AI report cites war in Ukraine 

LONDON – Amnesty International (AI) says 2014 was a catastrophic year for millions caught up in violence, and condemned what it called a “shameful and ineffective” global response to conflict and abuses by governments and armed groups. In its annual report, “The State of the World’s Human Rights,” which was released on February 25, AI urged governments to “stop pretending the protection of civilians is beyond their power” and embrace a fundamental change in the way they respond to crises. In eastern Ukraine, where more than 5,600 people have been killed in a war since April, it said both Russian-backed rebels and the Ukrainian military “showed scant regard for civilians caught in the cross fire.” The report said: “As law and order progressively broke down along the lines of conflict and in rebel-held areas, abductions, executions, and reports of torture and ill-treatment proliferated, both by rebel forces and pro-Kyiv volunteer battalions.” It added, “Neither side showed any inclination to hold those responsible for atrocities to account.” The report said the United Nations Security Council has failed to deal with crises and conflict in Iraq, Syria, Israel, Ukraine and Palestine’s Gaza Strip. The AI report pointed out that the threat of a Russian veto has made it impossible for the Security Council to take any action over events unfolding in Ukraine. The rights watchdog called on the five permanent members of the council “to renounce their veto rights in situations of genocide and other mass atrocities.” It also urged world leaders to introduce new restrictions to tackle the use of explosive weapons – such as aircraft bombs, mortars, artillery, rockets, and ballistic missiles – in populated areas, which led to countless civilian deaths in 2014. (RFE/RL)