March against the drones

PEACE activists marched through the centre of London to the United States embassy last week to protest at the use by the imperialist powers of unmanned drones to bring death, injury and terror to people living in Pakistan, Somalia and other places.

The demonstration was organised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and Stop the War as part of a worldwide series of protests against drones, the biggest protest being in Pakistan.

Members and supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (the Pakistani political party headed by Imran Khan) marched from 10 Downing Street to the US Embassy in London demand an end to the use of drones – which are supposed to be targeted at “terrorists” but inevitably kill more civilians, including many children.

Their use is a violation of human rights and has sabotaged peace negotiations between the Pakistani government and representatives of the Taliban.

The US provides no evidence, no trial and no defence for those it accuses of terrorism – just an instant death sentence for them and anyone else who happens to be near them. In many cases groups of children and or field workers have been assessed to be terrorists by those remote controllers in charge of the drones and blown to pieces.

Earlier this month the German government has suspended the purchase of armed drones on the grounds that it “categorically rejects illegal killings.”

This follows a report by Amnesty International that accused Merkel’s government of aiding the US with drone strikes in Pakistan and a campaign in Germany against the use of drones.

US drone attacks have resulted in deaths of innocent civilians and extra judicial killings of suspected militants in Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan. These attacks violate human rights, are classed as a “war crime” by the United Nations and violate Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Amnesty International stated in its recent report, Will I be next?’ US drone strikes in Pakistan that Pakistan government sources confirm the US has launched 330 to 374 drone strikes in Pakistan between 2004 and September 2013.

According to these sources, between 400 and 900 civilians have been killed in these attacks and at least 600 people have been seriously injured with life changing injuries.

The PTI has been very vocal regarding its opposition of drone attacks in Pakistan since they first started in 2004. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) believes that drones are not only in violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, they are also a major hurdle for the way to peace and stability within Pakistan.