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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.2 No.8
February 21, 2000


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Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is now available online at: http://www.rghr.net

Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is a weekly e-newsletter issued by Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic and Christian Groups on Human Rights, initiated by the Asian Human Rights Commission.

Dear Friends,

We are including two urgent matters. The attack on Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer and the arrest of Max Ediger, which is of grave concern to us. They have both, in their work as human rights activists, promoted non-violence and peaceful solutions. We are worried about the methods by which the Thai Government is handling Burmese political refugees as alien workers. You will find part II of Spiritual Warriors by Atty. Perfecto Caparas, which is a reflection on 'spirituality and human rights in action'. Please note the Prayer Day for Burma on March 12, the day to pray for Justice and Peace in Burma. We have included a comment made by Peter S. H. Chen on President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia, which is a response to the article published in the previous issues of the e-newsletter.

Please take note of our new e-mail address: rghr@ahrchk.org

1) Max Ediger, An American Peace Activist Arrested
2) Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer Physical Assaulted
3) Spiritual Warriors: Part Ii - By Atty. Perfecto Caparas
4) Prayer For Burma: March 12, 2000
5) A Comment on The President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia - Peter S. H. Chen
6) Updates: Newspapers Gave Good Response To The Monument For The Disappeared Persons In Sri Lanka

1) Max Ediger, An American Peace Activist Arrested

The reaction has been very firm and strong among many leading human rights activists against the arrest of Norman Max Ediger, 53, from 'Burma Issues'. Ediger was arrested under the possible charge of harbouring illegal immigrants. Along with Ediger eight other people were arrested. Human rights organisations have said those arrested are genuine political refugees, and not illegal aliens as charged.

Ediger has in the last 15 years been involved in the work towards a peaceful solution to reinstating democracy in Burma. His work is in many ways a very unique one seeking the peace and justice in Burma through non-violent means. This approach has been acknowledged by human rights groups throughout the entire world.

Max Ediger who is well known in the non-governmental organisation circles, has worked with Empower, an NGO that provides help to Thai prostitutes through education and skills training. He has also worked on a number of development projects in several slums in Bangkok, as well as on drug rehabilitation with addicts at the Thanyarak Hospital. He worked with mine victims during the Indochina War and has spoken out against both the military regime in Burma and some of the ethnic rebels fighting the junta.

At this moment it is not clear as to whether or not the charges will be pressed against Ediger and his colleagues. We sincerely hope that the charges will not be pressed and that the government will instead acknowledge Ediger's work towards peace and democracy in Burma.

2) Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer Physical Assaulted

Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer was attacked on Sunday the 13th of February, 2000 in the airport of Mumbai (Bombay) by the cronies of Syedna, the chief of Bohra priesthood. Dr. Engineer, badly bruised and bleeding, needed to be hospitalised for treatment and observation.

Dr.Engineer, the internationally renowned Islamic scholar, human rights activist, and ardent champion of inter-faith dialogue and understanding, has dedicated his life to the cause of liberating his community, the Bohras - a small Islamic sect. As a consequence, he has had to suffer not only social ostracism by a significant section of his community members - being blackmailed by the reigning priesthood - but also physical assaults from time to time both in India and abroad.

This time it happened at a scheduled brief stopover at Indore. There, however, the aircraft was detained for more than an hour to enable Syedna to board the plane along with his followers. The stranded passengers including Dr. Engineer raised their voice against the unjust treatment. This provoked the Syedna and his followers to single out the internationally renowned scholar and activist and launch a brutal attack against him, without any consideration for his sixty-plus age and frail health. At the same time his office and residence was vandalised.

Many prominent personalities of Mumbai have strongly condemned the fascist attack and called upon the Maharashtra government to bring the culprits and their instigators to book. They have also drawn the attention to the long-pending demand of the irrational powers of the Bohra priesthood. The attack against Dr. Engineer has underscored the fact that action in this respect brooks no further delay.

3) Spiritual Warriors

The human rights fighter stands as a spiritual warrior in the socio-economic and political front. S/he fulfills a part of the whole Divine Plan. For Life to renew itself. To seek for its own pristine beauty, through peace, solidarity, and harmony. Peace, communion, harmony, and serenity within ourselves, our brethren, our Mother Earth, and the entire Cosmos. ?0-

A unifying force The struggle for human rights is endless. Just as the infant ?from the womb, to early childhood, adolescence, puberty, and adulthood ?matures, so does society­so does men and women in their social life and relationships with each other, their own institutions and governments, as well as other nations, and finally, as one global family, who form part of the entire Cosmos. Depending on the stage of social development, more and more human rights workers would be reaching out to the vulnerable members of society just like what they are actually doing now­the mentally weak and ill, children in need of special protection, women oppressed by gender, overseas Filipino workers, political prisoners­or the prisoners of conscience­the farmers, fisherfolk, the workers, and indigenous peoples.

Human rights workers rage against the dying of the light. Collectively, they light up the torch of eternal vigilance of the people's rights and freedoms. This they do and concretize through politicization works, education, seminar, and forums, publications and writings, lobbying as well as marches, demonstrations and rallies. The human rights activists shall forever search for, be sensitive to, and be concerned with people whose human rights­in their various facets and arenas­are in one way or the other violated and trampled upon. Are we one in struggle? The universality of human rights­its being inherent to the human

family­makes it common to all, regardless of color of skin, race, social status, ethnic origin, religion, gender, ideology or political belief.

4) Prayer for Burma: March 12, 2000

The "Christians Concerned for Burma" calls for a Global Day of Prayer.

• Pray for an end to the atrocities in Burma
• Pray for the emergence of an open society and religious freedom for all peoples in Burma
• Pray for love and understanding among all the people of Burma
• Pray that we the Church will be faithful in opportunities to stand for love and truth

For further information please get in touch with Christians Concerned for Burma: e-mail ccb@pobox.com / www.prayforburma.org

5) A Comment on the President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia,

by Peter S.H. Chen

Thank you for your email and the E-Newsletter which I have now received normally.

I noticed in the latest issue you ran a reprint from ALIRAN, a short article by the President Abdurrahman Wahid of Indonesia.. The Indonesian President deserves a lot of respect and support not just in comparison with his predecessor and political leaders of his country but also among the government and political leaders of the world. To my mind he is an honest and upright and humble religious man with the courage to speak the truth even that pertaining his own religion, Islam, which is normally quite sensitive. Please join me in praying to Almighty God for President Abdurrahman Wahid and the people of Indonesia who had suffered tremendous poverty and deprivation and oppression under corrupt political and military leaders, and for the people in those parts of Indonesia torn by religious strife who, like the people in East Timor, had also suffered the brutal oppression of the military rulers, that His love, justice and peace will finally be established, and the human dignity of the people be restored. Yours in Christ.

6) Updates

Many newspapers have given good response to the Monument for the Disappeared Persons in Sri Lanka. Please see the latest edition of the e-newsletter in which we brought the speech held by Basil Fernando on the 4th of February for the inauguration.

Daily News, Saturday 29 January 2000 wrote in short;

Monument to mark disappeared persons 

Disappearance is a crime against humanity. Let us not allow it to happen again.

This will be a lasting memorial to remind all of us of the horrendous crimes perpetuated in our country and to concentrate all our energies to build a more human society and a culture devoid of hatred, killings and genocidal wars.