India: Anti-nuke protestors at risk during Putin visit.

URGENT ACTION

anti-nuke protestors at risk during putin visit

More than 50 persons charged with sedition for leading an 18-month-long protest against the Russian-built nuclear plant at Kudankulam risk detention without charge or trial for planned protests during President Putin’s scheduled visit to Delhi on 24 December.

Among them are Dr S.P. Udayakumar and M. Pushparayan – key leaders of the People’s Movement against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) which is spearheading peaceful protests in Tamil Nadu and planning protests to coincide with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Delhi. They risk detention under state security legislation allowing for their detention without charge or trial for up to a year. If tried and convicted they could face life imprisonment.

Six protestors – Lourdesamy, Nazarin, Sindhu Bharat, Thavasikumar, Jesurajan and Santiago Royappan – arrested and since detained without charge or trial for participating in the protests between September and November, have been served with additional orders which could result in further detention for up to a year. The majority of the 50-odd protestors arrested have been released on bail on the condition they stay away from the nuclear plant site. In all, more than 1,000 protestors have been charged with various offences during 2011–2012. The majority of them are from the coastal village of Idinthakarai, which has been at the centre of the protests. They face charges, including defying restrictions on size of gatherings, rioting with deadly weapons and attempting to assault public servants. In March, the Tamil Nadu police baton-charged hundreds of peaceful protestors after police had staged a week-long siege of Idinthakarai, denying essential commodities. In September, the police responded with force when hundreds of protestors marched towards the nuclear plant site. They reportedly used tear gas and baton-charged them. Some 60 protestors were injured, including a child. Some protestors reportedly responded to the violence by throwing sand and stones. Additionally, one person was killed by police firing on protestors in Manappad village. The police later forcibly evicted 500 protestors at Idinthakarai after burning their vehicles and looting their property.

Please write immediately in English or your own language:

Calling on the Indian and Tamil Nadu authorities not to harm peaceful protestors, such as PMANE leaders Dr S.P. Udayakumar and M. Pushparayan, including during President Putin’s visit to India, and to drop any unsubstantiated charges against them;

Expressing concern that the six protestors are arbitrarily detained in violation of international human rights treaties which India is obliged to respect;

Calling on the authorities to release the six protestors, unless they are charged with internationally recognisable offences, remanded by an independent court and tried in fair proceedings.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 01 FEBRUARY 2013 TO:

�

Prime Minister of India

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

South Block, Raisina Hill

New Delhi 110 00, India

Fax: +91 11 2301 7931

Email through website:

http://pmindia.nic.in/feedback.php

Salutation: Dear Prime Minister

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

Ms.J. Jayalalithaa

Fort St George

Chennai 600 009, India

Email: cmcell@tn.gov.in

Salutation: Dear Chief Minister

Solidarity messages may be sent to:

People’s Movement Against Nuclear

Energy

Dr S. P. Udayakumar

Idinthakarai PO 627104

Tamil Nadu, India

�

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the eighth update of UA 367/11. Further information:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA20/038/2012/en

URGENT ACTION

anti-nuke protestors at risk during putin visit

ADditional Information

Since July 2011, PMANE has been spearheading the protests against the Kudankulam nuclear power plant which is expected to be commissioned in or after January 2013, following President Putin’s visit to New Delhi on 24 December 2012. Kudankulam’s neighbouring villages were hit by the tsunami that struck South and South-East Asia in December 2004, and local residents are fearful of a radioactive leak if such a disaster strikes again. Dr S.P. Udayakumar states that the expert panel set up by the Indian authorities to conduct a safety assessment, which declared the site safe, has failed to satisfactorily address several site and safety concerns raised by an independent group of experts.

The protests intensified after the March 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan and the protestors believe the project threatens local communities. They fear that the site will affect at least 15,000 people living nearby.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA20/045/2012/en/3d3e4879-7a84-4ea0-976e-8c0575bd50bf/asa200452012en.html

India: vittima di stupro di gruppo, si suicida ragazza di 17 anni.

 

(AMRITSAR - Aveva subito uno stupro di gruppo il 13 novembre scorso e aveva denunciato i suoi aggressori. Una ragazza di 17 anni si è suicidata dopo che un poliziotto aveva cercato di convincerla a ritirare la denuncia e a sposare uno dei suoi aggressori. La ragazza - secondo quanto appreso da fonti della polizia e della sua famiglia - è stata trovata morta ieri sera, dopo aver ingerito del veleno. La violenza era avvenuta durante un festival Diwali nella regione di Patial nello Stato di Punjab, a nord del Paese. Dopo la violenza si era rivolta alla polizia, denunciando gli stupratori, ma "uno dei poliziotti ha cercato di convincerla a ritirare la denuncia", ha riferito una fonte di polizia sottolineando che la giovane si è opposta più volte al ritiro dell'esposto.

http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2012/12/27/news/india_vittima_di_stupro_di_gruppo_si_suicida_ragazza_di_17_anni-49542082/?ref=HREC1-5

MALDIVES - AG drafts bill outlining executing death sentence, favours lethal injection.

Attorney General Azima Shukoor has drafted a bill outlining how the death sentence should be executed in the Maldives, with lethal injection being identified as the state’s preferred method of capital punishment.

Shukoor today held a press conference to provide local media with information about the bill, which is also to be opened for public comment.

The Attorney General’s Office has said that it has looked to procedures followed by Egypt, Malaysia and the US in carrying out the death sentence, while also obtaining the opinions of religious scholars and lawyers when drafting the bill.

With the bill favouring the use of lethal injection to execute suspected criminals, Shukoor said the proposals would be open for public comment for one month.

http://minivannews.com/society/ag-drafts-bill-outlining-executing-death-sentence-favours-lethal-injection-49351

AI Nepal Activities - Activists Urged to Ensure Migrant's Rights.

International Migrants Day Observed

Marking International Migration Day, a demonstration and signature collection program organized in front of Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) on 18th December, 2012. In an hour long event participants holding plea-cards urged Government of Nepal to ensure better protection of Nepalese migrant workers.

The program was jointly organized by Amnesty International Nepal, Centre for Labour and Social Study (Class Nepal) and Union Network International (UNI) Nepal. Human rights activists, trade union leaders and others actively participated in the program.

The event was integrated with signature collection campaign urging protection of the migrant workers who are facing various trouble in abroad. In the same event campaigning material, "Know Your Rights", booklet containing useful and practical information regarding rights of migrant workers were also distributed.

The event was successful to convey message directly to the Nepali citizen planning to go abroad for the sake of work.

Addressing the concluding session, Advisor of AI Nepal Krishna Kandel, Chairperson of UNI Nepal Lekh Prasad Burlakoti, representative of Class Nepal Mahendra Prasad Yadav, Deputy Secretary General of All Nepal Trade Union Federation Dhan Bahadur BK and Vice-chairperson of Nepal Trade Union Congress (Independent) Ganesh Niroula urged Government to ensure the migrant rights. The program was coordinated by AI Nepal's affiliated Labour Group-8, Kathmandu.

On 4 December 2000, the UN General Assembly, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day.

http://www.amnestynepal.org/campaigns/ai-nepal-activities/activists-urged-to-ensure-migrant-s-rights.html

Afghanistan, 200 bambini nel carcere Usa di Bagram: la denuncia di Human Rights Watch .

 

 Nella prigione della base aerea statunitense di Bagram, a nord di Kabul, sono detenuti almeno 200 ragazzini in violazione di tutte le norme internazionali. Lo ha denunciato l'organizzazione umanitaria Human Rights Watch (HRW). Una ricercatrice dell'organizzazione, Heather Barr, ha detto a Tolo Tv che "gli Stati Uniti hanno ammesso che a Bagram sono effettivamente detenuti oltre 200 bambini e adolescenti che sono stati arrestati dalle forze militari statunitensi".
Hrw, ha precisato Barr, “ha denunciato questa specifica situazione alle Nazioni Unite" sia perché dei minori sono detenuti in una base militare, sia perché il loro trattamento è contrario alle regole internazionali.
Ad esempio, ha concluso, "molti di questi ragazzini sono tenuti in celle insieme agli adulti, cosa che non è accettabile in base agli standard internazionali". I bambini, inoltre, non “hanno l’accesso di cui dovrebbero godere ai servizi educativi e ad altri programmi per l’infanzia. Il direttore di Human Rights alle Nazioni Unite, Georgette Gagnon, ha assicurato che la questione verrà analizzata con attenzione e che la denuncia di Human Rights Watch non cadrà nel vuoto.

http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2012/12/12/afghanistan-duecento-bambini-in-carcere-usa_n_2283001.html?utm_hp_ref=italia-diritti

INDIA - Quell’ennesimo stupro che fa scendere le donne indiane in piazza] Quell’ennesimo stupro che fa scendere le donne indiane in piazza.

E’ stata violentata domenica scorsa a Delhi. La ragazza, 23 anni, studentessa di medicina, stava tornando a casa con un bus dopo le lezioni. Cinque uomini sono saliti a bordo  e l’hanno stuprata per oltre tre ore e mezza con una spranga di ferro. Il ragazzo che era con lei invece è stato picchiato a sangue.

La ragazza da due giorni è ricoverata a Delhi in terapia intensiva. Ha subìto quattro operazioni chirurgiche nel tentativo di salvare l’intestino che, secondo i medici, era in condizioni “disperate”.

Ora in tutta la capitale sono in corso manifestazioni di protesta contro il governo centrale guidato dall’Indian National Congress (Inc) – che controlla anche la municipalità di Delhi –  responsabile della mancata sicurezza di Delhi, soprannominata dall’opposizione in parlamento “la capitale degli stupri”. C’è anche chi chiede la pena di morte per i colpevoli (che nel frattempo sono stati arrestati). Ma per le strade di New Dehli serpeggia una rabbia diffusa nei confronti di uno stato che non protegge le sue cittadine. Di recente a seguito di uno stupro è morta anche una ragazzina di 10 anni.

A guardare i dati infatti dire che viene da rabbrividire è dire poco. Nel 2012, nella sola città di Delhi, sono stati denunciati più di 630 stupri. Gli ultimi dati disponibili a livello nazionale, risalenti al 2010, parlano di oltre 22mila stupri denunciati nel Paese.

MORE:  http://27esimaora.corriere.it/articolo/quellennesimo-stupro-che-fa-scendere-le-donne-indiane-in-piazza/

INDIA URGENT ACTION - Human rights defender at risk of torture: Aparna Marandi.

UA: 359/12 Index: ASA 20/043/2012 India Date: 17 December 2012

URGENT ACTION

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER AT RISK OF TORTURE

Aparna Marandi, a long-time human rights defender who has been repeatedly targeted by the state government for her activities, was arrested on 8 December. She is being detained in Jharkhand, India and is at imminent risk of torture or other ill-treatment.

Aparna Marandi, accompanied by her four year-old son Alok Marandi and three others, was approached by plain clothes policemen after boarding a train from Jharkhand to Hyderabad on 8 December. Aparna Marandi has, for nearly four years, sought to free her activist husband from detention. She was arrested for her alleged involvement in two protests, one which occurred six years ago, and another which took place on 30 November. All were taken into custody at Ranchi women’s police station where they remained until 10 December. They were not presented before a magistrate within 24 hours - in violation of Indian law - and were allegedly subjected to ill-treatment while in custody.

The three other individuals, one a child of 16, were released on 10 December after being forced to sign statements stating they had been arrested on 9 December, instead of 8.

Aparna Marandi and her son were reportedly brought before a magistrate in Ranchi on 10 December and then remanded to police custody and taken to Dumka jail. There are concerns that she may be held incommunicado. Her friends and fellow activists have attempted to contact the police station at Dumka to determine her whereabouts and condition, but as of 14 December police have refused to disclose any information. Authorities have also not responded to a request for details of the charges brought against Marandi.

Please write immediately in English, Hindi or your own language:

Urging the authorities to grant Aparna Marandi and her son immediate access to a lawyer of her choice;

Urging the authorities to protect Aparna Marandi and her son from torture and other ill-treatment;

Urging the authorities to initiate an independent and impartial investigation into the police behaviour and allegations of ill-treatment during Aparna Marandi and her companions’ detention between 8-10 December at Ranchi women’s police station, and hold those responsible for such ill-treatment accountable;

Urging the authorities to desist the practice of arbitrary arrest and detention of individuals in Jharkhand;

Urging the authorities to investigate the detention of two children - 16-year-old Satish and four-year-old Alok - in violation of both the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (2000) and the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which India is a state party and thus obligated to uphold.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 28 JANUARY 2013 TO:

�

Chief Minister, Jharkhand

Secretariat,

3, Kanke Road, Ranchi,

Jharkhand – 834008, India

Fax: 91-651-2280717

Salutation: Dear Chief Minister

Director General of Police, Jharkhand

G.S. Rath

Police Headquarters, DPRD Building,

HEC Dhurwa, Ranchi,

Jharkhand – 834004, India

Fax: 91-651-2400738

Email: dgp@jhpolice.gov.in

Salutation: Dear Mr Rath

�

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.

�

URGENT ACTION

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER AT RISK OF TORTURE

ADditional Information

The arrest of Aparna Marandi is not an isolated event. The authorities in Jharkhand have used tactics of intimidation to silence many activists from marginalized groups such as the Adivasis (indigenous peoples) and the Dalits who advocate for Adivasi and Dalit rights. Activists in Jharkhand, India are under constant threat of arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment by law enforcement officials for protesting and demonstrating against land grabs and discrimination against Adivasis and Dalits. Many are accused of links to armed opposition groups including the Maoists. 

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA20/043/2012/en/5bd4a41f-4d38-4228-845f-36207b7f1f15/asa200432012en.html

PAKISTAN - "Le mani della crudeltà". Rapporto di Amnesty International sulle Aree tribali.

Presunti combattenti sorvegliati da un soldato, dicembre 2010 © REUTERS/K. Parvez

Milioni di persone vivono in uno stato permanente di assenza di legalità nelle Aree tribali del Pakistan nordoccidentale, regione in cui gli abusi commessi dall'esercito e dai talebani restano al di fuori della portata della giustizia.

È questa la denuncia contenuta in un rapporto pubblicato il 13 dicembre da Amnesty International, intitolato "Le mani della crudeltà", che definisce le Aree tribali come una sorta di "deserto legale" che ha dato luogo a una crisi dei diritti umani.

Migliaia di uomini e ragazzi sono stati arrestati dalle forze armate. Molti hanno denunciato di essere stati torturati, altri non sono stati più visti dopo essere stati trasferiti in centri segreti di detenzione. Le assai rare indagini avviate su questi casi sono risultate inefficaci.

"Dopo un decennio di violenza, lotte e conflitti, anziché essere protette le comunità tribali continuano a subire attacchi, rapimenti e intimidazioni" - ha dichiarato Polly Truscott, vicedirettrice del Programma Asia e Pacifico di Amnesty International.

Le garanzie costituzionali e la supervisione dei tribunali sono escluse dalle Aree tribali, dove le forze armate utilizzano leggi sulla sicurezza dall'ampia portata e un durissimo sistema penale dell'era coloniale per compiere impunemente violazioni dei diritti umani.

"Consentendo all'esercito di compiere abusi senza alcun freno, le autorità pakistane gli hanno dato il via libera per eseguire torture e sparizioni forzate" - ha aggiunto Truscott.

I talebani e altri gruppi armati continuano a costituire una minaccia mortale per la società pakistana e a mostrare, nelle parole di Truscott, "un completo disprezzo per le vite civili". Nell'ultimo decennio, migliaia di persone sono state uccise in attacchi sia indiscriminati che diretti verso obiettivi civili specifici.

I talebani e altri gruppi armati si rendono anche responsabili di uccisioni brutali e illegali di soldati fatti prigionieri o di presunte spie, talvolta a seguito di procedimenti paragiudiziari che non rispettano neanche i requisiti minimi del diritto internazionale sui processi equi.

"Le comunità tribali vivono nella paura più abietta di subire rappresaglie mortali per il minimo sospetto di stare dalla parte dello stato o persino, come nel caso della giovane attivista Malala Yousafzai, solo per aver difeso il diritto all'istruzione" - ha aggiunto Truscott.

Il rapporto di Amnesty International si basa su numerose interviste a vittime di abusi dei diritti umani, testimoni, familiari, avvocati e rappresentanti delle autorità pakistane e dei gruppi armati nella regione.

Sebbene negli ultimi tre anni abbiano ripreso il controllo di buona parte delle Aree tribali, le forze armate hanno arrestato arbitrariamente migliaia di persone, tenendole per lungo tempo in carcere nella pressoché totale assenza di garanzie sul giusto processo.

Amnesty International ha anche documentato molti casi di decessi in stato di custodia.

"Quasi ogni settimana, corpi di persone arrestate dalle forze armate vengono restituiti alle famiglie o ritrovati in qualche luogo delle Aree tribali" - ha spiegato Truscott.

Niaz*, arrestato insieme al fratello Ayub*, ha raccontato il trattamento subito nell'aprile 2012: "Per i primi cinque giorni ci hanno picchiato sistematicamente sulla schiena con delle cinture di cuoio. Il dolore era indescrivibile. I soldati ci dicevano che ci avrebbero ucciso se non avessimo confessato di far parte dei talebani".

Dieci giorni dopo l'arresto, Niaz è stato rilasciato ma poche ore dopo ha appreso che suo fratello era morto. Un ufficiale dell'esercito gli ha detto che Ayub aveva avuto un infarto. Ad Amnesty International non risulta che le autorità pakistane abbiano svolto indagini sulle torture subite da Niaz e Ayub e sulla morte di quest'ultimo in custodia militare.

Il caso di Niaz è emblematico delle detenzioni arbitrarie e dei brutali trattamenti dei detenuti da parte delle forze armate e del completo fallimento delle autorità pachistane dal punto di vista delle indagini.

"Il fatto che si consenta a questo sistema di violazioni di proseguire senza niente che assomigli a indagini efficaci illustra l'assenza di salvaguardie per i diritti umani nelle Aree tribali" - ha sottolineato Truscott.

Il rapporto di Amnesty International descrive molti casi di sparizioni forzate di persone arrestate dalle forze armate e mai portate di fronte a un giudice né fatte incontrare con avvocati e familiari, i quali non hanno la minima idea di cosa sia  accaduto ai detenuti.

Le garanzie fondamentali in materia di protezione dei diritti umani previste dalla Costituzione del Pakistan non sono in vigore nelle Aree tribali, dove vige piuttosto il draconiano Regolamento sui crimini di frontiera, risalente all'era coloniale.

Nel 2011, inoltre, i Regolamenti di azione a sostegno del potere civile hanno dato all'esercito ulteriori poteri arbitrari d'arresto e imprigionamento.

Né le corti d'appello né il parlamento hanno giurisdizione sulle Aree tribali. Sebbene i tribunali abbiamo comunque preso in esame ricorsi contro la legittimità di alcune detenzioni, non vi è stato alcun procedimento nei confronti di militari sospettati di torture, sparizioni forzate e decessi in custodia.

"Il governo pakistano deve immediatamente riformare il sistema legale, profondamente  difettoso e causa del perpetuarsi del ciclo di violenza, in vigore nelle Aree tribali. I Regolamenti del 2011 devono essere annullati e la giurisdizione dei tribunali e del parlamento dev'essere estesa anche a questa regione" - ha concluso Truscott.

I modesti tentativi del governo pakistano di modificare il Regolamento sui crimini di frontiera non sono stati all'altezza delle norme e degli standard internazionali sui diritti umani e sono stati ulteriormente compromessi dall'entrata in vigore dei Regolamenti del 2011.

*I nomi sono stati modificati.

http://www.amnesty.it/le-mani-della-crudelta-rapporto-su-aree-tribali-pakistan 

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA33/019/2012/en

General strike called after Bangladesh unrest.

At least two killed and dozens hurt during opposition rallies demanding caretaker system to oversee next year's polls.

Bangladeshi opposition parties have called a general strike after at least two people were killed in clashes during nationwide road blockades demanding a caretaker government to ensure elections due in 2014 are fair.

Police and witnesses said at least two people were killed and more than 200 injured in Sunday's violence in the capital, Dhaka, and a number of other districts.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary-general of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), called for the daylong stoppage on Tuesday in protest against what he said were government atrocities committed against political activists during the protests.

The BNP, which leads an 18-party alliance and is led by Khaleda Zia, former prime minister, had enforced the eight-hour road blockades, which ended at 2pm (08:00 GMT).

The opposition has threatened to boycott the 2014 polls unless a caretaker administration is installed beforehand.

The ruling coalition, led by the Awami League, says the caretaker system, made up of unelected persons, cannot be reinstated as it violates democratic values.

It offered opposition parties the chance to join an election-time "all-party" government to hold a credible poll under a stronger election authority.

Violence in Dhaka

A protester was killed during Sunday's clashes between opponents and supporters of the government in Sirajganj district, 104km northwest of Dhaka, Wahid Zaman, local police chief, said.

He did not provide details.

In Dhaka, one protester was killed by a speeding bus as some demonstrators tried to stop it, a police official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

Police said they fired rubber bullets and tear gas to break up several hundred protesters in Dhaka's southern Jatrabari district.

The demonstrators responded by throwing bricks.

Opposition activists clashed with police in Dhaka and, elsewhere, set fire to vehicles, put barricades on national highways and burnt tyres and threw bricks and homemade bombs during the blockade.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the picketers, who clashed with officers and anti-blockade activists from the Awami League in different places.

As many as 100 opposition activists were detained.

In elections since 1996, the sitting Bangladesh government has stepped down before the vote to allow a neutral caretaker government to oversee the polling.

The system was designed to prevent the party in power from attempting to manipulate the vote. But the Awami League-led ruling coalition scrapped that system after a court ruling in June 2011.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2012/12/20121299847303878.html

Afghanistan, uccisa funzionaria del governo.

L'assassinio, nella Giornata internazionale dei diritti umani, di Nadia Sidiqi, direttrice ad interim della sede provinciale di Laghman del ministero per le questioni femminili, mostra ancora una volta quanto sia indispensabile garantire maggiore protezione a chi difende i diritti delle donne in Afghanistan.

Nadia Sidiqi è stata assassinata a Laghman la mattina del 10 dicembre mentre si stava recando al lavoro nel suo ufficio di Laghman,. Aveva preso il posto di Hanifa Safi, uccisa in un attentato nel luglio 2012. Nessuno ha rivendicato le due azioni.

"Non si è trattato di un atto di violenza isolato. Il fatto che la predecessora di Nadia Sidiqi sia stata assassinata appena pochi mesi fa è indice del fallimento delle autorità afgane, che non hanno saputo fornire adeguata protezione ad Hanifa Safi, a Nadia Sidiqi e ad altre donne impegnate in favore dei diritti umani" - ha dichiarato da Kabul Horia Mosadiq, ricercatrice di Amnesty International sull'Afghanistan.

"L'impunità nei confronti della violenza contro le donne è un fatto endemico in Afghanistan. Il governo afgano deve avviare immediatamente un'inchiesta indipendente sull'uccisione di Nadia Sidiqi e aumentare il livello di protezione per le funzionarie del ministero delle Questioni femminili" - ha commentato Mosadiq.

"Il governo dell'Afghanistan deve inoltre dare uniforme attuazione alla Legge sull'eliminazione della violenza contro le donne. Entrata in vigore nell'agosto 2009, criminalizza i matrimoni forzati, lo stupro e altri atti di violenza contro le donne ma viene applicata sporadicamente" - ha sottolineato Mosadiq.

http://www.amnesty.it/news/afghanistan-uccisa-funzionaria-del-governo

AFGHANISTAN - Duecento ragazzini detenuti dagli americani.

dic

di Monica Ricci Sargentini

 

Le forze Usa  hanno detenuto oltre 200 adolescenti afghani per un anno in una prigione militare nei pressi della base aerea di Bagram (nella foto), non lontano da Kabul. A rivelarlo è stato lo stesso Dipartimento di Stato americano nel rapporto che ogni quattro anni viene inviato alle Nazioni Unite di Ginevra per dimostrare il rispetto della Convenzione Onu sui diritti dei bambini. Nel documento  si parla di ragazzi catturati in guerra nel 2008 che sono stati classificati come “‘combattenti nemici“.  Molti sono stati rilasciati ma alcuni sono ancora detenuti a Parwan, una prigione che passerà presto sotto il controllo dei militari afghani.

“I militari americani – sostiene il Dipartimento di Stato nella relazione – hanno trattenuto i ragazzi per impedire tornassero sui campi di battaglia“.  Una versione poco convincente secondo alcuni rappresentanti delle associazioni per i diritti umani soprattutto perché Washington ha dichiarato che l’età media dei minorenni era di 16 anni. “Se questo è vero  - ha commentato all’Ap Jamil Dakwar, direttore del programma diritti civili dell’American Civil Liberties Union – vuol dire che tra loro ci sono stati anche bambini di 13 o 14 anni”. Un sospetto che viene confermato da Tina M.Foster, dell’International Justice Network: “Ho rappresentato anche  bambini anche di 11 o 12 anni detenuti a Bagram. E poi metto in dubbio il numero di 200, ci sono migliaia di detenuti a Parwan. E ci sono ragazzini che sono stati arrestati prima che compissero 18 anni ma la cosa non viene riconosciuta”.  Per l’American Civil Liberties Union è da criticare anche la lunghezza delle detenzioni, di solito di un anno.  ”Un periodo tempo inaccettabile che espone i bambini al grande rischio di abusi fisici e mentali – ha spiegato ancora Dakwar -, specialmente se gli è negata la protezione stabilita dal diritto internazionale”.

Quattro anni fa, alla fine della presidenza Bush, gli Usa avevano dichiarato di aver detenuto circa 500 minorenni nelle prigioni irachene mentre in Afghanistan il numero era irrisorio. Dal 2002 al 2008 in Iraq sono stati chiusi in prigione circa 2500 ragazzini.  Di solito gli adolescenti non sono imputati di alcun crimine e quindi non hanno diritto all’assistenza legale. “Lo scopo della detenzione – spiega il rapporto – non è punitivo ma preventivo, cioè è volto ad impedire che i combattenti ritornino sul campo di battaglia”.  Nel 2004 una sentenza della Corte Suprema ( Hamdi vs. Rumsfeld) ha stabilito che “la legge sul conflitto armato permette agli Usa di detenere i belligeranti fino alla fine delle ostilità senza accusarli di alcun crimine perché non sono detenuti come criminali in attesa di un processo”.

Tina Foster dell’International Justice Network, però, sostiene che spesso i ragazzi vengono arrestati nelle loro case e presi insieme ai loro fratelli: “Non li prendono mica sul campo di battaglia e non hanno nemmeno l’uniforme. E magari  poi ci mettono un anno a capire chi sono e quanti anni hanno”.

Ora la  relazione sarà esaminata dalla Commissione Onu per i diritti umani a Ginevra che dovrà stabilire se il comportamento dei militari non ha trasgredito la convenzione. E una delegazione del Dipartimento di Stato americano si recherà a Ginevra all’inizio del prossimo anno per  rispondere alle domande dei commissari e spiegare il rapporto.

http://lepersoneeladignita.corriere.it/2012/12/09/afghanistan-200-ragazzini-detenuti-dagli-americani/

PAKISTAN - Omaggio a Malala.

Un fondo per incentivare l’istruzione dei giovani che porterà il nome di Malala Yousufzai e una visita di persona  in ospedale a Birmingham.  Sono questi i gesti con cui il presidente pachistano Asif Ali Zardari spera di dare un segnale forte contro la discriminazione delle donne e a favore dei diritti umani. Oggi Malala (nella foto con i genitori),  ricoverata nel Queen Elizabeth Hospital di Birmingham dopo aver subito un attacco il 9 ottobre da parte dei talebani nella Valle dello Swat, riceverà l’omaggio del Capo dello Stato e del ministro degli Esteri Hina Rabbani Khar che si recheranno appositamente per lei  in Gran Bretagna dato che la loro agenda non prevede alcun altro impegno diplomatico.

Il 10 dicembre, inoltre, il presidente pachistano annuncerà a Parigi, in occasione della Giornata Mondiale per i diritti umani, la creazione di un fondo per incentivare l’istruzione dei giovani  dedicato alla ragazza  che con il suo coraggio è diventata un simbolo della lotta contro i talebani.

Per Malala poi è stata scritta anche una canzone. L’idea è di  Shayla Cram, una giovane diplomatica statunitense in servizio presso il consolato di Peshawar che, dopo aver appreso il pashtun, lingua parlata dalle tribù dei talebani, ha composto “Jenaiy” (Ragazza)

Il brano è dedicato a tutte le donne coraggiose del Pakistan e recita: “Qual è il tuo sogno ragazza? Il tuo futuro è luminoso.  È nelle tue mani, o la tua voce è stata bloccata?  Nulla è giusto in questo mondo  ma gli sforzi continueranno. Possiamo lavorare insieme, siamo indipendenti e senza paura. Ragazze, ragazze mantenete la speranza”.

Cram ha spiegato alle agenzie di stampa  che la sua iniziativa è volta “ad incoraggiare le ragazze e le donne del Pakistan a studiare in modo che possano anche acquisire una predisposizione a gestire la loro vita”.

http://lepersoneeladignita.corriere.it/2012/12/08/lomaggio-a-malala-del-presidente-pachistano/

Sri Lanka: Students at risk of torture following march.

Four students were arrested on 1 December in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka, by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) of the police. They are being held in Vavuniya for interrogation and are at risk of torture. P. Tharshananth, Sanmugam Solaman, Kanesamoorthy Sutharsan and K. Jenemajeyamenan were arrested without warrants in Jaffna. It is not known if they have been formally charged. Sri Lankan media reports that they are being questioned about their alleged involvement in a petrol bomb attack on the office of a local political organisation, as well as their involvement in organising demonstrations. There are concerns for their well-being given evidence of the persistent use of torture in TID custody.

Their arrests come after several days of student protests following efforts by the security forces to suppress peaceful commemorations of Maaveerar Naal (Heroes Day), a day of remembrance established by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). On 27 November security forces broke up a lamp lighting ceremony at the women’s hostel at Jaffna University, reportedly breaking lamps, threatening students and pointing weapons at them. The following day students responded with a silent protest and short march and held placards denouncing the restrictions on freedom of expression. At least 20 undergraduates were injured and beaten by riot police and officers in civilian dress, including Sanmugam Solaman. Security forces allege that the students had thrown stones at them, prompting them to react; university staff told local media that the event was peaceful until the authorities attacked the marchers.

Please write immediately in English or your own language: ν Expressing concern for the safety and wellbeing of the four students (naming them); ν Calling on the Sri Lankan authorities to release them from custody or charge them with a recognizeable criminal offense and to try them promptly in a regularly consituted court with all internationally recognized safeguards provided; ν Urging them to ensure that the detainees are treated in accordance with international standards while in police custody, specifically urging that they are not tortured and are given full access to their lawyers, families, food, blankets and medical care where necessary; ν Calling on the Sri Lankan authorities to end restrictions on freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly; ν Urging them to halt attacks on religious gatherings and other commemorative activities, and bring to justice those who carry out such attacks. 

THE URGENT ACTION HERE: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA37/014/2012/en/e77aed87-6fad-4b9f-9c48-3fc42f3bfd4e/asa370142012en.html

INDIA - 28 years later, women in Bhopal still waiting for justice.

Bhopal survivor Hazra Bi works for the local NGO Union Carbide Gas Affected Women's Collective

© Amnesty International

Tens of thousands of victims of India’s worst ever industrial disaster – the 1984 catastrophic gas leak at the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal– are still waiting for justice, and women are suffering disproportionately, Amnesty International said.

The gas leak, which occurred exactly 28 years ago today, killed between 7,000 and 10,000 men, women and children just in the first three days.

A further 15,000 are believed to have died over the following years, while tens of thousands more have been left with serious health problems. Union Carbide was bought by Dow Chemical Company (Dow) in 2001.

“28 years is too long to wait for justice. The Indian government and Dow must finally compensate the victims properly, and the Indian authorities must also hold those responsible for this disaster to account,” said Madhu Malhotra, Director of Amnesty International’s Gender Sexuality and Identity Program.

Women in Bhopal have suffered disproportionately since the gas leak. Many have suffered severe health impacts, including gynaecological and reproductive health disorders. As men affected by the disaster became too ill to keep on working, many women have also had to continue to take on the role of breadwinner, while at the same time caring for ill family members.

“On the night the gas disaster happened my pregnant daughter-in-law suddenly went into labour. We took her to hospital and as soon as they gave her an injection, she breathed her last,” said Rampyari Bai, one of the survivors of the leak and an activist in Bhopal.

But women are also at the forefront of the struggle for justice.

Local activists groups are demanding that the government adequately compensate the victims and provide health care to those who are still suffering.

“We are fighting for the issue of liability of Union Carbide, whether it is in US or in India. It is because people here believe that it's not just important to get compensation, but it's also important to get justice,” said Rachna Dhingra from the Bhopal Group for Information and Action.

There has yet to be a thorough investigation into the health effects of the disaster on people’s lives.

According to activists, there are still close to 150,000 people battling chronic illnesses of the lungs or liver.

The industrial skeleton of the former Union Carbide factory today still lies abandoned in the centre of Bhopal, with more than 350 tonnes of toxic waste untreated inside.

Some 40,000 people are still living next to the factory, and have been exposed to the toxic waste for years.

“Today 28 years after the disaster, in many senses the situation of the victims is worse than it was on the morning of the disaster. The people who are struggling are mainly poor and are mainly women,” says Hazra Bi from the local NGO Union Carbide Gas Affected Women's Collective.
   
Amnesty International urges the government of India and Dow to immediately clean up the site of the gas leak.

In 1989, the Indian Supreme Court announced a settlement between the Indian government and Union Carbide, without consulting with survivors. Union Carbide was asked to pay US$470 million in compensation, but even this inadequate sum has not been distributed in full to the victims.

Dow has consistently denied any responsibility for Union Carbide’s liabilities in Bhopal.

In August 2012, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that greater powers should be given to the committee monitoring the rehabilitation of victims of the gas leak. Activists say they hope the decision will lead to better healthcare for those affected.

“The decision was positive and must be urgently implemented. The only way for Dow and Union Carbide to finally put the legacy of Bhopal to rest is to work with the affected communities and government of India to fully, and effectively, address the human rights impact of the disaster,” said Madhu Malhotra from Amnesty International.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/28-years-later-women-bhopal-still-waiting-justice-2012-12-03

Afghanistan, il suicidio delle spose bambine e il silenzio del mondo.

 

di Monica Ricci Sargentini

Per le spose bambine promesse a un parente lontano anche a soli nove anni spesso la morte è l’unica soluzione perché soltanto con un gesto così estremo il patto matrimoniale potrà essere invalidato. Lo sapeva bene Nasreen, 18 anni, di Kunduz, che qualche giorno fa  ha preso un fucile da caccia e si è sparata, uccidendosi.  Nasreen non è di certo l’unico esempio. Fatima, 17 anni, di Kabul ha provato a fare lo stesso qualche mese fa ma a lei è andata peggio: è sopravvissuta e, per farsi annullare il fidanzamento,  è dovuta andare in tribunale dove vige la sharia e una ragazza per farsi ascoltare deve avere almeno cinque testimoni a favore, ovviamente maschi. .

Secondo gli organismi umanitari che operano in Afghanistan,  il numero di ragazze che decidono con un gesto estremo di mettere fine a vessazioni famigliari o a matrimoni indesiderati è in aumento.  L’altra alternativa è la fuga, un’opzione che apre le porte del carcere a moltissime donne: secondo Human Rights Watch circa 500 sono attualmente in carcere per aver cercato di sfuggire a un matrimonio forzato o a un marito violento. E poi, purtroppo, ci sono i feminicidi, molto frequenti in questa parte del mondo.  Tre giorni fa sempre nella provincia di Kunduz un’adolescente di 14 anni, Gisa, è stata decapitata senza pietà per essersi rifiutata di sposarsi. Due uomini, identificati dalla polizia solo come Sadeq e Massoud, sono stati arrestati per l’assassinio della ragazza. Secondo i media afghani, i due sarebbero parenti stretti della famiglia ed entrambi volevano sposare Gisa, ma sia la giovane che il padre avevano ripetutamente respinto le loro proposte. I due l’avrebbero aggredita mentre tornava a casa, dopo essere andata al pozzo per prendere l’acqua. Il suo corpo è stato trovato in un campo nel distretto di Imam Sahib.

Un altro caso che è fatto scalpore è accaduto il mese scorso quando una ventenneè stata decapitata dalla famiglia del marito per essersi rifiutata di prostituirsi, mentre lo scorso  settembre cinque persone sono state arrestate per aver inflitto 100 frustate in pubblico a una 16enne accusata di avere una relazione.

Dal 2009, grazie all’entrata in vigore della legge sull’Eliminazione della violenza contro le donne, l’Afghanistan vieta i matrimoni forzati, la pratica di “regalare” una ragazza per risolvere una disputa e altri atti di violenza. Ma per molte la realtà non è cambiata. Secondo i dati dell’organizzazione britannica Oxfam, l’87% delle donne afghane ha riferito di aver subito violenza fisica, sessuale o psicologica.

L’ong Plan denuncia che ogni  10 milioni di bambine nel mondo sono costrette a sposarsi, una ogni tre secondi;  mentre 150 milioni di bambine sotto i 18 anni sono vittime di stupro o altre forme di violenza sessuale. Quando cominceremo ad indignarci davvero?

http://lepersoneeladignita.corriere.it/2012/12/03/afghanistan-il-suicidio-delle-spose-bambine-e-il-silenzio-del-mondo/#.ULxv1NZPon4.twitter

INDIA - Amnesty decries illegal detention of teenager.

Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar: Amnesty International has expressed concern over the arbitrary detention of a 16 year-old boy stating that the authorities are treating him as an adult rather than a child.

Danish Farooq was first arrested on November 19 under Sections 152, 138, 148, and 147 of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). All charges relate to incidents of stone-pelting.
“After three days of arbitrary detention in police custody without any legal grounds, he was produced in court, which ordered his release on bail. Before any release Farooq was re-arrested on November 23 under Sections 307, 285, 336 of the RPC for attempt to murder for his alleged involvement in a petrol bomb attack,” reads a statement issued by Amnesty.
According to the latest reports, Farooq remains in police custody and it is unclear when he will appear before the local court in Srinagar.
“Farooq’s family has been denied the right to communicate with him or see him, and is currently unaware of his condition. A police representative has told Farooq’s family that he will not be presented in court within the required time period set by law, but will kept in custody for two months.”
He has not had access to a lawyer during this time, it added.
India is legally obliged, under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC), which it ratified in 1992, to establish laws and procedures specifically applicable to children, and to define minors as all individuals younger than 18.
This means India must ensure no individual younger than 18 years of age is arrested, detained, or tried under ordinary criminal law without the safeguards meant to protect children.
“However, J&K Juvenile Justice Act, 1997, treats boys over the age of 16 as adults, in violation of the UN CRC and international human rights law.”
Amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act are currently being discussed by the J&K Legislative Assembly. If these amendments are successful, all children below 18 years of age will be treated as juveniles.
According to Amnesty, since Farooq is a child under an international treaty that is binding on India so the manner of his arrest and detention must be compatible with this treaty.
Further, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which India has also ratified, prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of liberty and among other things provides that states party – including India – must ensure that any person being arrested is brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power.
Amnesty International has called on J&K police to end Farooq’s “arbitrary and unlawful” detention, and either release him or produce him immediately before a magistrate.
“If a court decides that he has to remain in detention, Farooq must be moved to a juvenile detention home and be granted all the safeguards and protections guaranteed to children by the CRC and for judicial proceedings to go forward in accordance with international human rights law.
“He should also be granted, without delay, access to his family, and they should be kept informed of his whereabouts and condition, as well as access to a lawyer of his or his family’s choice.”
Amnesty has also urged the state authorities to halt the practice of arbitrary detentions in the state, in particular of children.
It has also reiterated its call to the J&K government to amend the Juvenile Justice Act to bring it into line with the CRC.

http://www.risingkashmir.in/news/amnesty-decries-illegal-detention-of-teenager-37398.aspx

Incendio in Bangladesh: arrestati i tre responsabili.

Producevano magliette per grandi marchi occidentali, come Walt Disney, Wal-Mart e Sears le giovani donne, o forse ragazzine, che hanno perso la vita nell'incendio di sabato scorso a Dacca, nel Bangladesh. Arrestati i responsabili, ma non cessano le proteste degli operai per la mancanza di sicurezza sul posto di lavoro.
E' quanto hanno scoperto le autorità durante le indagini che hanno portato all'arresto di tre responsabili della fabbrica. Sembra che gli indagati abbiano chiuso le porte dall'esterno, condannando a morte le persone rimaste in fabbrica al momento dello scoppio dell'incendio. Sono state rinvenute pile di magliette di marchi occidentali semicarbonizzate. I documenti contabili dimostrano che la produzione avveniva da diversi mesi nonostante le scarse misure di sicurezza presenti nella fabbrica.
Intanto per il terzo giorno consecutivo, sono continuate le proteste degli operai che hanno sospeso la produzione e chiesto alle autorità più misure di sicurezza sul posto di lavoro. Gli scontri con la polizia hanno causato circa 20 feriti. I dimostranti hanno vandalizzato alcune fabbriche e bloccato le strade di accesso all'area industriale.

http://www.huffingtonpost.it/2012/11/28/incendio-bangladesh-disney_n_2204421.html?utm_hp_ref=italia-diritti

India: 16 prisoners at risk of execution.

UA: 337/12 Index: ASA 20/040/2012 India Date: 26 November 2012

URGENT ACTION INDIA: 16 PRISONERS AT RISK OF EXECUTION Following the recent execution of Ajmal Kasab, there is fear that Indian authorities may similarly execute other prisoners with petitions for mercy currently pending. On 21 November, the Indian government executed Pakistani national Ajmal Kasab, convicted for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. This was the first execution in India in eight years.

The manner of his execution was a deviation from usual practice, and raises serious concerns. Firstly, mercy petitions in India are generally considered in the order in which they were filed. However, the Indian state considered Ajmal Kasab’s case out of turn. Secondly, the execution was only announced to the public after it had been carried out. Indian authorities have publicly sought to justify this lack of prior announcement in Kasab’s case, stating that this was done to avoid intervention from human rights activists.

Official figures indicate that 11 mercy petitions involving 15 men and one woman on death row are now pending before the President. They are Gurmeet Singh; Dharampal; Suresh and Ramji; Simon, Gnanaprakasam, Madaiah and Bilavandra; Praveen Kumar; Mohammed Afzal Guru; Saibanna Ningappa Natikar; Jafar Ali; Sonia (f) and Sanjeev; Sundar Singh and Atbir. Nine of the petitions for mercy are being reviewed for a second time by the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is not known which petitions these are. Ministers have publicly stated that decisions on some of these petitions will be made soon. As Ajmal Kasab’s execution was not announced to the public until it had been carried out, and because of the out-of-turn perusal of mercy petitions, it in unclear which of the petitions are being reconsidered and when the authorities might decide to execute the prisoners.

Please write immediately in English or your own language: • Calling on Indian authorities to commute all death sentences to terms of imprisonment • Calling on India’s President to immediately stop plans to carry out further executions and establish an

official moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty; • Where mercy petitions have been rejected, calling on the President and Ministry of Home Affairs to respect

the practice of promptly informing the individual, his/ her lawyers, his/ her family, of the decision, reasons for the decision, and proposed date of execution, as well as the public of any scheduled execution;

• Pointing out that India’s decision to resume executions after an eight-year gap has set the country against regional and global trends towards abolition of the death penalty;

• Acknowledging the seriousness of violent crimes and expressing sympathy with the victims, but raising concern that the death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 7 JANUARY 2013 TO: President of India President Pranab Mukherjee Rashtrapati Bhavan New Delhi 110 004 Fax: +91 11 23017290; +91 11 23017824 Email: (via form) http://www.helpline.rb.nic.in/ Salutation: Dear President

And copies to: Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh South Block, Raisina Hill New Delhi 110 001 Fax: +91 11 23019545; +91 11 23016857 Email: (via form) http://pmindia.gov.in/feedback.php Salutation: Dear Prime Minister

Minister of Home Affairs Sushilkumar Shinde 104, North Block, Central Secretariat New Delhi 110001 Fax: + 91 11 23094221 Email: hm@nic.in

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date.

URGENT ACTION INDIA: 16 PRISONERS AT RISK OF EXECUTION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The last execution before that of Ajmal Kasab took place in India in August 2004. Additionally, and in contrast to this latest execution, Indian authorities had in the past made information about the rejection of mercy petitions and dates of execution available to the public prior to any execution taking place. In resolution 2005/59, adopted in 2005, the UN Commission on Human Rights called upon all states that still maintain the death penalty "to make available to the public information with regard to the imposition of the death penalty and to any scheduled execution”. This move to resume executions after an eight-year hiatus has positioned the country against the regional and global trend towards abolition of the death penalty.

Official figures suggest that 11 mercy petitions concerning 16 people are currently pending before the Indian President. Unofficial sources and newspapers suggest that the figure is higher, and up to 14 petitions might be pending.

Fourteen former judges have recently petitioned the President to commute 13 death sentences that they believe were wrongly imposed. The case of Saibanna Ningappa Natikar, sentenced to death for murdering two members of his family in 2005, was one of the cases identified by the judges. This is one of the 11 mercy petitions currently at risk of rejection. Mohammad Afzal Guru, sentenced to death for his involvement in the 2001 Parliament attack, was tried by a special court under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Amnesty International has found that these trials did not conform with international human rights standards. The President has the options of rejecting the mercy plea; granting the plea and commuting the death sentence to terms of imprisonment; or not deciding on the plea in the foreseeable future, as has happened in past cases.

In total, 140 countries, more than two thirds of the world’s countries, are abolitionist in law or in practice. In 2011, only 21 states in the world executed, meaning that 90 per cent of the world was execution-free. Out of 41 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, 17 have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, 10 are abolitionist in practice and one – Fiji – uses the death penalty only for exceptional military crimes. Over the past 10 years, four Asia-Pacific countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes; Bhutan and Samoa in 2004, the Philippines in 2006 and the Cook Islands in 2007. Across the region, general public awareness has led to a greater level of debate and transparency.

UN bodies and mechanisms have repeatedly called upon Member States to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty, most recently through the adoption of three UN General Assembly resolutions, in December 2007, 2008 and 2010. A fourth draft resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty was adopted with increased support at by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on 19 November 2012 and will be put to a final, plenary vote in December. In a general comment on Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a State Party, the UN Human Rights Committee has stated that Article 6 "refers generally to abolition [of the death penalty] in terms which strongly suggest ... that abolition is desirable. The Committee concludes that all measures of abolition should be considered as progress in the enjoyment of the right to life... ".

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, regardless of the nature of the crime, the characteristics of the offender, or the method of execution.

Name: Gurmeet Singh; Dharampal; Suresh and Ramji; Simon, Gnanaprakasam, Madaiah and Bilavandra; Praveen Kumar; Mohammed Afzal Guru; Saibanna Ningappa Natikar; Jafar Ali; Sonia (f) and Sanjeev; Sundar Singh and Atbir Gender m/f: both

Further information on UA: 337/12 Index: ASA 20/040/2012 Issue Date: 26 November 2012

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA20/040/2012/en/49248407-2382-4b09-aa7d-80166563b4e8/asa200402012en.html

Bangladesh Garment Workers Die Producing Cheap Clothes.

By Govind Acharya

November 26, 2012 at 9:57 AM

Bangladeshi men carry the body of a victim after a fire in the nine-storey Tazreen Fashion plant in Savar, 

about 30 kilometres north of Dhaka on November 25, 2012.

Rescue workers in Bangladesh recovered 109 bodies on Sunday after a fire tore through a garment factory, 

forcing many workers to jump from high windows to escape the smoke and flames. (Photo credit STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

 

As Americans indulge in post-Thanksgiving shopping sprees in chain stores across the country and online, we are reminded of the real toll that cheap goods has on human rights in countries such as Bangladesh: the death toll from a horrific fire at a Bangladeshi textile factory has risen to over 110. Dhaka’s largest English-language newspaper tells of a harrowing scene inside the factory:
 

“Hot smoke filled the air within minute as soon as fire alarm rang and electricity supply became off. We were running to escape death through the dark. Many died inhaling smoke”

Since 2006, more than 500 people have been killed providing inexpensive clothing to American and European chain stores. This particular company, Tazreen Fashions, produce clothes for giant retailers such as Walmart. As the organization Clean Clothes Campaign stated in reaction to this tragedy: ”These brands have known for years that many of the factories they choose to work with are death traps. Their failure to take action mounts to criminal negligence.”
 
The factory is in a district that houses many other export-led industries within the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority or BEPZA. The BEZPA do not permit unions and other organizing activities as it is considered a “cumbersome activity”. Because of the blatant nature of illegality against organizing in the export processing zone, no one should think for a moment that this is just a tragic accident. No. This disaster must be a wake-up call for the protection of the human rights of workers in Bangladesh. 
 
There must be an independent investigation into the causes of the fire, for compensation to be paid to the victims and their families and for those responsible for these conditions to face prosecution. Further, any investigation must result in concrete action from all parties to prevent future tragedies.

 http://blog.amnestyusa.org/asia/bangladesh-garment-workers-die-producing-cheap-clothes/

UN “shamefully silent” on Maldives’ human rights abuses: MDP.

The provisional findings of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)’s human rights mission to the Maldives should “act as a wake-up call” for other members of the international community, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has said in a statement.

“Sadly, since February’s overthrow of the Maldives’ democratically-elected government, key parts of the international community have remained silent regarding the widespread human rights violations taking place,” said the party’s spokesperson, MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

“While the IPU, CMAG, Canada, the Human Rights Committee, the EU and certain international NGOs such as Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights have expressed varying degrees of alarm at the Maldives’ backsliding on democracy and human rights, others including the UN Resident Coordinator and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have remained shamefully silent. To remain silent in the face of injustice is to be an accomplice to that injustice.”

Following its visit the IPU delegation noted on Thursday that it was “difficult” to believe that the recent series of arrests of MPs were not politically motivated.

IPU delegation member Francis Pangilinan, a Philippine Senator, described the circumstances surrounding the recent police raid of Hondaidhoo in Haa Dhaal Atoll and arrest of MPs on charges of alcohol consumption as “very worrying”.

“An impressive team of unidentified police and an army of officers allegedly carried out the arrests, reportedly without a warrant and ill-treated the MPs,” said Pangilinan.

“We are well aware that the consumption of alcohol and drugs is forbidden in the Maldives, but we find it difficult to believe in light of the circumstances and timing of the arrests that the parliamentarians were not targeted for political reasons.”

The delegation further expressed their concern over the failure to punish the police officers who used “excessive force” against MPs earlier this year.

The delegation stressed that the issues raised were an internal matter, and that the IPU could only monitor and communicate with the necessary authorities in the hope that a resolution will come “sooner or later”.

“The outside world is not going to resolve these issues. Instead Maldivians sitting down, ultimately talking to each other to solve the issues of controversy is the only way,” said South African Parliamentary expert Peter Lilienfeld.

MP Ghafoor, who was one of the MPs arrested, meanwhile observed that “gradually, the international community, which for a while was fooled by the appallingly one-sided report of the so-called Commission of National Inquiry, is starting to understand the true nature of the Waheed regime.

“The truth is this: unless Waheed can be pressed into calling early elections, the rapid encroachment of the police state will continue – until it will be impossible to turn it back. It is time for the UN Resident Coordinator and others to wake-up to this fact,” he said.

Minivan News was awaiting comment from UN Representative in the Maldives, Andrew Cox, at time of press.

http://minivannews.com/politics/un-shamefully-silent-on-maldives-human-rights-abuses-mdp-47831