Article:
Edwards, S., & Koettl, C. (2011). Looking to the Sky: Monitoring Human Rights through Remote Sensing (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Harvard International Review; Cambridge, 32(4), 66–71.
Discussion leader: Md Momen Bhuiyan
Summary:
This article reviews the usage of remote sensing tools, especially space-based platforms, for the purpose of human rights research in active conflict zones. Two main challenges in human rights monitoring in a conflict zone are: observers usually don’t get access to these places, and evidence collected are mostly limited accounts from the eyewitnesses which are not powerful enough to have any significant impact. The author uses examples from Darfur, Sri Lanka and South Ossetia to persuade the readers about the necessity of remote sensing tools in such cases.
The author starts by describing the impunity that armed actors get if a conflict zone is a remote area. In these places external observers like human rights NGOs have very limited mobility that prevents them from having direct access to any information about human rights violation. As a result they have to rely on second-hand testimony. Although these testimonies are corroborated and cross-checked, they fail to make any impact as the actors responsible in these accounts have a way to frustrate these claims. The perpetrators’ standard response in these cases ranges from denial to deferral.
To overcome these situations in Sudan, in June 2007 Amnesty International launched a remote sensing project named “Eyes on Darfur” in partnership with American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS). The project tried to attain two goals at the same. The first one was to collect and gather irrefutable evidence of destruction of villages by presenting before and after satellite images of the attacked villages. The second goal was to act as a deterrent by regularly monitoring high risked villages. Amnesty International has also used remote sensing tools in both Sri Lanka and South Ossetia to find evidence of war crimes.
Although remote sensing technology like satellite images can be used for different purposes like detecting massacre, secret detention facilities, housing demolitions, troop gathering etc., it has the limitation that the crime must have a clear physical effect in space. It cannot document atrocities like torture, systematic oppression, genocidal intent etc. So the satellite images can only be used as a complementary tool to the traditional field work.
Reflection:
In this article the author highlights the application of remote sensing technologies in human rights research till 2010. Although remote sensing has been used for a decade, it didn’t have the impact that the author was hoping for. For example, this paper [1] suggest that the government of Sudan increased violence in Darfur in retaliation to the constant monitoring. The number of conflict zones around the world has increased. Still now human rights advocacy groups have to use individual stories to raise awareness. For example, little boy in Aleppo [2].
Question:
1. Does constant monitoring provide any benefit in a conflict zone?
2. Given that the satellite images need careful analysis by the experts, Can crowdsourcing be used in this context? What are the ethical issues in that case?
3. Can drones be used as an alternative tool for monitoring? What are the benefits for that?
4. Can remote sensing tools be used to predict future conflicts?
[1] Gordon, Grant. “Monitoring Conflict to Reduce Violence: Evidence from a Satellite Intervention in Darfur.” (2016).
[2] http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/17/world/syria-little-boy-airstrike-victim/index.html
