xinjiang in 2018. At least 1 million Uighur and other minority ethnic groups have been detained there.
Also read: Arrest of Uighur Citizens Utilizes Big Data
China admits the existence of camps in the region. However, Beijing claims that these camps are vocational skills training centers necessary to address extremism. In October 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Council chose not to debate the issue.
Amnesty International is calling for reform in the United Nations Security Council. The reform primarily concerns the veto rights so that they cannot be used in situations of massive human rights violations.
Artificial intelligence
Besides conflicts, the Amnesty International report also mentions that artificial intelligence (AI) is a threat that can erode fundamental human rights, perpetuate racist policies, and allow the spread of false information.
An AI-created hologram named Conceptt was displayed in a video call at the Deutsche Telekom AG booth during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain on February 26, 2024.
Amnesty International accuses big technology companies of ignoring such threats, even in armed conflicts. "Technology criminals and their rogue technologies are allowed to run wild in the digital world, like the Wild West," said Callamard.
Also read: Artificial Intelligence Perpetuates Gender Bias Against Women
According to Amnesty International's report, the neglect can accelerate human rights violations by 2024. This year is considered a critical year because several major countries hold elections, including India and the US.
”In an increasingly precarious world, unregulated applications of technologies such as generative AI, facial recognition, and spyware are poised to become dangerous adversaries that escalate violations of international law and human rights to extraordinary levels, Callamard said.
CEO and Co-Founder of Infleksi AI, Mustafa Suleyman, spoke at the UK Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit in Bletchley Park on November 1, 2023.
He urged the government to take strong legislative and regulatory measures. This is important in addressing the risks and losses caused by AI technology.
This human rights group based in England also warns of the increasing attacks against women and marginalized communities. According to the institution's findings, the increase in these attacks is carried out by many political figures from various parts of the world. (AP/AFP)
