Thursday, December 24, 2015

MARIE HARF - IT IS NONE OF OUR BUSINESS



            We totally agree with Marie Harf’s statement that the United States Government should stay out of Pakistan’s business when that country reinstated the death penalty. The EU should learn from it too.


EU mission condemns death penalty resumption in Pakistan

By AFP
Published: December 24, 2014

ISLAMABAD: The European Union mission in Islamabad on Wednesday condemned the decision to restart executions in the wake of the country’s bloodiest-ever terror attack.

Six prisoners have been hanged since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced last week that a six-year moratorium on the death penalty was being lifted in terror cases.

The decision came amid public outrage over a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan massacre at an army-run school in Peshawar which killed 150 people, including 134 children.

The EU mission said in a statement it stood by the country in its grief but remained opposed to capital punishment in all circumstances.

“We believe that the death penalty is not an effective tool in the fight against terrorism,” it said.

“The EU Delegation regrets the decision of the Government of Pakistan to lift the moratorium on executions … (and) We hope that the moratorium will be re-established at the earliest.”

Officials have said they plan to hang 500 convicts in coming weeks, drawing protest from international human rights campaigners.

Despite the moratorium, which began in 2008, courts continued to pass the death sentence and Amnesty International estimates there are around 8,000 people on death row in the country.

EU officials indicated last year that if Pakistan resumed executions, it could jeopardise a highly prized trade deal with the bloc.


Death penalty resumption in Pakistan none of our business: US
Published: December 24, 2014


US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf. PHOTO: AFP
US State Department spokesperson Marie Harf on Wednesday said the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty in Pakistan is the country’s internal issue.

“Well, clearly this is an issue for Pakistan – a decision for Pakistan, excuse me. It’s not really ours to weigh in on,” Harf said during her daily press briefing.

Six prisoners have been hanged since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced last week that a six-year moratorium on the death penalty was being lifted in terror cases following the Peshawar school massacre.

On December 16, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan stormed Army Public School in Peshawar killing 150 people, including 134 children.

The spokesperson added US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to PM Nawaz after the attack and extended assistance.

Responding to a question of human rights bodies condemnations of resumption in executions, Harf said, “We just don’t have a position on that to outline for you.”

Earlier today, EU mission condemned the resumption. EU officials indicated last year that if Pakistan resumed executions, it could jeopardise a highly prized trade deal with the bloc.

Further, she said terrorism is a shared threat and Pakistan and the US have worked closely together to counter it.

“More Pakistanis are victims of counter terrorism, I think, than anywhere in the world.  So clearly it’s a shared threat, but when we have concerns like this we’ll raise them,” she said.

Referring to an order which granted bail to the alleged mastermind of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, Zakiur Rehman Alvi, the spokesperson said, “Well, look, we’re concerned by the reports that this individual terrorist got bail.”

“The government of Pakistan has pledged its cooperation in bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice, and we urge them to uphold that promise,” she added.

Further, dismissing a question regarding reports stating US will not target Mullah Omar next year, Harf said, “I don’t think that’s something for the State Department to speak to.”


QUESTION:  And also in Pakistan after the terrorist attack in Peshawar school, the Pakistani Government has lifted the moratorium on executions and they have done several of them in the last week.  How do you see this?  Do you support this idea?

MS. HARF:  Well, clearly this is an issue for Pakistan – a decision for Pakistan, excuse me. It’s not really ours to weigh in on.  We have been in close contact with all levels of the Pakistani Government.  As you know, the President and the Secretary both spoke to Prime Minister Sharif and has stood ready to provide assistance in the wake of that horrific attack, but nothing on that specific for you.

QUESTION:  But the human rights bodies are asking Pakistan to go back to the same moratorium on executions.  Would you support –

MS. HARF:  Yeah, we just don’t have a position on that to outline for you.

QUESTION:  And do you also see – or what’s your comment on the bail that was lifted out of Mumbai terrorist attack mastermind from – by Pakistani –

MS. HARF:  Who are you specifically referring to?  Mr. Lakhvi?

QUESTION:  Yes.

MS. HARF:  So we are concerned by reports that LeT commander – I think this is who you were referring to – Lakhvi, one of the alleged masterminds behind the Mumbai attacks, was granted bail.  The Government of Pakistan has pledged its cooperation in bringing the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks to justice, and we urge them to uphold that promise.

QUESTION:  So do you see that Pakistan continues to discriminate, differentiate between good terrorists and bad terrorists?

MS. HARF:  Well, look, we’re concerned by the reports that this individual terrorist got bail.  We have worked very closely with Pakistan on counterterrorism.  More Pakistanis are victims of counterterrorism, I think, than anywhere in the world.  So clearly it’s a shared threat, but when we have concerns like this we’ll raise them.

QUESTION:  So you have raised this with the Pakistani Government?

MS. HARF:  I just raised it publicly.  I can check and see if we’ve raised it privately as well.

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