The Ignorance Of The Sanctimonious Human Rights Watch Group

NAIROBI, Oct 25 – Kenyan security forces must end the abuse of residents in crackdowns and reprisal raids in the hunt for suspected backers of Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab militants, Human Rights Watch warned Thursday. Since Nairobi invaded southern Somalia last October to attack Shabaab bases, a string of attacks have rocked the volatile northeastern region, including grenade blasts targeting both the security forces and civilians. In response, security forces have beaten and shot at civilians, as well as looting and destroying their property, the New York-based rights group said in a report. “Kenyan police officers are apparently responding to attacks on their forces with abuses against entire villages,” said Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director at HRW.

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2012/10/kenya-police-abuse-residents-in-hunt-for-islamists-hrw/

The human rights bodies are probably the most absurd if not ridiculous. They remind me of the infamous fire brigades in our country that often arrive after the fire has consumed everything and if by chance they do manage to arrive in time they rarely have water to put out the fire.

The human rights activists are normally conspicuously absent when crimes are being perpetrated by the citizenry and only come to life as soon as our brave boys in uniform are called upon to quell these atrocities. In their default condescending mannerisms, they portend to fight for the rights of the same people they ignored prior to military intervention.

It is therefore almost laughable when the human rights watch team seems to be “very concerned” with the alleged abuse that’s being meted out on “innocent Somali residents” by our security forces. For years the Al-shabaab killed, raped and mutilated innocent Somali citizens as the entire world watched but apparently no one in human rights watch was moved enough to rally resources and forces to liberate the oppressed Somali people.

Maybe it’s about time these human rights groups were left to mediate between these warring parties across Africa and settle these conflicts that have bedevilled many African nations. In any war there are inevitable casualties caught in the crossfire sometimes referred to as collateral damage. But, how do you engage an enemy who hides amidst the same people you are trying to liberate?

We would appreciate if these so called human rights watch groups would take time out to appreciate the sacrificial service our boys in uniform engage in. We are not the only country engaged militarily in a quest to better the lives of a people alien to us. The USA and its allies have military engagements in various stations across the globe and some of their activities have raised a few eyes brows without causing much hullabaloo from the said human rights watch groups.

If the intentions of the said watch groups were to highlight the plight of the oppressed it should have a balanced response time. They should not to seem to come in only at the last stage or phase with a barrage of unhelpful accusations.  Their focused intentions should both be preventive as well curative for them to have any credible moral stand.