Amnesty International has apologized for the report it published last week documenting how Ukrainian forces have been harming civilians. This is an unusual move from a supposedly non-partisan organization.
The report stated at least 19 instances where Ukrainian forces had put civilians in harm’s way, often using them as human shields against Russian forces. Amnesty International made these assessments “based on the rules of international humanitarian law, which require all parties to a conflict to avoid locating, to the maximum extent feasible, military objectives within or near densely populated areas.”
The organization says that they stand by their assessment but they apologize for the “distress and anger” it caused. Who should they apologize to? Ukraine? The civilians? The angry Twitter mob? The release does not say but a lot of reports from Amnesty International are upsetting. For instance, the government aggression in Guinea. Do they apologize to me for writing that because I find it upsetting?
Many people just don’t want to hear this about Ukraine so the report caused an outcry. Some think anything critical of Ukraine is pro-Russian. That is simplistic and overly reductive thinking! We must not err on the side of tuning out what is uncomfortable just because the mainstream media supports an ongoing conflict. People are dying. Innocents and civilians. Peace talks now!
