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	Losing Humanity: The Case Against Killer Robots by Human Rights Watch, Harvard Law School   GENEVA (30 May 2013)   UN human rights expert calls for a moratorium on lethal autonomous robots.   The United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns, has called for a global pause in the development and deployment of lethal autonomous robots (LARs), to allow “serious and meaningful international engagement on this issue before we proceed to a world where machines are given the power to kill humans.”   “While drones still have a ‘human in the loop’ who takes the decision to use lethal force, LARs have on-board computers that decide who should be targeted,” he stressed.   “The possible introduction of LARs raises far-reaching concerns about the protection of life during war and peace,” Mr. Heyns noted during the presentation of his latest report* to the UN Human Rights Council. “If this is done, machines and not humans, will take the decision on who is alive or dies,” he said.   “This may make it easier for States to go to war; and raises the question whether they can be programmed to comply with the requirements of international humanitarian law, especially the distinction between combatant and civilians and collateral damage,” he explained.   “Beyond this, their deployment may be unacceptable because no adequate system of legal accountability can be devised for the actions of machines,” the independent human rights expert noted, based on his analysis of potential violations of the rights to life and human dignity should the use of LARs materialize.   In his report, Mr. Heyns urges the UN Human Rights Council to call on all States “to declare and implement national moratoria on the production, assembly, transfer, acquisition, deployment and use of LARs, until a framework on the future of LARs has been established.” He also invites the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to convene or to work with other UN bodies to convene a High Level Panel on LARs to articulate this framework.   “War without reflection is mechanical slaughter,” the UN expert on summary executions said. “In the same way that the taking of any human life deserves as a minimum some deliberation, a decision to allow machines to be deployed to kill human beings deserves a collective pause worldwide.”   For the Special Rapporteur, the time is ripe for a thorough and cool-headed global reflection in order “to ensure that not only life itself but also the value of life and human dignity is protected in the long run.”   “If deployed, LARs will take humans ‘out of the loop,’” Mr. Heyns warned. In his view, “States find this technology attractive because human decision-making is often much slower than that of robots, and human thinking can be clouded by emotion.”   “At the same time, humans may in some cases, unlike robots, be able to act out of compassion or grace and can, based on their understanding of the bigger picture, know that a more lenient approach is called for in a specific situation,” he underscored.   The Special Rapporteur stressed that there is now an opportunity to pause collectively, and to engage with the risks posed by LARs in a proactive way, in contrast to other revolutions in military affairs, where serious reflection mostly began after the emergence of new methods of warfare. “The current moment may be the best we will have to address these concerns,” he said.   The new report provides specific recommendations to the UN system, regional and inter-governmental organizations, and States, as well as to developers of robotics systems, NGOs, civil society, human rights groups and the International Committee of the Red Cross. http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13380&LangID=E   November 2012   Governments should pre-emptively ban fully autonomous weapons because of the danger they pose to civilians in armed conflict, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. These future weapons, sometimes called “killer robots,” would be able to choose and fire on targets without human intervention.   The 50-page report, “Losing Humanity: The Case Against Killer Robots,” outlines concerns about these fully autonomous weapons, which would inherently lack human qualities that provide legal and non-legal checks on the killing of civilians.   In addition, the obstacles to holding anyone accountable for harm caused by the weapons would weaken the law’s power to deter future violations.   “Giving machines the power to decide who lives and dies on the battlefield would take technology too far,” said Steve Goose, Arms Division director at Human Rights Watch. “Human control of robotic warfare is essential to minimizing civilian deaths and injuries.”   “Losing Humanity” is the first major publication about fully autonomous weapons by a nongovernmental organization and is based on extensive research into the law, technology, and ethics of these proposed weapons. It is jointly published by Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic.   Human Rights Watch and the International Human Rights Clinic called for an international treaty that would absolutely prohibit the development, production, and use of fully autonomous weapons. They also called on individual nations to pass laws and adopt policies as important measures to prevent development, production, and use of such weapons at the domestic level.   Fully autonomous weapons do not yet exist, and major powers, including the United States, have not made a decision to deploy them. But high-tech militaries are developing or have already deployed precursors that illustrate the push toward greater autonomy for machines on the battlefield.   The United States is a leader in this technological development. Several other countries – including China, Germany, Israel, South Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom – have also been involved.   Many experts predict that full autonomy for weapons could be achieved in 20 to 30 years, and some think even sooner.   “It is essential to stop the development of killer robots before they show up in national arsenals,” Goose said. “As countries become more invested in this technology, it will become harder to persuade them to give it up.”   Fully autonomous weapons could not meet the requirements of international humanitarian law, Human Rights Watch and the Harvard clinic said. They would be unable to distinguish adequately between soldiers and civilians on the battlefield or apply the human judgment necessary to evaluate the proportionality of an attack – whether civilian harm outweighs military advantage.   These robots would also undermine non-legal checks on the killing of civilians. Fully autonomous weapons could not show human compassion for their victims, and autocrats could abuse them by directing them against their own people. While replacing human troops with machines could save military lives, it could also make going to war easier, which would shift the burden of armed conflict onto civilians.   Finally, the use of fully autonomous weapons would create an accountability gap. Trying to hold the commander, programmer, or manufacturer legally responsible for a robot’s actions presents significant challenges. The lack of accountability would undercut the ability to deter violations of international law and to provide victims meaningful retributive justice.   While most militaries maintain that for the immediate future humans will retain some oversight over the actions of weaponized robots, the effectiveness of that oversight is questionable, Human Rights Watch and the Harvard clinic said. Moreover, military statements have left the door open to full autonomy in the future.   “Action is needed now, before killer robots cross the line from science fiction to feasibility,” Goose said.   http://www.stopkillerrobots.org/ Visit the related web page
	Over 4 million people affected by the conflict in Syria need help by OCHA, agencies   Oct 29, 2012   Syrian jets bombed parts of Damascus on Monday in what residents said were the capital"s fiercest air raids yet, underlining the collapse of a truce proposed by peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.   "More than 100 buildings have been destroyed, some levelled to the ground," said opposition activist Moaz al-Shami, who said he had witnessed three air raids in the northeastern suburb of Harasta alone. "Whole neighbourhoods are deserted."   Syrian state television said a "car bomb" had killed 10 people, including women and children, near a bakery in Jaramana - a southeastern district of Damascus controlled by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.   Each side blamed the other for breaking the four-day truce for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which swiftly broke down.   "I am deeply disappointed that the parties failed to respect the call to suspend fighting," U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said.   "This crisis cannot be solved with more weapons and bloodshed ... the guns must fall silent," Ban said.   Brahimi, voiced deep regret at the fate of the ceasefire, but said it would not deter him from pursuing peace efforts.   Although the Syrian military and several rebel groups accepted the plan to stop shooting over Eid al-Adha, which ends on Monday, it failed to stem the bloodshed in a 19-month-old conflict that has already cost at least 32,000 lives.   According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition watchdog, 420 people have been killed since Friday.   25 October 2012   UN Emergency Relief Coordinator’s key messages on Syria. (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs).   As the crisis deepens in Syria, I am extremely concerned for the up to 3 million people who are affected by the conflict and need help. Syrians continue fleeing their homes to safer areas and at least 1.2 million people have taken shelter in public buildings, parks and with host families. Humanitarian needs are growing and will keep growing as fighting continues. Targeting of medical facilities and staff has left thousands without access to health care and education, and, as the winter approaches, families will struggle to survive without essential clothing, adequate shelter and heating.   All parties engaged in this conflict must do more to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law. It is ordinary women, men and children that are caught up in the brutal violence and who suffer from the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons like cluster munitions. There are particularly horrific reports of the testimonies from children. I call on all parties to stop targeting civilians and to ensure that humanitarian organizations can provide assistance quickly, neutrally and impartially.   In Syria, the United Nations and humanitarian partners have managed to scale up and reach areas where people need help, despite the immense security challenges. In September WFP dispatched food for 1.5 million people and WHO delivered health assistance to 60,000 people including emergency care for the wounded, diarrhoea treatment and safe blood kits. UNHCR has helped nearly 190,000 people get essential household items, while UNICEF has helped 50,000 children with educational and psychosocial support. We are expanding our field presence and network of partners to reach even more people.   More than 350,000 people have left Syria since the beginning of the conflict, and thousands are fleeing across borders every day. UNHCR estimates that this number is likely to rise to 710,000 by the end of the year. Many people are reluctant to register as they worry about the safety of family members still inside Syria. At least three-quarters of the refugees are vulnerable women and children. I thank neighbouring countries for continuing to keep their borders open, and remind the international community that we must help the refugees from other countries - Palestinian, Iraqi, Somali and others - who are also caught up in the crisis.   The fighting must stop before more lives are needlessly lost. While the humanitarian operation is helping large numbers of people in many areas, it is hindered by lack of funding as well as insecurity and violence. We need more resources to be able to help more people.   Humanitarian work is done on the basis of impartiality and neutrality. The only aim is to save lives and protect the vulnerable. These principles must be respected and it is vital that humanitarian aid remains free of any political agenda.   http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/un-unable-to-get-food-to-1-million-hungry-syrians/ http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97036/SYRIA-Bread-shortages-rising http://www.irinnews.org/Report/97011/SYRIA-Healthcare-system-crumbling Visit the related web page
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