今日現在、世界で一番激しい軍事行動が行われている地域はどこか？自慢にな
るかどうか、またそう意識されているがはともかく、それはズバリ日本です。
現在の世界で群を抜いて最大の軍事演習＝米韓合同演習 Foal Eagle（１１月
４日まで行われた）に続いて、５日から日米合同演習Keen Swordが行われていま
す。日本海での演習だけでも、空母やイージス艦を含む四万人の兵力、その他に
南九州と岩手に海兵隊・米陸軍・陸自を結集して演習を行っています。もはや
NATOはこのようなタイプの演習をやりません。軍事行動の好きな「共産圏」は消
えてしまっている。朝鮮半島と日本列島だけには冷戦時代のマンモスが生き残っ
ています。
そして、現在最も大規模な実戦の恐れがあるのが、これは世界のだれもが知っ
ている中東−イラクです。北東アジアと中東で「大規模な地域紛争」を２つ同時
に戦うというのが、アメリカの公表された軍事戦略ですから、偶然かどうかシナ
リオ通りの演習というわけです。
イラクへの軍事行動の可能性が高まる中、対応して在日米軍も動いています。
１１月の初めには、嘉手納のF-15が６機イラク監視に派遣されました。佐世保へ
戻る予定だった強襲揚陸艦ベローウッドは現在沖縄沖で待機中ですが、湾岸に急
派されるようです。
そのイラク攻撃の可能性が高まる中、国際的な人権問題監視組織Human Rights
Watchが、軍事行動は市民civiliansを巻き込む恐れがあることをクリントンとブ
レアーに警告する声明を出しています。（攻撃を計画している）米英軍は、都市
部施設を攻撃すれば市民の犠牲は避けられないことから、攻撃する施設が本当に
純粋な軍事目標であることを明らかにする義務があると指摘しています。
米英は戦時国際法を遵守することを軍のガイドラインに書いているが、湾岸戦
争の時はそれは守られなかった。これらのガイドラインの違反を両国は厳しく監
視すべきだと、この声明は指摘しています。
日本人は、世界最大の軍事演習に平気で金を出しているのだから、軍事行動も
ご自由に、と考えているのかもしれませんが、戦闘の際でも非戦闘員の命と人権
は守らなければならないという現在世界の原則については、民間人にも軍人にも
教育が足りないようです。
−−−−−−以下Human Rights Watch声明転載−−−−−−−−
AVOID HARM TO IRAQI CIVILIANS, SAYS RIGHTS GROUP
Clinton and Blair Urged to Take Extraordinary Precautions
(November 10, 1998, New York) -- Bill Clinton and Tony Blair should
take all feasible steps to protect civilians from injury in the event
of an attack on Iraq, Human Rights Watch said in letters to the U.S.
president and U.K. prime minister today.
Statements by officials from both governments have
indicated that
many
potential targets are in urban areas, where the risk of civilian
deaths and destruction is high. The laws of war prohibit the
destruction of objects that are indispensable to the survival of a
civilian population.
"The laws-of-war duty to avoid damage to civilians
requires
extraordinary
precautions in urban settings," said Kenneth Roth, executive director
of Human Rights Watch. He warned that attacks on electrical
facilities, "dual-use"civilian facilities, and military sites in areas
of civilian presence could result in disproportionate civilian losses.
"The Gulf War bombing of Iraq's electrical system is a good example
of
what must not happen again," Roth said.
Human Rights Watch pointed out that U.S. and U.K.
officials have
yet to
present evidence that they had been able to identify particular
facilities as chemical and biological weapons (CBW) sites. Since many
of the alleged CBW sites are civilian facilities such as hospitals,
fertilizer plants, breweries, and pharmaceutical and pesticide plants,
the potential for deadly mistakes is high.
"The decision to attack possible dual-use sites must
be taken only
after all
feasible efforts have been made to verify that the site is in fact
being used for military purposes," said Roth. " Even then civilians
on
site should be given effective advance warning of an imminent attack."
The possible release of dangerous substances during an attack should
also be weighed heavily, he said.
Human Rights Watch noted that in the past, the Iraqi
government
has used
civilians to shield its military sites -- a flagrant violation of
international humanitarian law. But such actions in no way diminish
the separate obligation of the U.S. and the U.K. to avoid harm to
civilians. "Knowing that shielding is a possibility, the American and
British militaries should pay special attention to this obligation,"
said Roth. "Advance warnings are imperative."
Although the U.S. and the U.K. have incorporated
many
international
humanitarian law provisions into their military guidelines, the
organization noted that allied forces in the 1991 Gulf War did not
always fully comply with these requirements, as detailed in Human
Rights Watch's lengthy report, Needless Deaths in the Gulf War.
The
organization called on both governments to put into place mechanisms
to review continuously the selection of targets and the means and
methods used to carry out attacks, and to ensure that possible
violations of these standards are investigated immediately and
vigorously. A prompt public accounting of the findings should be made,
and appropriate disciplinary or prosecutorial measures should be taken
against those found responsible for any breach.
−−−−−ここまで−−−−−−−−−−−−−
********************
Masahiko Aoki
青木雅彦
btree@osk.3web.ne.jp
********************
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