While on the one hand, the Ukrainian government showed apparent sensitivity to the issue and promised Human Rights Watch to investigate the possible use of cluster bombs by its own troops, on the other hand, it asked Biden to be able to have them in large numbers.
By Alessandro Marescotti (PeaceLink)
“The Ukrainian government should act on its stated commitment not to use banned antipersonnel landmines,” wrote Human Rights Watch on 30 June 2023.
In short, about ten days ago, the humanitarian organisation was seeking to test the good faith of the Ukrainian government, which pledged not to use cluster bombs and to investigate any “unauthorised” use of these indiscriminate weapons. However, it has now been revealed that the whole thing was a hypocritical charade, as the Ukrainian government was simultaneously negotiating with US President Joe Biden to obtain cluster bombs, and in large quantities.
On June 30, Human Rights Watch reported on the Ukrainian government’s statement at a meeting on June 21, 2023, in which it pledged not to use cluster bombs. Human Rights Watch regretted that Kiev’s response came “nearly five months after Ukrainian officials said they would examine reports by Human Rights Watch and other groups that Ukrainian forces had used these weapons in operations to recapture territory occupied by Russian forces.”
“Since the publication of a report in January, Human Rights Watch has uncovered additional evidence of indiscriminate use of these weapons by Ukraine during 2022,” the humanitarian organisation said on its website. Just ten days ago, they praised the Ukrainian government’s commitment. “The Ukrainian government’s commitment to investigate its military’s apparent use of banned antipersonnel landmines is an important recognition of its duty to protect civilians,” said Steve Goose, arms director at Human Rights Watch. “A prompt, transparent, and thorough investigation could have far-reaching benefits for both current Ukrainians and future generations,” he continued.
All this was ten days ago.
Today, the Ukrainian government abandons the façade of being a caring and responsive government to Human Rights Watch’s appeals, and reveals its true nature. Mykhailo Podolyak, the top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, declares: “Cluster munitions are extremely important for Ukraine. They compensate to some extent for our ammunition deficit and partially restore parity on the battlefield”.
“Kiev used cluster rockets in eastern Ukraine already in 2014 and 2015. The New York Times reports that Ukrainian forces used Uragan cluster bombs in an attack on Husarivka, a Russian-controlled territory in the Kharkivska region, in March 2022,” Repubblica reports today.
The hypocrisy of war has now reached its peak, and everything the Ukrainian government promised, pledging not to use cluster bombs before Human Rights Watch, turns out to be a pure deception.
We seem to be witnessing another, even worse, deception, that of Putin, who on 24 February 2022 ordered the invasion of Ukraine after letting his spokesmen claim he would never do so.
This is the hypocrisy of war. The terrible hypocrisy that leads to lying, lying and lying without any shame.
