Akpadebu – Dobro (E/R), March 24, GNA – Nii Odoi Boye II, the Regent and Abusuapanyin of Akpadebu in the Eastern Region has appealed to chiefs to support the campaign dubbed: “Stop Killer Robots” by International Humanitarian Relief and Rescue Initiative (IHRRI) in the country.
Nii Odoi Boye made the appeal at a day’s seminar organized by the IHRRI, a non-governmental organization to sensitize chiefs and queen mothers and the people of the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality on the Stop Killer Robots Campaign.
He called on Parliament to enact laws to prevent the manufacturing and the sale of autonomous weapons, referred to as Killer Robots.
Nii Odoi Boye urged the queen mothers’ associations to add their voice to the Stop Killer Robots Campaign, saying, “Women and children would be the most vulnerable to the use of such autonomous weapons.”
He encouraged the IHRRI to continue to organize more of such sensitization seminars and workshops on the Stop Killer Robots for the people to rally their support towards the prevention of the production of autonomous weapons.
Dr Mrs Ayo Ayoola Amale, the President of WILPF Ghana and the National Coordinator of the Stop Killer Robots Campaign stressed the need for everyone to support the campaign to save lives, especially women, girls, and the youth.
She said: “Killer robots would not end sexual violence in conflicts but would likely perpetuate it, as the fully autonomous weapons would not question an order to rape if programmed to do so.”
Mr John Pius, the Project Manager of IHRRI said fully autonomous weapons would lack qualities that relate to humans and would be unable to apply human judgment necessary to comply with the law.
“Machines with the power and discretion to take lives without human control are unacceptable, morally repugnant and should be prohibited,” he said.
Mr Arthur Emmanuel, the Ghana Country Representative of Eds. World Inc. said; “The use of killer robots might make going to war easier; it will shift armed conflict onto civilians. Unlike the military, killer robots won’t have feelings and compassion, which can provide an essential check on the killing of civilians.”
He added that “The production of autonomous weapons by China, South Korea, Russia, and the United States could only stop if developing countries like Ghana sign the International Treaty to ban Killer Robots.”
The officials of the NGO later paid a visit to Nii Boi Kortey, the Chief of Ofankor to brief him on the campaign who urged chiefs in the Ga Traditional Area to support the agenda to help save the world from the production of autonomous weapons.
GNA