Drone Summit: Killing and Spying by Remote Control

Washington DC, April 28-29, 2012

The peace group CODEPINK and the legal advocacy organizations Reprieve, and the Center for Constitutional Rights are hosting the first international drone summit.

On Saturday, April 28, we are bringing together human rights advocates, robotics technology experts, lawyers, journalists and activists for a summit to inform the American public about the widespread and rapidly expanding deployment of both lethal and surveillance drones, including drone use in the United States. Participants will also have the opportunity to listen to the personal stories of Pakistani drone-strike victims.

  • Time: 9:00am-6:30pm

  • Location: Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001

  • Register here!

On Sunday, April 29 we will have a strategy session to network, discuss and plan advocacy efforts focused on various aspects of drones, including surveillance and targeted killings.

  • Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
  • Location: United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20001

Sunday’s session is for representatives of organizations and individuals who want to be actively involved in this work. If you are interested in attending Sunday’s session, please email Ramah Kudaimi at rkudaimi@gmail.com.

Details:

Topics will include:

  • the impact of drones on human lives and prospects for peace
  • the lack of transparency and accountability for drone operations, including targeted killings
  • disputed legality of drone warfare
  • compensation for victims
  • the future of domestic drone surveillance
  • development of autonomous drones
  • drone use along U.S. borders.

Speakers will include:

  • Clive Stafford Smith, director of UK legal group Reprieve that represents drone victims
  • Medea Benjamin, author of forthcoming book Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control
  • Pardiss Kebriaei, attorney with Center for Constitutional Rights
  • Shahzad Akbar, attorney with Pakistani Foundation for Fundamental Fights
  • Rafia Zakaria, Amnesty International-USA Board of Directors
  • Sarah Holewinski, director of Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC)
  • Hina Shamsi, ACLU national security expert
  • Jay Stanley, ACLU privacy expert
  • Tom Barry, drone border expert with Center for International Policy
  • David Glazier, law professor who served 21 years as a US Navy surface warfare officer
  • Amie Stepanovich, legal counsel at Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).
  • Peter Asaro and Noel Sharkey from the International Committee for Robot Arms Control (ICRAC).
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Comments

  • @lot:

    Everyone should agree that killing innocent children by ANYONE or ANYTHING should not happen.  Whereas sending a remotely PILOTED aircraft into hostile territory to take out a weapons cache or insurgent training camp instead of a manned aircraft could happen to save the life of a very expensive and valuable life of the pilot is completely feasible.  My point is, this same pilot can fly this aircraft almost as if he were inside of it.  I don't see anything immoral about this unless the drone was an automatic search and destroy with no human interaction other than hitting the start button.  Drones have been very helpful in saving pilots lives.  I wish we had them in Korea and Vietnam...maybe the Hanoi Hilton would have been deserted :)

  • Is'nt that from the back cover of the DVD   * I . Robot  *

  • T3

    Talking shop with as much impact as a wet sponge on marble...

  • Nobody can agree with use robots for kill children.

  • I can see where this is heading....           All get together to agree....none invited who would disagree...

This reply was deleted.