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 | Thursday, April 27, 2000, updated at 17:02(GMT+8) | ||||||||||||
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Humanitarian Disasters Created by NATOThis article, written by Zhong Shukong, alternate member of the Committee of the United Nations Human Rights Group, says that the bombing attack launched by US-led NATO against Yugoslavia that lasted for 78 days and nights from March 24 to June 10 last year, has proved to be a shocking humanitarian disaster. Following are highlights of the article.The incident of large-scale encroachment on human rights occurred between March 24 and June 10 last year. The wanton bombing launched by US-led NATO against a sovereign state, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia., lasted for 78 days and nights, these indiscriminate bombings carried out in the name of "protecting human rights" and under the pretext of "humanistic intervention" has proved to be a shocking humanistic disaster. (I) The Bombings Have Caused Serious Humanistic Disaster According to unbiased reports and factual statements, the wanton bombing of Yugoslavia has resulted in extremely serious humanistic disaster, relevant facts include: (1) Bringing untold suffering to large numbers of innocent people. The "carefully plotted" bombing brought great disaster to the Yugoslavian people. Including: the death and injury of thousands upon thousands of innocent people; leaving about 1 million people homeless; rendering over 500,000 people unemployed; depriving 2 million people (nearly one-fifth of the country's total population) of their source of income. (1) Inflicting serious damage on the infrastructure facilities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The indiscriminate bombing destroyed more than 50 main bridges, 12 railways, and five provincial standard highways; meanwhile, it also destroyed the country's power plants and main transformer stations. (1) Triggering sustained ecological disasters. The wanton bombing of Yugoslavian refineries, chemical fertilizer plants and pharmaceuticals has led to large-area pollution and "poison-containing cloud and smoke". This will bring long-term negative effect on the ecological environment in Yugoslavia and the whole of the Balkan Peninsula. In view of the above-mentioned facts, many celebrities in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have pointed out that everything mentioned above has constituted "extremely serious, large-scale encroachment on human rights", "bringing long-term harm to mankind". (I) War Crimes Certain people of influence today still plead for the aforementioned wanton bombing and still talk glibly about the "victory" of their "high-tech air attacks" on a weak and small sovereign state. However, the views of honest and serious people are totally different and, with their convincing analyses, they have proved that this savage bombing is naked military aggression and constitutes war crimes. (I) Serious Concern About the Grave Consequence Apart from touching off humanistic disaster and ecological calamities, the wanton bombing has posed threats to the lives of the innocent people of various Yugoslavian nationalities. The threat comes from the unexploded cluster bombs left behind by the 78 days and nights of savage bombings in various parts of Yugoslavia, including villages, schools and regions. In view of this situation, analysts have pointed out: What is particularly worrying is that these war criminals have concocted absurd "justifications", such as "new strategic concepts" and "human rights transcending sovereignty". This is the most abominable blasphemy against human rights. In addition, analysts have also pointed out: history is just and inexorable. History has proved that hegemonism is the most ferocious enemy of human rights. History will also prove that any one who attempts to practice hegemonism will fare no better than the arrogant fascists who launched the Second World War.
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