'Strike against terror' will kill more innocents

8 October 2001

The Green Party said today's US and British strike against terror will kill and displace many innocent Afghani men, women and children.

Mr Locke said the Greens did not accept Helen Clark's belief that Article 51 of the United Nations Charter - which authorises military action in self defence - justified the US-led attacks.

There has been no UN decision to support these strikes.

Mr Locke said the bombing and missile attacks so far had been on a massive scale and would inevitably cause many civilian deaths and casualties.

Airborne cruise missiles and planes like B-52s will inevitably cause much collateral damage, destroying homes and killing ordinary people.

The Greens believe the killing of more innocents is not the way to remember the 6,000 people who died in the United States on September 11. It is also unlikely to bring to justice those who committed these crimes.

Mr Locke said he feared the missile and air strikes in Afghanistan will produce a further flood of refugees, many of whom will die for lack of adequate food, shelter and medicine.

The assault today will do nothing to reduce the threat of terrorism. Rather, it will refuel and provoke anger throughout the Islamic world and help create more terrorists, he said.

The Greens want to see those responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Centre identified and brought to trial, in ways that accord with international law.

We call on the Labour / Alliance Government to reconsider its decision to offer our SAS for this war. Our support for these US-led strikes will not be to the credit of New Zealand as a peace-loving country, committed to the rule of international law, said Mr Locke.

Green Party, Aotearoa/ New Zealand

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