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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.2 No.21
May 22, 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,

The reports reaching us seem to indicate the adoption of the repressive measures by the Burmese authorities in the face of the threat of a nationwide boycott held out by the young Buddhist monks in case their request for dialogue, reported in our previous newsletters, is turned down. The reports speak of the arrests of the Buddhist Monks and the imposition of several restrictions reported in item (1) in the newsletter

A call by the peace advocates, human rights groups and the Task Force Detainees in the Philippines in the context of the mounting tension in the south is reproduced here for your information and solidarity action. A statement issued by the participants urging the speedy adoption and implementation of the draft international Convention on the Protection of all Persons from Forced Disappearances, made at the Gathering of Family Members of the Disappeared and Killed from Asian Countries on the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary of Kwangju Uprising is included in item number (3). The concluding item, you will find it to be quite reflective of the unusual mood prevailing in Sri Lanka today - A horrible news item just received speak of seven Christian girls raped in Lahore.

1) Arrests Follow Monks' Refusal To Accept Alms in Burma
2) A Mindanao Update and An Appeal
3) Gathering of Family Members of The Disappeared at Kwangju, Korea
4) Updates on Sri Lanka

1) Arrests Follow Monks' Refusal To Accept Alms in Burma

(The editor's note: the monks are demanding for a peaceful dialogue between CRPP and SPDC, which they said should take place, no later than 25th of May 2000)

Based on a DVB bulletin, and news from many sources: Updated to May 19, 2000

RANGOON -- Reports received here indicate that monasteries in several regions of Burma have already begun to observe a nationwide boycott on contacts with the community initiated by monks in an Amarapura monastery in Mandalay. According to news broadcast over DVB radio in Oslo on May 16, monks in the southern port city of Mergui (Myeik) have refused to attend religious functions outside their respective monasteries since May 5. The DVB bulletin said they had been joined in their boycott by monks from all Sartintaik monsteries. Six other monasteries joined the boycott on May 9. On May 12, personnel from Unit 19 of Military Intelligence in Mergui under Capt Nyunt Maung arrested 10 monks for their refusal to beg for alms and to give religious sermons outside their monasteries. Those arrested were said to be from Kanbwayathti Yadanabommi Pariyatti Sartintaik and Naukleyathti Wettaikkyaung Sartintaik in Mergui. 19 other monks were reported to be already under arrest in the Mergui district.

A reliable source reported that restrictions over monks order in Burma have been announced on 12th of May 2000 by SPDC in order to impose strict control over the Buddhists monks. Monasteries are restricted to accept any lay people to stay over night.

2. Monks are not allowed to read any anti-SPDC written materials.
3. Monks are barred from joining any sort of political activities
4. Monks are urged to report to the local SPDC and Monks authority if any monastery want to accept the visiting monks staying overnight.
5. Monks are banned from having any meetings or discussion with lay people over any political matters.
6. Monks must apply for permission to travel outside their area.
7. No meeting is allowed within any monastery compound.
8. Monks are warned to keep clear understanding of separation between political and religious matters.
9. Monks are not allowed to give speech or sermon that will encourage lay people to engage in unrest.

2) A Mindanao Update and An Appeal

NGOs and peace advocates are mounting relief and medical missions in war-torn areas but the military blockades are keeping them from reaching refugees who are caught in the crossfire. Former President Cory Aquino has raised an appeal for the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to mediate a political settlement between the GRP and MILF. The Ulama-Bishops Conference, on the other hand, is trying to bridge the Moro and Christian communities to enlighten them that the conflict is not a religious issue but a struggle for the right to self-determination. In Lanao provinces, 17 Christian churches have reached out to the Moro communities and issued stickers bearing the message Islam which stands for "I Sincerely Love All Muslims."

The Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) supports the campaign for a non-violent path towards the resolution of the Moro struggle for their right to self-determination. We join other human rights organizations and peace advocates in the following calls:

1. Stop the armed hostilities between the government troops and MILF fighters. Withdraw the government forces in the MILF camps and respect the April 27 agreement between the GRP-MILF that spells out the measures to avert a full blown military confrontation. (See attached document).
2. Allow the safe conduct of relief and medical missions of NGOs and other relief agencies to any evacuation centers. Lift the food blockade by the military in so-called critical areas.
3. Allow an independent fact-finding mission in affected areas to include human rights organizations to determine the extent of effects on civilians and verify reports of human rights violations towards the prosecution of those found responsible for atrocities against non-combatants.
4. Ensure that the lives and safety of civilians are not put at risk in the confrontation between government troops and rebel fighters. Assaults on non-military establishments does not conform with the international humanitarian law and must be stopped.
5. Assist the safe return of civilians in their communities and farms. Lift the "no man's land" declaration by the military in the war-torn areas, and ensure that the civilians are free from harassment and threats from any armed group, including paramilitary formations.
6. Work towards a sustainable cease fire agreement and pursue peace negotiations until a just political settlement is reached.

Send Your Action Alert Letter to the Following Government Agencies

President JOSEPH ESTRADA
Malaca?ng Palace
Manila, Philippines
Fax #: [632] 731-1325/ [632] 712-4100

e-mail: erap@erap.com

3) Gathering of Family Members of the Disappeared and Killed from Asian Countries on the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary of Kwangju Uprising in Korea

(Jointly organised by the May.18 Memorial Foundation for Kwangju Uprising in Korea and the Asian Human Rights Commission, Hong Kong)

RESOLUTION URGING SPEEDY ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF DRAFT INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION OF ALL PERSONS FROM FORCED DISAPPEARANCES

We, the participants from Burma, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand at this gathering recall that the 1980 uprising of Kwangju people in Korea against the military dictatorship and remember those who were brutally killed as they opposed the imposition of this dictatorship on the people of Korea. We also recall the memories of other such massacres in our countries and tens of thousands of people who have been tortured, killed or disappeared by the actions of military and other regimes including pseudo-democratic regimes and other authorities. We also recall that in none of these instances justice has been adequately done to the victims of such massacres and to the family members of these persons.

We, the participants, state that effective action for bringing all perpetrators of such massacres or those who caused such involuntary and forced disappearances is a fundamental obligation of all societies, states, international community and international organisations such as the United Nations.

We further state that bringing such perpetrators to justice is a matter of urgency. The unchecked perpetrators of such violence enjoy impunity in almost all asian countries. Such impunity obstructs the development of democratic societies and encourages collapse into anarchy and barbarism. Persons who exercise freedom of thought and expression and other rights become victims of such disappearances. In these circumstances, we, the participants of this gathering, welcome the Draft International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearances, which has been brought before all the state parties by the United Nations.

We, the participants of this gathering, endorse this Draft Convention.

We, participants of this gathering, call call upon:

• all state parties to support and to endorse this Draft Convention by becoming signatories to it;
• the United Nations to expedite the process of transforming the Draft Convention into an international treaty by taking effective action for that purpose;
• the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to give priority to the adoption of this Convention as soon as possible;
• to all civil society organizations and all concerned persons to take an active part in lobbying with their governments as well as the United Nations for the speedy adoption of this Convention;
• specifically call upon all the civil rights movements, democratic movements, human rights movements and particularly women's movements to give priority to the promotion of this Convention with the view of its speedy adoption and quick implementation.

We, the participants of this gathering, are of the view that the process of causing involuntary and forced disappearances must be brought to an end as soon as possible. This must become not only a matter of priority in the international law but it must also become primarily an important moral issue that needs to be addressed. 16 - 19 May, 2000, Kwangju, south Korea

4) UPDATES ON Sri Lanka

Bishops Sundaranayagam, the Bishop of Jaffna wrote to the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, calling for an immediate cease fire and the mediation of a third party for a negotiated peace settlement. He stressed the need to prevent blood letting and causing of massive human suffering. ( BBC-Sinhala Service-19th May)

The foreign Minister of Norway accompanied by a senior adviser in Charge of Peace negotiation arrive in Sri Lanka. The observers predict, that the Minister will try to find a way to expedite peace talks, given the very serious situation prevailing in the country. A government spokesman confirmed the visit, but failed to reveal the nature of the talks with the government

The Inversion of Traditional Roles!

A Buddhist Monk when interviewed by BBC spoke of the need for continued fighting while a group of soldiers spoke of the need for peace- "we would like to see peace" was their reply.

Seven Christian girls gang raped in Pakistan

Lahore: Seven Christian girls were raped one after the other by five armed gunmen on May 3rd, 2000 at Ferozwala, a suburb adjacent to Lahore, the Provincial Capital of the North Eastern Province of Pakistan. The girls were employees of a factory dealing in Cloth-ware and were returning back to their homes in a bus owned by the factory at midnight. The culprits stopped
the bus reportedly on gunpoint and started assaulting the girls after overpowering the bus driver and the conductor. The eighth women travelling with them happened to be Muslim and elder than others (44), she was spared the brutality. The police registered a case after five days of the incident on May 8th, under lenient provision of the penal code leaving the offense of
multiple rape, out.

The culprits are still at large till 12th day after the incident and no government representative had visited or issued a condemnation statement of the incident.