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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.3 No.36
September 3, 2001


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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.

1) STATEMENT AGAINST HARASSMENT OF MIGRANT ADVOCATES IN TAIWAN : 30-8- 2001
2) JUSTICE IS WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ACEH SHOULD GET -By Sidney Jones
3) INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO ABUSES - JRS Appeals
4) Massive demolition of mosques being carried out in North Arakan
5) A Protest March - TO SAFEGUARD THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON, ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE
6) The request of the FORUM OF RELIGIOUS FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE reg. Fr.Pallath
7) ANNAN SALUTES WORK OF CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS IN FIGHT AGAINST RACISM
8) MARY ROBINSON AT THE NGO FORUM IN DURBAN
9) NEWS IN BRIEF:

1) STATEMENT AGAINST HARASSMENT OF MIGRANT ADVOCATES IN TAIWAN : 30-8-2001

We deplore the Taiwanese government for threatening and harassing Catholic Church Migrant Advocates after they joined migrant and local workers in a peaceful protest action last August 24 outside the World Trade Center in Taipei. They were there to air out their disagreement over the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) and the Economic Development Advisory Conference s proposal to lower between $NT2500 to $NT5000 the migrant workers basic minimum wage.

A Foreign Affairs Department police officer from the Taipei Municipal Police Bureau sent a notification to Catholic priests and nuns who attended the gathering stating that they may be forcibly deported if they violated the purpose of their stay in Taiwan. On the afternoon of the same day as the protest action, police officers were sent to investigate the centers and offices of foreign and local Catholic missionaries assisting both migrant and local workers.

We are afraid that with this blatant harassment of Catholic Migrant Advocates, the government of President Chen Shui Bian will not hesitate to attack next migrant and local workers who are against their anti-worker policies. We call on all advocates of migrants and human rights, trade unionists, religious and the migrant workers themselves to resist this latest scheme to stifle legitimate dissent in Taiwan and to continue to oppose the proposed wage reduction for migrant workers.

Catholic Migrant Advocates in Taiwan

2) JUSTICE IS WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ACEH SHOULD GET -By Sidney Jones

International Herald Tribune August 27, 2001

When President Megawati Sukarnoputri visits the province of Aceh early next month, she can promise what she likes, but she must deliver justice. Aceh, has been wracked for decades by a conflict between Indonesian troops and pro-independence guerrillas from the Free Aceh Movement, GAM. The conflict has escalated since the fall of Suharto, and more than a thousand people, most of them civilians, have been killed so far this year

Mrs. Megawati's predecessors, Presidents B.J. Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid, both visited Aceh and apologized for abuses that occurred from 1990 to 1998, but nothing happened. They set up fact-finding commissions, but no one was held accountable. No safeguards were put in place to prevent new abuses from happening Mrs. Megawati could go to Aceh with more concrete proposals.

Parliamentarians, journalists, independent human rights investigators and humanitarian aid groups are increasingly reporting intimidation from GAM as well as from the government.. But it is the behavior of government forces that Mrs. Megawati, as president and commander in chief, has the direct power to address. If she makes a ceremonial visit devoid of substance, it will only strengthen Acehnese contempt for Jakarta .

3) INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO ABUSES - JRS Appeals

JRS in Aceh has appealed for an independent inquiry into human rights abuses in the Indonesian province.."We ask that your hearts be opened to our suffering. Tragedy is marching towards us, crushing us. We call on you to advocate an independent investigation into all abuses," said JRS in Aceh on 25 August. The team was writing about the massacre of nine civilians on 19 August. Twelve villagers were abducted by about 20 Indonesian soldiers from a coffee stall in Senebuk village, eastern Aceh and driven to Keude Gerbak, Idi Rayeuk. The following day, the Indonesian Red Cross unearthed nine corpses from four graves. The other kidnapped men escaped and told how they were stabbed with bayonets. The victims included five children aged between 13 and 16 years. The killings follow the massacre of over 30 plantation workers in eastern Aceh on 9 August.

4) Massive demolition of mosques being carried out in North Arakan : Arakan News Agency

The military authorities of Maungdaw township of Arakan state has ordered to demolish a total of 70 mosques and religious schools in the month of April 2001 which are located at villages kadirbil , Nalbannya, Bagguna, Nurullafara, Shairafara, Fatonza, Gazzandia, Kiladong, Godusara, Daunkhali, Charkumbaw, Lumbaguna, Kuinnafara, Hanssara, Saindapara, Shilkhali, Khongyabill and Hanchurata all in the southern side of Maungdaw township.

Orders have been issued to the Chairman, village Peace and Development Council of the respective villages to get the said structures demolished without delay or face punishment. As the Muslim chairmen of the said villages were reluctant and hesitated to carry out the order for some time, the border security force known as Na Sa Ka forced the chairmen, secretaries, committee members and villagers at gun point to carry out the demolition since the month of May. A total of 13 mosques have been completely demolished by the first week of July. Demolition of the rest of the structures is in continuation. The objective of the junta is to completely erase Muslim entity of Arakan and turn it to a purely Buddhist State.

5) A Protest March - TO SAFEGUARD THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON, ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE- in Hatton In Sri Lanka.- On the 26th Aug

There were several from the Buddhist and Catholic clergy present for this protest in view of the rising wave of crime and the recent incident of raping a Tamil Girl called Sita. Fr. Nandana Manatunge stated that " All of us have the freedom to live peacefully and without danger to life. The government must ensure security and protection to all the people. Every person has the Right for movement. If the school is not safe for the children, if children cannot walk on the road, what kind of security do we have? The government is providing security to the numerous ministers of various Pradeshiya Shaba, Province Councils and National Govt. What about ordinary civilians? Let us join hands to bring about Justice and Equality to ensure Peace."

Fr.Nandana on behalf of the HR Unit, Kandy.

6) The request of the FORUM OF RELIGIOUS FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE

110 priests and religious from 45 Religious orders have requested that a Fr. Pallath's case "A High level impartial Commission, acceptable to both the parties be set up to study once again the issues involved in Fr. Pallath's case, within a period of three months from now." While it was addressed to Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in Rome with a copy to the Superior General of the Jesuits, it was signed by Fr. AXJ Bosco a Jesuit priest and Sr.Margaret of ICM, the National Convenor of the Forum Of Religious For justice and Peace in India. ( Please see our earlier communications about the dismissal of Fr.Pallath from his congration)

7) ANNAN SALUTES WORK OF CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS IN FIGHT AGAINST RACISM

The Secretary-General addressing the NGO Forum, on the World Conference Against Racism.?"So often it is you, the civil society activists, who breathe life into these events," he said. "Sometimes it is also you who bring clarity,".... "unless people like you work with governments to follow them up, and to ensure that they are implemented." He proposed to them to work together to produce an annual report on the struggle against racism, highlighting not only violations but also success stories, "so that practices which have worked against racism and intolerance in one country can be tried in others."

8) MARY ROBINSON AT THE NGO FORUM IN DURBAN

I regard this Forum as an integral part of the World Conference. I know there are physical constraints on numbers but I urge you to use your access to maximum effect? It is ultimately about how we relate to each other -- neighbour to neighbour, community to community, nation to nation - at the start of the new century. Such relationships must be based on trust and respect. They must affirm the equality and dignity of every individual. They must celebrate and champion diversity.Racism, transmuted into xenophobia, means that the "stranger, the refugee, the migrant worker, the so-called 'undocumented alien' and their children are treated with contempt or derision, are humiliated, and are denied their basic human rights.

Racism, transformed into genocidal hatred, can mean that one's neighbour and erstwhile friend becomes a frenzied attacker, someone prepared to injure or even kill. Unscrupulous politicians may play on ignorance and fears to cling to power or fail to give the necessary leadership.

Finally, as your own draft declaration affirms, I would ask you all to help repair the loss of human dignity and self-respect that has resulted from past mistakes; to create a climate of reconciliation and forgiveness in order to heal humanity's deepest wounds; and to promote a shift in consciousness and attitude in order to build a world based on universal values and awareness of our common identity as members of the one human family.

9) NEWS IN BRIEF:

- MARY ROBINSON APPEALS TO AUSTRALIA TO ALLOW REFUGEES IN

Speaking at a press conference in Durban, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, appealed to the people of Australia to be generous and reach out to the more than 400 possible asylum seekers aboard a Norwegian ship off Australia's Christmas Island.

(You may support our Urgent Appeal on this matter)

- KOFI ANNAN COMMENDS EAST TIMOR ON HISTORIC ELECTION DAY

Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a statement congratulated the people of East Timor on the success of the Constituent Assembly elections held on the 30th August. ?"The level of popular participation in the vote proved exceptionally high, an estimated 93 percent, which is far greater, in fact, than that of most democratic nations.

- UN SPECIAL SESSION ON CHILDREN - 19-21 SEPT 2001.

for the first time in more than a decade, a global meeting of government leaders is being held specifically to discuss how to build a world fit for children. To date, 75 heads of state and government have confirmed their attendance. This is the official Website:www.unicef.org/newsonline/02prssoc.htm

- WELCOME TO ID21: COMMUNICATING DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH

The UK Department for International Development is backing an Internet-based service to communicate development research directly to policymakers and practitioners around the world. It is in three platforms: id21 Society & Economy, id21 Health and Education with three specific newsletters. id21News, id21HealthNews (Health research), (Society & Economy research and id21EducationNews (Education research). All our services are FREE and you can find us at: http://www.id21.org To subscribe to the email bulletin for your area of interest, send a blank email message to: lyris@lyris.ids.ac.uk In the SUBJECT field include the words: 'subscribe id21news'

- Allert: 50,000 NEPALESE WORKERS Cheated by Malaysia!

Getting Cheated by Nepal and Malayasian Government and the Brokers/Frauds !!

At this time, I am going to write about another 'sever cheating that is perpetrated against Nepalese Workers' in the name of Employment in Malaysia by the Government of Nepal and Malaysia and the respective agencies. (get the complete text from rghr@ahrchk.org)

- HONG KONG HAS THE 'WIDEST WEALTH GAP"

A recent survey revealed that among the 'developed countries', Hong Kong has got the widest gap where the wealthiest earn over 20 times the income of the poorest. Ten years ago the difference was one to ten