Calling drones attacks ‘extrajudicial’ and a violation of human rights, international peace activist and former US deputy chief of mission in Afghanistan, Mary Ann Wright, on Sunday demanded the US administration abolish the use of these pilotless aircraft. She also declared the sacrilegious movie ‘a hate speech instigating troubles around the world’.
Addressing a news conference, flanked by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan, and members of US civil society, the international peace activist said the US civilian peace delegation was representing millions of Americans who were against the war policy of the US government and did not consider it justified.
She said she and other US citizens were here as a delegation of peace despite opposition by their government and rejecting all the travel advisories and warnings by the US government asking their citizens to not to visit these areas.
Declaring drone attacks in Pakistani Tribal Areas, Yemen and elsewhere illegal, Wright said that use of drones must end now.
She said being US nationals, it was hard to protest against their own government but “Americans are here as this is a humanitarian issue”, which must be given due respect.
The former US deputy chief of mission in Afghanistan was of the view that US citizens were on their way to South Waziristan Agency to witness the destruction caused by the drone attacks by their own eyes and to apologies with locals for their losses caused by drone aggressions. She said US peace delegates, who arrived in Pakistan challenging their own government, expected a warm welcome by their Pakistani hosts as they were here against the policy of their government, to stand with locals and to oppose the drone strikes.
Drone strikes are illegal, ex-US envoy
