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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.3 No.46
November 12, 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.

Please note that there will be a special edition of the E-newsletter issued on 15th November for the Universal Children’s Day which falls on 20th of November.

Religious Perspectives on Human Rights E-Newsletter Vol.3. No.46; November12, 2001

1) CASPIAN SEA OIL and GAS IN CENTRAL ASIA, ONE REASON WHY THE U.S. WANTS TO BRING "PEACE AND STABILITY" TO AFGHANISTAN.
2) BICYCLE SPOKES, KNITTING NEEDLES USED IN LANKAN ABORTIONS
3) Thailand: 44% OF WOMEN ARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS
4) JAFFNA:MISSING PERSONS’ PARENTS, RELATIVES PROTEST
5) UN NEWS IN BRIEF

1) CASPIAN SEA OIL and GAS IN CENTRAL ASIA, ONE REASON WHY THE U.S. WANTS TO BRING "PEACE AND STABILITY" TO AFGHANISTAN.

(The testimony below may provide an interesting perspective in the light of the Afghan war. The complete text is available on request – the editor)

TESTIMONY BY JOHN J. MARESCA
VICE PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
UNOCAL CORPORATION

TO
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
FEBRUARY 12, 1998
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Mr. Chairman, I am John Maresca, Vice President, International Relations, of Unocal Corporation. Unocal is one of the world's leading energy resource and project development companies.. I believe these hearings are important and timely, and I congratulate you for focusing on Central Asia oil and gas reserves and the role they play in shaping U.S. policy.

The need for multiple pipeline routes for Central Asian oil and gas.

For more than 2,000 years, Central Asia has been a meeting ground between Europe and Asia, the site of ancient east-west trade routes collectively called the Silk Road and, at various points in history, a cradle of scholarship, culture and power. It is also a region of truly enormous natural resources, which are revitalizing cross-border trade, creating positive political interaction and stimulating regional cooperation. These resources have the potential to recharge the economies of neighboring countries and put entire regions on the road to prosperity.

The Caspian region contains tremendous untapped hydrocarbon reserves,proven natural gas reserves and oil reserves. One major problem has yet to be resolved: how to get the region's vast energy resources to the markets where they are needed. The solution seems simple: build a "new" Silk Road. Implementing this solution, however, is far from simple. The risks are high, but so are the rewards.

Finding and Building Routes to World Markets

This means that the area's natural resources are landlocked, both geographically and politically. Unocal believes that the central factor in planning these pipelines should be the location of the future energy markets that are most likely to need these new supplies. Let's take a look at some of the potential markets.
Asia/Pacific

The Asia/Pacific region has a rapidly increasing demand for oil and an expected significant increase in population. Prior to the recent turbulence in the various Asian/Pacific economies, we anticipated that this region's demand for oil would almost double by 2010. Energy demand growth will remain strong for one key reason: the region's population is expected to grow by 700 million people by 2010. If Asia's energy needs are not satisfied, they will simply put pressure on all world markets, driving prices upwards everywhere.

Export Routes

South to the Indian Ocean: A Shorter Distance to Growing Markets

… option is to build a pipeline south from Central Asia to the Indian Ocean. The only other possible route option is across Afghanistan, which has its own unique challenges.

The country has been involved in bitter warfare for almost two decades. The territory across which the pipeline would extend is controlled by the Taliban, an Islamic movement that is not recognized as a government by most other nations. From the outset, we have made it clear that construction of our proposed pipeline cannot begin until a recognized government is in place that has the confidence of governments, lenders and our company.

The route through Afghanistan is the one that would bring Central Asian oil closest to Asian markets and thus would be the cheapest in terms of transporting the oil. Unocal envisions the creation of a Central Asian Oil Pipeline Consortium. There is considerable international and regional political interest in this pipeline. Asian crude oil importers, particularly from Japan, are looking to Central Asia and the Caspian as a new strategic source of supply to satisfy their desire for resource diversity.

The pipeline would benefit Afghanistan, which would receive revenues from transport tariffs, and would promote stability and encourage trade and economic development. Although Unocal has not negotiated with any one group, and does not favor any group, we have had contacts with and briefings for all of them. We know that the different factions in Afghanistan understand the importance of the pipeline project for their country, and have expressed their support of it.

Natural Gas Export

As with the proposed Central Asia Oil Pipeline, CentGas cannot begin construction until an internationally recognized Afghanistan government is in place. For the project to advance, it must have international financing, government-to-government agreements and government-to-consortium agreements.
Conclusion

The impact of these resources on U.S. commercial interests and U.S. foreign policy is also significant and intertwined. Without peaceful settlement of conflicts within the region, cross-border oil and gas pipelines are not likely to be built. We urge the Administration and the Congress to give strong support to the United Nations-led peace process in Afghanistan.

2) BICYCLE SPOKES, KNITTING NEEDLES USED IN LANKAN ABORTIONS

Roy Mendis in Colombo,.

Sri Lankan quacks,who carry out a record 1,000 illegal abortions every day, use bicycle spokes, knitting needles and stems of herbs, as instruments. " These are inserted through the vagina to stab the foetus and make it bleed," said Dr.Upali Marasinghe at a meeting of the Sri Lanka Family Planning Association (FPA) here. The victims of such quackery land up in government hospitals with haemorrhage, sepsis and uterine perforation, all of which could be fatal if not attended to in time, he said.

According to Dr.Sriyani Basnayake,Medical Director of the FPA,there are 330 fatalities per 100,000 illegal abortions in countries with a ban on abortions. For some time now, the FPA has been campaigning for the legalisation and liberalisation of abortion to address social questions, including foetal defects arising from rape. Legalisation of abortion would recognise a womans' fundamental right to decide whether and when to have children. (www.theacademic.org).

3)Thailand: 44% OF WOMEN ARE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, Survey Shows

New research sponsored by the World Health Organization shows that 44 percent of women in Thailand interviewed for a survey have been victims of domestic violence, experts said yesterday. The survey conducted by Mahidol University's Population Research Center also shows that current Thai law is insufficient to prevent the abuse.

The survey showed that 44 percent of 2,818 women between the ages of 15 and 49 had been beaten, raped or assaulted in other ways by their husbands or boyfriends."The survey shows that violence in the household against Thai women is quite high," Kritaya said. The social and cultural traditions as well as a lack of intervention by authorities perpetuate the belief that men own women.

4) JAFFNA:MISSING PERSONS’ PARENTS, RELATIVES PROTEST

TamilNet

More than a hundred parents and family members of the persons who were arrested by the Sri Lankan security forces and went missing in Jaffna began a demonstration in front of the Jaffna District Secretariat from 7 a.m. Monday. The families of the missing allege that the Sri Lankan government has deliberately shelved investigations. Policemen who arrived at the secretariat later in the morning abused the demonstrators who were seated across the entrance of the Secretariat holding placards and attempted to disperse them. The protestors, however, refused to move and vowed to continue with their sit in demonstration until 3 p.m. this afternoon. More than 600 persons, mostly young men and women were arrested by the SLA in the northern peninsula in 1996-97. All are believed murdered.

5) UN NEWS IN BRIEF

5-1 CHILDREN: General Assembly Adopts Resolution On Decade Of Peace

The U.N. General Assembly yesterday adopted a resolution on the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World, which began this year. (UN WIRE)

5-2 TERRORISM: Annan Works to Build Support for Convention

The issue of defining terrorism revolves around "how to make clear the distinction between criminal acts under the heading of terrorism and criminal acts that belong to another regime of law," Corell said. "All member states will have to agree to have as precise a definition as possible so we can settle this matter, put it behind us, and that everybody now -- all member states – should join the fight against this scourge" (U.N. Newservice, Nov. 5). Nov. 6, 2001

5-3 UNITED NATIONS CRITICIZES PROPOSED BRITISH ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS

Proposed new British anti-terrorism laws should not exceed exceptional measures permitted under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the U.N. Human Rights Committee said Friday. The new British laws would allow rapid freezing of terrorists' assets, make it a crime to incite religious hatred, and bring in "robust and streamlined" asylum procedures, according to British Home Secretary David Blunkett.

….The covenant allows countries to apply emergency measures to combat threats to security, but thesee should not be used as a pretext to violate human rights, Klein said. "It is a general warning that this should not be misused" (Dawn, Nov. 4)

5-4 RIGHTS MUST FACTOR INTO ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO INDONESIA

Groups Call for Concrete Improvements in Justice and Human Rights Conditions

(get the full text from : "John M. Miller")