NEW YORK - On the one-year anniversary of the killings of 17 Iraqi civilians by Blackwater Worldwide contractors working for the State Department in Iraq, Amnesty International today condemned the U.S. government for failing to hold anyone accountable for the deaths.
"The U.S. government has failed to ensure legal accountability for widespread abuses by civilian contractors," said Larry Cox, executive director of Amnesty International USA. "Iraqi and U.S. investigations have determined that this assault was an unjustifiable use of force against civilians. And yet, a year later, we are still waiting for justice in this case. Robust protections must be in place to guarantee that personnel are held accountable for indiscriminate shootings and killings of civilians."
The deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians on Sept. 16, 2007, occurred when Blackwater personnel fired into the streets in Baghdad near Nissour Square as the contractors were providing security protection for a U.S. diplomatic convoy.
Both Iraqi and FBI investigations concluded that the shootings represented an unjustifiable use of force against civilians.
In April, despite Blackwater's history of reports of attacks against civilians, the State Department renewed its contract with the company for another term.
"Civilian contractors have been central to reports of torture of detainees at Abu Ghraib, rape and sexual assault of fellow contractors, indiscriminate shooting and killing of Iraqi civilians, and widespread abuse of labor rights of third-country nationals hired by these companies," said Erica Razook, of Amnesty International's Business and Human Rights program
"Despite this, victims of abuses by private military and security contractors have been left to fend for themselves while the administration causes delay and frustration of efforts to improve contracting oversight."
Amnesty International USA has demanded that the State Department suspend contracts with contractors like Blackwater until it is clear that proper vetting mechanisms are in place to prevent further abuses.
Rep. David Price (D-NC), who has led efforts in Congress to improve accountability and oversight mechanisms for military and security contractors, joined Amnesty in calling for prosecution of these cases and the enactment of the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) Expansion Act (H.R. 2740).
"As even the Secretary of State has acknowledged, a major factor in the unconscionable lack of accountability for the Nissour Square killings is a gap in federal law governing overseas contractors," Price said. "It is outrageous that key members of the Administration and the Senate continue to stonewall my legislation, which would close that gap."
