Subject: [fem-women2000 494] [apwomen2000] Urgent Appeal to the UN Commissioner on Human Rights
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2000 13:28:58 +0900
Seq: 494
---------------- Original message follows ---------------- From: Susanna George <susanna@isiswomen.org> To: apwomen2000@isiswomen.org Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2000 12:13:50 +0800 Subject: [apwomen2000] Urgent Appeal to the UN Commissioner on Human Rights -- Distributed by Isis International-Manila - linking women, sharing knowledge, engendering change -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Urgent Appeal to the UN Commissioner on Human Rights author: Asian Human Rights Commission <ua@ahrchk.org> forwarded by: Documentation for Action Groups in Asia [DAGA], Email: dagainfo@daga.org.hk date: 00.08.21 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear APWomen2000, Following is an urgent appeal being made by the Asian Human Rights Commission protesting the limited agenda of the forthcoming Experts Seminar in preparation for the World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance to be held from 5-7 September, 2000 in Bangkok, Thailand. AHRC is asking that as many people sign a petition to have the agenda of the Experts Seminar expanded to include various forms of racial discrimination, and not exclude issues that are equally persistent and important to the agenda for this region (such as indigenous peoples' and minority peoples' rights and the caste system in parts of the South Asian subcontinent) While it is recognized that "Migrant Workers and Trafficking of Persons, with Particular Reference to Women and Children," which is the topic of this Expert Seminar is crucial, it is one amongst a number of pressing concerns in the region, in relation to the topic of the conference. Salaams, Susanna George Isis International-Manila ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- An Appeal to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance South Africa, 2001 Fundamental Issues Relating to Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in the Asian Region Need to Be Included in All Preparatory and Experts' Meetings Leading to the World Conference against Racism As the preparation for this conference is under way, it is necessary to stress a need for an open process in which all groups and persons suffering >from various forms of discrimination will be able to bring their situations to the notice of the conference and to the international community. Asia is the largest continent in the world with a population amounting to more than 2.5 billion. In this context, it is only natural that there are very acute forms of discrimination that exist in this vast continent. All preparatory meetings leading to this conference, particularly those held in Asia, must provide sufficient opportunity for Asian communities to bring their grievances to the notice of the conference. The two meetings to be in held in Asia are the Experts' Seminar, 5 -7 September, 2000, in Bangkok, Thailand, and the Asia Regional Preparatory Committee Meeting in January 2001 in Tehran, Iran. In these circumstances it is rather disturbing to see that the themes fixed for the Experts' Seminar to be held in Bangkok is "Migrant Workers and Trafficking of Persons, with Particular Reference to Women and Children." This way of fixing the theme will exclude discussion on all other fundamental issues. While the topic that has been set is of great importance and deserves the support of everyone, it in no way exhausts the forms of discrimination in Asia. In fact, the theme fixed in this way will exclude the discussion of many vital issues. For this reason, the beneficiaries of fixing the theme in this way are the perpetrators who cause such discrimination and political systems that protect such perpetrators. To shut the door to those groups of persons defeats the purposes of the world conference and the preparatory work done for that purpose. As the fixing of the themes for such meetings are done by the organizing group of the conference based in the United Nations High Commissioner's Office, it is necessary that they take necessary steps to avoid the exclusion of any form of discrimination practiced in the region from being discussed. This particularly applies to entrenched forms of discrimination affecting millions of people. In terms of the forthcoming Experts' Seminar in Asia, this means that either the theme of the meeting should be changed or, if that is not possible for any reason, to make allowance for discussion of all issues relevant to the world conference, despite the narrow limits set by the theme of the seminar. Therefore, we urge the United Nations High Commissioner to take all steps to avoid exclusion of vital issues of discrimination in Asia from the forthcoming Experts' Seminar in Asia. We eagerly await a positive reaction on this matter from the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights. ------------- ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT TO SIGN THIS PETITION TO STOP ASIAN GOVERNMENTS FROM IGNORING CRUCIAL DISCRIMINATION ISSUES SUCH AS CASTE OPPRESSION, RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE AND POOR TREATMENT OF ABORIGINES DURING THE UN CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM! Go Sign Now! http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/wcar_appeal_eng.htm The Racism Conference is still a year away, but the agenda is being set now, and government in Asia-Pacific are trying to make sure their own discriminatory practiced will not be discussed. The appeal is available in English, Spanish and French, so please inform anyone else who you think would like to see the caste system abolished about this petition. IF YOU CANNOT ACCESS THE INTERNET EASILY, the petition is pasted below this message - to sign you can read it and send a reply to this email, ie. to <ua@ahrchk.org>, with the words.... "Sign WCAR Petition" ....in the subject line. =============================================================== APWOMEN2000 is a general announcement list created to facilitate information and resource sharing for the NGO review process in Asia and the Pacific for the Beijing Platform for Action. Send postings to <owner-apwomen2000@isiswomen.org>. APWOMEN2000 is archived at: http://www.isiswomen.org/womenet/lists/apwomen2000/archive =============================================================== _________________________________________________________________________ fem-Women2000@jca.apc.org for Women 2000, UN Special Session on Beijing+5 Searcheable Archive http://www.jca.apc.org/fem/news/women2000/index.shtml visit fem-net HomePage for other mailing lists http://www.jca.apc.org/fem