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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.3 No.10
March 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) Request for Solidarity Message on International Women's Day March 8th, 2001
2) "I have a right to... ... ." A human Rights Lesson on "HONOUR KILLINGS" from BBC World Service
3) SISTERS, courtesy AMAN WATCH
4) Women Attacked by the local politician in Sri Lanka
5) Atmosphere Tense Over Falun Gong

1)WORKING WOMEN ORGANIZATION Solidarity Message on International Women's Day

March 8th, 2001
Dear Friends
For Working Women Organization March 8th is an important day to
forge stronger links and unity between all those struggling for the liberation of women around the world. It is a day with a proud history for the women's movement - a history of internationalism, unity, solidarity and struggle.

This day remember us the struggle of women workers starts on 1857 for the betterment of working condition. At that time police brutally beaten the women workers to stop their voice, due to this brutally attack by police several women workers sacrifice their life.

It was at the 1910 on the event of International Conference in Copenhagen that German leader Clara Zetkin first raised the idea of organizing an International Working Women's Day to mark the important victories of women workers in the United States and to provide a focus for women around the world to organize public actions to win the right to vote.

Current Pakistan and Asian political, social and economic situation is extremely alarming for every one. Day by day obstruction and grievance of workers particularly women workers are augmenting. Huge unemployment, sexual harassment, worst working conditions and high inflation are making hard to survive for majority of the people. Most awful social and economic deprivations are compelling the grass root people especially women to committed suicides.

We deep concern that March 8, 2001 is a day of review and analysis of our movement's, weaknesses and achievements and it is the day to chalk out new plan of action and strategies to over come the constraint, it is a day of struggle for women's liberation and a day for struggle to getting their legal rights.

I would like to inform you that on this occasion WWO organizing a series of activities for whole month of March against the exploitation and oppression on women and for the achievements of their unity and getting equality and justice.

On the behalf of Working Women Organization and its members, we extend our deep solidarity for all who are struggling world wide to the end of oppression and exploitation. Wish your great success and achievements in your struggle.

On behalf of Working Women Organization, we cordially invite you to join us or send messages to encourage and support the struggle of downtrodden women in Pakistan. Please send your solidarity messages before March 8, 2001.

Rubina Jamil Aima Mahmood
Fax: 92-42-6686519
Email: wwo@brain.net.pk
E 36, Street No. 2, Iqbal Park, Walton Road, Lahore Cantt, Pakistan

2) "I have a right to... ... ."
(Copied from BBC World Service; educational program on human rights- www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/ihavearightto/low_b/index.shtml)
Article 7: Right to equal protection by the law

Case Study: Honour Killings in Pakistan

• More than 1,000 Pakistani women were the victims of honour killings in 1999 according to report by the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
• Under international and Pakistani statutes, these women should have received equal protection of the law. Few of their killers have been brought to justice.

Analysis:

Women in Pakistan, as everywhere, are entitled to "life, liberty and security of person" (article 3) but they are also entitled to the equal protection of the law should their lives be threatened.

Among some traditional rural communities in Pakistan, women have been killed for seeking a divorce, for marrying without family consent or they have been suspected of having an affair. An Amnesty International report quotes a human rights activist in Baluchistan who said the distinction between a woman being guilty and a woman being alleged to be guilty of illicit sex is irrelevant. "What impacts on the man's honour is the public perception, the belief of her infidelity. It is this which blackens honour and for which she is killed."

"I went to bring water from the nearby stream. A stranger came and asked me the way to another village. My husband was looking from the window. When I reached home, he was furious and sharpening the butcher's knife. I thought he might help me in cooking the chicken that night, but he tied my hands and legs and, first, started beating me. Then with a blow he cut my nose and both my ears. There was nobody at home who could have saved me. He left and I was in a pool of blood. I left my house and am staying with my parents. I will not be at peace until I get justice which seems a distant dream."

Woman in Dera Murad Jamali, Baluchistan interviewed for 'I have a right to'

Although killings take place publicly, there is reluctance on the part of the police to become involved in what is regarded as a private family affair. The perpetrator is often the victim's husband, father, brother or a near relative. Human Rights groups in the country say the situation is compounded further by the right allowed to the victim's wali (guardian) to pardon the killer, under the Islamic provisions introduced into the penal code in 1990.

Pakistan's military leader, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has pledged to treat the practice as murder and to end laws that discriminate against women. The National Commission for women has formed a standing committee of legal experts who are looking into the impact of laws relating to adultery and rape, known as 'Zina and Haddood Ordinances'. Human rights organisations have welcomed the step. The Commission Chairperson has stated that recommendations will be put forward by mid-2001.

However, the fault does not lie in laws alone. It is claimed that in many cases, the judiciary has interpreted laws according to subjective considerations and implicitly justified honour killings. Human rights campaigners therefore argue that laws on paper alone won't protect women; they must be enforced and seen to be enforced. The perpetrators of honour killings must not feel they can act with impunity.

3) SISTERS
By: O.H. Tripon
I have many sisters
We have the same body
And the same cries
The same dreams.
We have many hands
To carry
Our baskets
Our babies
Our laundry.
Yes, we have many hands
To lighten
each other's burden.
We have the same body
From whence our children
Spring forth
We have many breasts
For many hungry mouths to
Suckle and many shoulders
For each one to cry on.
Hold on, my sisters, hold on.
It is time
For our many tongues
To speak as one.
(courtesy AMANWatch Dispatch
Special Edition / 02 March 2001)

4)WOMEN ATTACKED BY THE LOCAL POLITICIAN !
(A news item just received from Sri Lanka is published for your information. Will write to you later if solidarity action is required- the editor)

On the 3rd of March when the Government had initiated a donation of eyes in view of the International Women's Day celebrations, a 69 year old woman by the name of Mrs. W. L. Eugina Hamy of Church Road, Opatha, in the Minuwangoda Electorate was beaten up by the local politician and was later hospitalized. She was protesting with other women of various religious persuasions and political parties of the area over the illegal transport of earth to fill paddy lands leading to denudation of vegetation, drinking water in the wells going dry and fear that this transport of earth by heavy vehicles would damage their houses as well. The people are unable to walk on the road. These women without getting their husbands into the prey have protested from 1998 onwards. They have been trying non-violent action to save their environment.

On the 2nd of March 2001, they made representations at the Police Station. They were happy when the Police gave orders to terminate this illegal transport of earth. But on the 3rd morning the local politician arrived at the scene. Mr. Kumara Arangalla, the Vice Chairman of the Pradeshiya Shabha(district council) of Minuwangoda came with twenty youthful thugs including the Grama Sevaka Niladari (village headman) of Nadagamuwa in the Minuwnagoda Electorate. Both of them led the attack together with the other youth led the attack on the unarmed women beating and pushing them mercilessly. Out of the six women victims one was hospitalized. On the spur of the moment these women informed the Police but no one turned up to help them. This politician had threatened them with death.

What the women are asking for a just is and inquiry into this incident and a stop to this squandering of the mother earth resulting in the destruction of the ecological balance. Various Human Rights Groups have asked for an inquiry into this incident and the environmental destruction.

5) Atmosphere Tense Over Falun Gong
Falun Gong representatives say that 5,000 members of the religious group are being held in re-education labor camps in China under harsh conditions. Hours After Robinson yesterday urged China to abolish the "re-education through labor" Camps, China's Communist Party called for the "complete elimination" of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which it banned as a cult in 1999. "If the cult is not removed ... the process of China's reform, opening up and socialist modernization drive will be affected," according to a People's Daily editorial, issued through Xinhua News Agency (Paul Eckert, Reuters/Boston Globe, 27 Feb).