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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.3 No.45
November 5, 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) COMMEMORATION OF THE DISAPPEARANCES IN SRI LANKA
2) THE ISLAMIC SUPREME COUNCIL OF CANADA STRONGLY CONDEMNS
THE MASSACRE OF PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS
3) "THIS IS A RACE AGAINST TIME AND WE ARE LOSING......
4) AN APPEAL BY VIGIL LANKA MOVEMENT TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES AND
INDEPENDENT GROUPS CONTESTING THE ELECTIONS AND THE VOTERS
5) AMENDMENT PROVIDES HOPE FOR REFORM OF PROSECUTIONS SYSTEM -AHRC
6) HUMAN TRAFFICKING: U.N. Calls Trade Fastest-Growing Organized Crime

1) COMMEMORATION OF THE DISAPPEARANCES IN SRI LANKA

"Thirteen years ago my son, who was 22 years old, left home telling me he would return in 15 minutes or so. He never did. We are still waiting. We know he will not come, but we are still waiting," said a 57-year-old father who joined the commemoration of Disappearances Day for the second time at the Monument for the Disappeared in Sri Lanka at Raddoluwa in Seeduwa.

"When my mother [the boy's grandmother] knew of the disappearance, she began beating her chest; and within 19 days she was gone," he continued. "My father [the boy's grandfather] developed heart problems soon, and he too was gone. My wife is inconsolable and is very sick, and I too have heart problems now. My three daughters, who were studying well earlier, refuse to study after the loss of their only brother. I had to get them married as I was not sure whether I would live. His disappearance was caused by a jealous neighbour who misinformed the people who were engaged in mass disappearances, that my son was a rebel. Everyone, including the police, now admit that this was all false. Excuse me for talking like this. I feel a little relieved when I can talk like this. At home, we do not talk because it is too painful for the younger ones. If we mention him during a meal, we stop eating. We just cannot eat."

These are the thoughts and feelings of just one of the many parents, family members and friends of the disappeared in the crowd of more than 1,000 people who gathered to observe Disappearances Day on Oct. 27, 2001. A delegation from Kwangju, South Korea, from the May 18 Foundation also participated at the event. Mr. Tenuwara, the artist who designed the monument, was among the crowd as well.

The commemoration this year had many special features. Buddhist monks were given dhana by the relatives of the disappeared inside a Catholic church just behind the monument. Someone said that this is a historic event. Someone else rejoined that the grassroots meetings of the victims have the capacity to unite religions.

Another remarkable feature this year was a picture exhibition by Hong Sung-dam, a renowned Korean artist, who was a political prisoner under the military regime in South Korea. His pictures depicted the people's pain during the Kwangju uprising in May 1980 against the military coup. He told the Sri Lankan audience that "our pain was very much like yours."

A book of Sinhala poems, consisting of the poems submitted to the poetry contest last year, was also launched at the evening ceremonies. The parents and relatives of the disappeared are now able to honour their dead at this monument. Throughout the commemoration, participants expressed frustration at the denial of justice to the victims of the disappearances. Many human rights organisations participated in this year's commemoration..

Report by Asian Human Rights Commission

2) THE ISLAMIC SUPREME COUNCIL OF CANADA STRONGLY CONDEMNS THE MASSACRE OF PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS in Bhawalpure, Pakistan. ISCC believes that this crime was carried out by those people who want to destroy the world peace and create terror against the people of all faiths. The entire Muslim nation condemns these attacks on minorities in Pakistan.

Moreover, Pakistani and Saudi Arabian top religious leaders has denounced the killings of Christians and Jews living in Muslim countries, saying they are forbidden under Islam. "He who kills those who signed the accords and those who received our guarantees of safety will not smell the fragrance of paradise," Sheik Abdulaziz al-Sheik said in an interview published Wednesday by the daily al-Riyadh newspaper.

The mufti was referring to peace agreements the Prophet Muhammad signed with Jews and Christians living in Muslim territories in the early days of the faith. Al-Sheik said such killings would have "grave consequences, including incitement, sedition and undermining security." The mufti said that such killings are "forbidden" under Islam.

In Pakistan, there are certain extremist groups who do not hesitate to kill Muslims in the name of Islam. This is a very unfortunate situation and people of all faiths need to work together to capture these criminals.

3) "THIS IS A RACE AGAINST TIME AND WE ARE LOSING......

JIM JENNINGS, conscience@usa.com

President of Conscience International, a humanitarian aid organization, Jennings was in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan this May and will soon return to resume humanitarian work. He said today: "This is a race against time and we are losing. Even before September 11, there was a major humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, with millions of people facing severe food shortages. And even before the bombing began, Afghanistan had the largest number of refugees in the world - and refugees depend on aid for survival. The interruption of vital food deliveries and the withdrawal of the staff of humanitarian agencies because of the bombing have created a dire situation for the already vulnerable population -- 70 percent were already malnourished. The Pentagon is claiming progress, but it has acknowledged the food drops are minuscule and it is dragging out its bombing campaign. Distribution and timing are crucial -- you could have food in Kabul and not distribute it to the people who need it in the countryside. Time is of the essence: we must act now before winter. The bombing has to halt, we need to get food in or Afghan people will begin starving in great numbers at about the same time Americans sit down for their Thanksgiving feast."

AN UPDTE: Aid Flows To Afghanistan

A 50-truck World Food Program convoy carrying 5,000 tons of aid left Kyrgyzstan today for northern Afghanistan. Another 11,000 tons of aid is expected to arrive in the Kyrgyz town of Osh within the next four months from Russia, the United States, Germany and other donor countries, said the Kyrgyz deputy minister for emergency situations (Agence France-Presse, Nov. 2).

4) AN APPEAL BY VIGIL LANKA MOVEMENT TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES AND INDEPENDENT GROUPS CONTESTING THE ELECTIONS AND THE VOTERS

Vigil Lanka Movement welcomes the 17th amendment to the Constitution, despite certain limitations. These amendments need further improvement subsequent to a public discussion. Vigil Lanka Movement is an organization which keeps vigil over the Human Rights situation in Sri Lanka with specific interest in institutional development relating to law enforcement and rule of law.

We have been campaigning for Police Reforms in Sri Lanka which, in our opinion is a necessary and preliminary step towards improvement of Human Rights standards in this country. The main areas of our concern have been to make the police investigation independent, separation of prosecution from investigation and the transparency and accountability of police actions. The incidents such as extra judicial killings, disappearances, torture and refusal to entertain public complaints have received world-wide condemnation and caused considerable frustration among the citizens of Sri Lanka regarding their ability to obtain fair treatment by the police.

We wish to address all political parties and independent groups contesting the elections that they should give an unequivocal public undertaking that they would honour the provisions of the 17th amendment to the Constitution and that they give priority to take necessary steps to implement these provisions. We also request all voters and all other public organizations including the clergy, to demand from the parties and the candidates to give an unconditional undertaking in this regard in their manifestos. We also urge the media to highlight this issue as one of the fundamental concerns of the people of Sri Lanka through the period leading to the forthcoming elections.

The public consensus is that the most needed urgent action as at present subsequent to the passing of the 17th amendment is the immediate appointment of the Constitutional Council and the Commissions. We urge all political parties and candidates to give a public undertaking that they would ensure that the first act of the 12th Parliament is the appointment of the Constitutional Council and the Commissions.

To achieve the aims and objectives of the provisions of the 17th amendment requires detail working of many other legal provisions which should be done in consultation with the people of Sri Lanka. The Vigil Lanka Movement looks forward to making detail recommendations relating to the implementations of the 17th amendments. Our concerns are particularly strong regarding the Police Commission , which will be in charge of rejuvenating the Police system in Sri Lanka which is in a state of collapse. However the immediate task is to make a begining of the process of implementation of these amendments and the first step towards this is the appointment of the Constitutional Council and the other Commissions.

5) AMENDMENT PROVIDES HOPE FOR REFORM OF PROSECUTIONS SYSTEM -AHRC

The 17th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution was passed in parliament on 24th September. It mandates the establishment of four Independent Commissions for the Judiciary, Public Service, Police and Elections, as well as the appointment of a Constitutional Council.

AHRC, the Vigil Lanka movement and others have long been campaigning for the establishment of an independent body which could receive complaints and commandeer much-needed reform of the police, judicial and prosecutions systems. It is our hope that, with appropriate community consultation, these amendments will be used and developed wisely and expeditiously by the new parliament immediately following the December 5 elections. We will monitor closely the implementation of these amendments with the hope that they will lead to an end to impunity for the terrible human rights violations still being committed by police, military and other state actors in Sri Lanka.

6) HUMAN TRAFFICKING: U.N. Calls Trade Fastest-Growing Organized Crime

Human trafficking is the fastest-growing form of organized crime, U.N. Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention Executive Director Pino Arlacchi said yesterday in an address to the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

"I am not referring to the smuggling of migrants, but to the modern form of human slavery where the victim loses the freedom to control his or her own life," Arlacchi said. "There are reports that drug traffickers are switching to human cargo to obtain greater profit with less risk." Arlacchi called on the United Nations and OSCE to do more to fight human trafficking, including assisting countries in introducing and upgrading legislation, helping train prosecutors and police and educating the public. He asked countries to ratify the International Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (U.N. Newservice, Nov. 1).