The Hill News

As Friday’s memorial service for Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke approaches and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari travels to Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should put critical humanitarian and human rights issues front and center in her discussions with President Zardari.

Ambassador Holbrooke was the chairman of the board of directors of Refugees International (RI) from 1996-1999 and a member of the board for eleven years. Most recently he was the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. He was an impassioned advocate for the world’s most vulnerable people forced to flee their homes as a result of war and human rights abuses.  He understood that humanitarian assistance is an essential means to promote international stability and build trust with foreign governments and their citizens.

Because of this, Ambassador Holbrooke was crucial in shaping a more balanced U.S. policy toward Pakistan, especially as the U.S. Go! vernment has repeatedly pressured the Pakistani military to increase its offensives against the Taliban, Al Qaeda militants and their affiliates. Vice President Biden’s trip to Pakistan is the most recent attempt to turn up the heat on this issue. But both governments are facing mounting criticism by the Pakistani people for a military strategy that has involved widespread human rights violations and CIA drone strikes that have caused civilian casualties. Discontent with the Pakistani government has also grown since its woeful response to the massive flooding last year.

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