December 8, 2001	Saturday	Ramazan 22, 1422

GENEVA, Dec 7: United Nations human rights chief Mary Robinson on Friday backed calls by human rights groups for an international inquiry into the killing of 600 prisoners at the Qila-i-Jangi and expressed concern about other reported massacres as the Taliban fell from power.

“I support the idea of there being an inquiry...There are very worrying concerns about prisoners, about the sequences of events that lead to the death of some 600 people in a context such as Mazar-i-Sharif,” Robinson said at a news conference.

The massacre, involving a mix of US air strikes, Northern Alliance tanks and US and British special forces, has led to a call by Amnesty International and others for a probe.

Reports from aid workers had sparked concern about “situations when territory has changed hands, prisoners are found dead with their hands tied behind their back; these kinds of incidents show a need for more careful scrutiny”, Robinson said.

She added that an investigation could be led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and her staff in Afghanistan was already “mapping out patterns of massacres”.

She also expressed concern about the “substantial toll of deaths and injuries” among Afghan civilians caused by US bombing, and destruction of hospitals and old people’s homes.

The former president of Ireland also criticized an order by US President George W. Bush to set up military tribunals for suspects held in connection with the Sept 11 attacks as potentially eroding a range of detainees’ rights, including protection from arbitrary arrests and a right to fair trial.

She questioned the US administration’s “trust me” attitude with its anti-terrorism measures, which she said circumvented the system of checks and balances of a democratic society.

CRITICAL OF US: Robinson also said that criminal trials of those suspected of masterminding the Sept 11 attacks should be held either before US domestic courts or a new international tribunal.

On Thursday, US Attorney-General John Ashcroft defended secret military trials and other new steps authorized by the administration during a congressional hearing.

Robinson, asked about the round-up of thousands of foreigners in the United States, said there were “reasons for concern”, adding: “It is a very broad-sweep approach.”

Regarding eavesdropping on conversations between some suspects and their lawyers, she said that international human rights law allowed some exceptions or derogations in times of public emergency but stressed they should be “very limited”.

“It is all about what are the kinds of safeguards. I am unhappy that there are not safeguards built into the military order which the President has issued and the language is vague and worrying,” Robinson said.

“One of the strengths of democracy is eternal vigilance,” she added. “In that sense, no, it is not enough to say ‘trust me’ as a government.”

But she welcomed civil libertarian groups and others questioning the US order amid “heathy democratic debate”.—Reuters