Home

Archives

AHRC Site

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.3 No.43
October 22, 2001


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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) HIGHLIGHTS OF A LECTURE BY JUSTICE V.R. KRISHNA IYYER AS PART OF THE PROGRAM ON "WAR AND TERRORISM" ORGANISED BY JANANEETHI
2) DISAPPEARANCES COMMEMORATION DAY-2001, 27 OCTOBER 2001
3) SRI LANKA: 240 TORTURE VICTIMS MONTHLY ACCESS HEALTH CARE, courtesy JRS
4) IMPRISONED TRADE UNIONISTS IN SOUTH KOREA IN 2001 REACH 218 ARRESTED, BRINGING THE TALLY FOR PRESIDENT KIM DAE JUNG 663.
5) INDONESIA AT THE CROSSROADS: U.S. WEAPONS SALES AND MILITARY TRAINING
6) NEWS IN BRIEF
7) AHRC HOME NEWS

1) HIGHLIGHTS OF A LECTURE DELIVERED BY JUSTICE V.R. KRISHNA IYYER AS PART OF THE PROGRAM ON "WAR AND TERRORISM" ORGANISED BY JANANEETHI ON 17TH OCTOBER.

"The current issue is a problem without solution. How there happened to be a war of this nature? How can it be prevented? Or to be more pragmatic, can it be prevented at all? The war in Afghanistan is a painful experience. For that matter any war is painful. The comments on this war are diverse. Diverse as we find its root causes are. The assault on the W.T.C is condemned on one side, which is echoed back with condemnation on the attack on Afghanistan. But these tears are only diplomatic tears, shed to pacify neither the wounded souls, nor the injured conscience. We have to shed our misconceptions about 'America', 'Society' & 'Afghanistan' to fully understand the current war and its relation with the society.

We should try to identify the real problem - On one side it is said the Thaliban is a terrorist outfit. But history is quite clear. Who created and nourished these people? The now branded Thaliban at the early days enjoyed the current oppressor's blessing. Though not direct, in an evident manner. The moment the creators realized that they are to stand against their interest, the Thaliban was branded as a terrorist outfit. I am making this statement not in support of the Thaliban, nor is my intention to support the current attack on Afghanistan. Who is waging war here? I term it as terrorism fighting terrorism. If Thaliban is the symbol of a faceless enemy, the US president is the symbol of market economy. This is the war of the white world against the faceless enemy.

We live in a world where the World Super Powers dictate terms to the less privileged, where they see to it that their market interests are protected. The attack on the W.T.C in unambiguously a blind, cruel & inhuman attack on innocent people. But the fact that the financial super ego was also wounded, cannot be forgotten. Once this super ego got hurt, they realized that their financial interests are at stake. It is a prudent thought of a wise investor to check all adverse attempts on his investments. The words of late Woodrow Wilson is proved here. "Stalwarts of market economy rule White House". Whenever there was a challenge on this market, the Pentagon was alerted to retaliate. Time and again the Pentagon has proved that they are the obedient watchdogs of the market economy. Ironically enough the Pentagon itself was under direct attack. The results are obvious. Commending about Pentagon, I should say that they are the laboratory of modern warfare. They have ready in hand various types of instruments of oppression, which they are only eager enough to experiment with in real circumstances. They are experts in utilizing the chances they get.

It is not fully correct to say that the wounded American soul is at war here. Who suffered in the attack on the W.T.C? You do not require a university degree to say that it was the common folk who lost their lives and who were injured. When Mr. McNamara was questioned about the Vietnam action he said it was an error in decision. Who suffered there? - The ordinary Vietnamese and those who realized the dark truth that their dear ones who went for the action in Vietnam are never to return. So is the state of an average Afghan and American. The Afghans has to face a double-edged weapon. On one side they have to face the inhuman Thaliban Laws and on the other side they are under attack from the best-devised weapons of mass destruction, showered from the sky. The American soldiers are under marching orders from the Pentagon, to wage a war where the agenda is hidden. The US has unleashed a war against the Thaliban, as it wants to take revenge for the destruction of the W.T.C. But taking revenge is not justice done. Actually the US agenda does not include justice.

One should have clarity in thoughts and be prudent enough to stand up and say that the root cause of the war is not a mere attack on the W.T.C. It is an invisible war waged between terrorists who claim to be led by Islamic thoughts on one side and the blood thirst of the multi national corporations on the other side. The prophet would have never ever imagined that his words of wisdom would be ever misinterpreted in such nature. A real Muslim would not even dream to injure his neighbor. The hidden agenda of expanding the imperial empire should be exposed. It is neither the American nor the Muslim who is suffering. It is the ordinary human being, whether it be in the US, in Afghanistan or in any part of the world."

2) DISAPPEARANCES COMMEMORATION DAY-2001, 27 OCTOBER 2001

The Theme For This Year; The Campaign to protect life; and stop murders
This years disappearances day which falls on 27 October comes at a time when the Sri Lankan people are facing so many acute problems threatening their lives. Hence the appropriateness of expressing concern for the protection of life. At the same time, due to the collapse of the law enforcement agencies, gruesome murders have increased in all parts of the country. The law enforcement agencies have proved incapable of preventing such murders or for investigating such crimes. People in every family live in fear. It was for this reason that the theme was chosen to stress the need for a nationwide Campaign to protect life; and stop murders.

When there is no protection against murder it is a clear indication of a grave societal decay. This has come about on the Sri Lankan society for many reasons among which the massive extra-judicial killings in recent times, is an important one. The law enforcement agencies were exempted from the rules they had to follow in the arrest and interrogation of persons. A new culture of neglect arose. The result is that people today feel that there is no one to protect them and guaranteeing their security.

Once a country arrives at a situation like this it will further degenerate soon if the people themselves do not come forward to demand changes in the situation. Since it is the people themselves who will suffer if the situation degenerates further, they must now come forward and discuss how to avoid this situation. Since every one in the society is affected by the same situation they have good reason to come together and to make a common cause on this matter.

In preparation for this year's commemoration day, the organizers look forward to initiate many actions on this theme of protecting lives and stopping murders. Such actions will include religious ceremonies, meetings and discussions, essay, poetry and picture exhibitions and other popular events. All these events will finally culminate with many events held at Disappearances monument at Roddoluwa, Seeduwa on 27 October.

3) SRI LANKA: 240 TORTURE VICTIMS MONTHLY ACCESS HEALTH CARE

About 240 victims of torture are brought monthly to Sri Lanka's public health institutions for treatment, according to the Bishop of Mannar. In a message to ACAT (Action de Chretiens pour l'Abolition de la Torture), Rt Rev. Dr Rayappu Joseph said careful studies revealed the statistic. "Those not brought to these institutions,

I am certain, would be several times this number," he said. "The types of torture resorted to by the national armed forces and prison authorities on Tamil suspects and prisoners in remand are horrible and beyond description." The Bishop said the great majority of victims of torture in Sri Lanka's war zones did not dare to reveal their experiences even to judicial medical officers, following death threats by the perpetrators. "Tamil youths are indiscriminately arrested on the slightest suspicion, kept for months and years without proper inquiry, and subjected to inhuman torture, until they accept false accusations made against them. Thousands of Tamils are still languishing in detention centres and prisons," said Rt Rev. Dr Joseph. "The Church in the war areas makes all possible efforts to bring to light such atrocities and calls for justice."

Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) allows for arbitrary arrest, torture in detention and prolonged detention without trial. According to human rights lawyers,an estimated 95 per cent of the prisoners are acquitted after spending months or years inside, because it is medically proven that their confession was signed under torture. JRS RELEASE

4) IMPRISONED TRADE UNIONISTS IN SOUTH KOREA IN 2001 REACH 218 ARRESTED, BRINGING THE TALLY FOR PRESIDENT KIM DAE JUNG 663.

KCTU website has been updated with a documentation on "imprisonment of trade unionists". While the following is a summary of the new article, the full "story" can be found at http://kctu.org/news/prison- 011015hot.htm.

In this year, a total of 218 unionists were put behind bars, an increase of 129 since May 28 when KCTU last documented the arrests. The increase was brought about by massive 73 arrests in the month of June, the month when the KCTU launched its coordinated industrial action campaign, including the struggle of the Daewoo workers. The total imprisonment under the government led by Nobel Laureate President Kim Dae Jung stands at 663, surpassing 632 totaled in the five years of his rival predecessor. The number of unionists currently (as of October 13) held in prison is 67. The fact that more trade unionists are imprisoned in three years and ten months of presidency of Nobel Laureate Kim Dae Jung than in the previous five years under another president, is indicative of the inherent ¡°violence¡± of ¡°restructuring¡± programme undertaken by the government.

5) INDONESIA AT THE CROSSROADS: U.S. WEAPONS SALES AND MILITARY TRAINING, WORLD POLICY INSTITUTE : Frida Berrigan : berrigaf@newschool.edu

Indonesia's new president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, finds herself in at a difficult crossroads in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. President Megawati was the first Muslim leader to travel to the White House and pledge her support to President George W. Bush's war against terrorism. As the leader of the world's largest Muslim nation, her visit allowed Bush to deftly counter criticism that the new war on terrorism was a thinly veiled war on Islam. President Megawati condemned the attacks as "barbaric and indiscriminate" and "pledged to cooperate with the international community in combating terrorism."

President Bush promised Megawati more than 0 million in economic aid, including money for police training and civilian courses in defense. He also expressed his desire to resume regular military contact, and lift the embargo on the sale of "non-lethal" weapons to Indonesia. This was viewed as the beginning of a valuable new partnership between the two nations.

Report author Frida Berrigan, a Research Associate with the World Policy Institute's Arms Trade Resource Center says, "As President George W. Bush builds an international coalition to fight terrorism, he is in danger of arming and training some of the Pacific region's worst tools of terror- namely the Indonesian military."

This new alliance, already so destabilizing for Indonesia's new president, also threatens to reverse years of work to curb human rights abuses by the Indonesian military. In the past few years, Congress and the American public, repeatedly horrified at how U.S. weapons and military training have been wielded against the Indonesian people, moved to impose a series of controls that have amounted to an almost complete embargo in the last few years. Restoration of aid is conditioned on the Indonesian military's progress in purging human rights abusers from its ranks, ending impunity and respecting civilian authority..

It is imperative that the Indonesian military be held accountable for its grisly history of human rights abuses. President Megawati must be encouraged to address the root causes of conflicts in Aceh, Irian Jaya and elsewhere and begin the process of uncovering and reconciling Indonesia's legacy of human rights abuses and massacres. This is the work of countering state-sponsored terrorism and until it is done, the Bush administration cannot be allowed to restore military aid and training under the rubric of fighting terrorism.

6) NEWS IN BRIEF

2 Catholic Churches Attacked in Malaysia

ROME, OCT. 18, 2001 (Zenit.org).- Arson attempts against Catholic churches in Malaysia might be a reaction to the U.S.-led attacks on Afghanistan, unofficial Church sources reported. Arsonists last Saturday tried to burn down the Catholic Church of Christ the King in Sungai Petani, in the northern state of Kedah, the Malaysian Prime Minister's home state. On Sunday morning, in the southern state of Johore, Molotov cocktails were thrown at the door of St. Philip's Catholic Church in Segamat. The church was partly damaged.

7) AHRC HOME NEWS

- A three day conference jointly organised by WCC and AHRC on Application of Human Rights Standards in Conflict Situation" with participants coming from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines commences on the 23rd.