Amnesty criticises allies

AMNESTY International yesterday accused Britain and the US of working harder to protect Iraq’s oil wells than the Iraqi people.

The coalition must live up to its promises that the war against Saddam Hussein was based in part on protecting the human rights of the Iraqi population, the organisation said.

Amnesty warned Britain and the US would only have limited powers under international law to change Iraq’s systems of government, and called for the UN to play a leading role in reforming and rebuilding the country as soon as possible.