Monday, October 27, 2014
The Asian Human Rights Commission - Impunity to do wrong..!
(Lanka-e-News- 24.Aug.2014, 7.00PM) Information has been received that the executive director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, a regional NGO based in Hong Kong, has been telling falsehoods to members of his staff with regard to payments and other matters and that the management and chairman of the board have offered him impunity.
This is of particular concern as the issue of impunity has been at the forefront of the AHRC’s attacks on the Sri Lanka Police Service and other branches of the government, including ministers at high levels, for many years. It is therefore shocking that this organisation is hypocritical enough to allow the same impunity to its own executive in order that he can do as he wishes with his staff.
The information, as we have received it concerns three issue; the first was an application of a salary advance by one of their staff. In February of this year he applied for a salary advance from Bijo Francis, the executive director and was informed that he (Francis) was no longer in a position to grant such advances. He actually used the wording, “ it is no longer within my remit”, and that he would have to seek the approval of the board. However, within weeks of making this statement and in the full hearing of other members of staff he granted such an advance to one of his cronies, thereby proving that his earlier comments were obviously false. If Francis did not want to grant the salary advance he could have simply informed the staff member that, in his capacity as executive director, he had elected not to do so. However, that would have been an inconvenient truth. Sadly, he found it more convenient to tell a convenient lie.
The second incident involved a letter purported to be from the management committee in which he informed a member of staff that he was being reprimanded and that the committee had agreed on the content and the issuance of the said letter. However, inquiries made with two members of the management committee confirmed that neither of them had knowledge of either the contents of, or the issuance of the letter. If Francis had omitted the part about the letter being approved by the committee there would have been no problem. However, that would have been an inconvenient truth. By hiding behind the management committee Francis committed another convenient lie.
The third incident involved the long term service award of an outgoing member of staff. In the Hong Kong SAR there are two sums of money involved when an employee leaves a company. One is the long term award and the second is the Mandatory Provident Fund which all employers are required to contribute to. The staff member was informed of the amount that he was to receive as a long term award and was surprised as the employer has the right to deduct any contributions to the MPF. After making inquiries of Francis in the presence of the Admin manager he was told that his MPF award would NOT be affected. However, upon receipt of the payment by the relevant bank he found that the sum of HK$ 88,000 (USD 11,000) had been deducted. The staff member gave Francis every opportunity to explain the situation but the latter dodged the question and left the matter to Mr. Basil Fernando to explain. In an obviously contrived letter Fernando informed the staff member that they had done all in their power to pay the person everything he was entitled to. What he failed to explain was why Francis had once again been permitted to lie to a member of staff with impunity.
Sadly the matter did not end there. It was shocking that Mr. John J. (Jack) Clancey, the chairman of the board of directors, having been made aware of the actions of his executive director, would take his side after being presented with documentary evidence.
Another matter was raised personally with Clancy a few weeks later but, as it was of a very sensitive and personal nature involving several members of the staff, it cannot be revealed here for fear of causing embarrassment to the innocent persons affected. Suffice to say that rather than be concerned at the information presented to him so that he might take some form of action to avoid the potential of embarrassment to the AHRC, Clancy threatened the informant with legal action.
It is appalling that despite their very public stand for over 15 years on the issue of impunity for wrongdoing, the management and directors of the Asian Human Rights Commission are prepared to turn a blind eye to the actions of their own executive director.
-By a special correspondent-
Friday, July 11, 2014
Gainfully Unemployed
Dear Friends and Readers,
Just a quick post to let you know that I have now left the Asian Human Rights Commission and am teaching English Conversation; a job that I thoroughly enjoyed in the past.
I am also doing freelance editing work so if anyone has any editing requirements please contact me at sloanbooks@gmail.com
Thank you.
Stewart
Just a quick post to let you know that I have now left the Asian Human Rights Commission and am teaching English Conversation; a job that I thoroughly enjoyed in the past.
I am also doing freelance editing work so if anyone has any editing requirements please contact me at sloanbooks@gmail.com
Thank you.
Stewart
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Dear Friends,
Counting down the days to my departure from the Asian Human Rights Commission. My last day is the 30th June but I will actually leave at 1 PM on the 27th.
Many good memories and some sad
We fought tooth and nail for five years to save the life of Rizana Nafeek, a 17-year-old Sri Lankan girl falsely accused of murdering an infant in Saudi Arabia, before the bastards beheaded her, regardless of international condemnation and pleas for clemency from heads of state and royalty. I think it was the first and only time I actually wept over a case. There were also many happy moments and Michael Anthony Emanuel Fernando receiving refugee status was one of them. For those of you unfamiliar with the case Tony is now living happily in Europe.
I will never forget Basil’s patience and compassion during my late wife’s illness. It was a trying time and there were moments when I was not a nice person to be around. When Quirina passed away on the 1st December, 2009, the staff and management of the AHRC rallied round and I will never forget the kindness and support shown to myself and my son, James. 'Rina and I had been married for 28 years.
Counting down the days to my departure from the Asian Human Rights Commission. My last day is the 30th June but I will actually leave at 1 PM on the 27th.
Many good memories and some sad
We fought tooth and nail for five years to save the life of Rizana Nafeek, a 17-year-old Sri Lankan girl falsely accused of murdering an infant in Saudi Arabia, before the bastards beheaded her, regardless of international condemnation and pleas for clemency from heads of state and royalty. I think it was the first and only time I actually wept over a case. There were also many happy moments and Michael Anthony Emanuel Fernando receiving refugee status was one of them. For those of you unfamiliar with the case Tony is now living happily in Europe.
I will never forget Basil’s patience and compassion during my late wife’s illness. It was a trying time and there were moments when I was not a nice person to be around. When Quirina passed away on the 1st December, 2009, the staff and management of the AHRC rallied round and I will never forget the kindness and support shown to myself and my son, James. 'Rina and I had been married for 28 years.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
PAKISTAN: The practice of fake police encounters exposed through a live video recording by the media
This is one of the most important statements ever produced by the AHRC Pakistan Desk - it shows the unadulterated brutality of the Pakistani police.
May 14, 2014
AHRC-STM-087-2014.jpg
The citizens of Pakistan watched a video recording of a police encounter on all the television channels where a man who had been pronounced dead started crying and screaming that he was alive. The police ignored his cries for help and dragged him by the hair into a police van. He was taken to a mortuary and thrown in the morgue along with three other accomplices. The 'dead man' continued to cry out for some time, begging for someone, anyone, to save him inside the morgue, but no one came to his assistance. In fact, his life could have been saved if the police had admitted him to a hospital which was just ten minutes away from the location where the fake encounter occurred.
On May 12, the police claimed that they had raided a house in Badami Bagh, Lahore, the capital of Punjab province where some robbers were hiding. The police used one suspect, Sarfaraz Ahmed Jhangvi, as an informer to show them the hide out. The police claim that at the time of the raid the robbers opened fire at the police and in retaliation the officers returned fire. As a result of the shootout all three robbers along with the informer, Sarfaraz Jhangvi, were killed. However, the family members of the victims claim that the accused persons had already been in the custody of the police and that the officers brought them to the location of the encounter in the late hours of Monday evening and killed them. The residents of the community stated to the media that they had heard the shots and had been instructed by the police to remain in their houses. After some time they watched as the police started moving the bodies to their van.
Anyone watching one of the videos (as seen here) can plainly see that Sarfaraz Jhangvi was still very much alive when he was being taken to the morgue. The same video also reveals that another of the victims was in handcuffs at the time of the shooting. The cuffs were later removed at the morgue. Sarfaraz Jhangvi can be seen raising his head as he calls for help, a policeman forces his head down. The police party drove directly to a mortuary and dumped Sarfaraz Jhangvi in the morgue along with the others. The official police version is that he died inside the police van while it was on the way to the morgue. Despite the fact that he was obviously alive they police never stated in their media interviews that they were taking him to a hospital.
To back up the claim by the relatives that they had already been in custody prior to the shooting, one of the robbers was in hand cuffs on arrival at the morgue and it was only then they were removed. The police claimed that the four persons were involved in over 300 cases of robberies, rapes and kidnapping for ransom.
Please see the following videos and news links of various media reports in which he can clearly be seen that the 'dead man' was begging for help:
http://www.onlinenewsvideo.net/lahore-police-encounter-13-may-2014_b3be9cb0e.html
http://video.dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/mustwatch/1155/Police-Encounter-in-Lahore#.U3L_qIGSw6U
http://videos.geo.tv/VideoGallery.aspx?ID=19116
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-147503-Lahore:-four-dacoits-killed-in-alleged-police-encounter
After the huge media coverage the Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, announced the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the incident but has not taken any departmental action to avoid any interference by the police into the inquiry. Shahbaz Sharif is famous when it comes to police encounters. When he was Chief Minister in the government of 1997 several cases of fake encounters were framed against him by the family members of the victims. The cases remained pending in the courts until 2012 when he, being the Chief Minister, influenced the judges and exonerated himself. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has reported that during 2013, 217 cases of extrajudicial killings were reported from Punjab province. This is still the continued practice of instant justice by the Punjab government.
Due to the absence of a proper criminal justice system and the existence of the weak rule of law, the law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, enjoy impunity for not respecting the right to life. The government does not focus on the rule of law but rather the maintenance of what they consider to be law and order. This has created the problem of continuous fake encounters which result in the killings of innocent people.
The police and law enforcement agencies (LEA) have been given authority to violate the dignity and respect for the right to life of the citizens. Through the impunity the LEA have been given full protection for the illegal acts and supra constitutional methods. In Pakistan there is no longer any obligation for anyone with a criminal charge to be entitled to a fair trial and due process.
Extrajudicial executions manifest rooted problems within the law enforcement and criminal justice machineries of these states. Statutory impunity provided to state agencies to undertake extrajudicial executions, under the guise of the maintenance of law and order. This has resulted in an alarming increase in the number of extrajudicial executions throughout the country.
The government, instead of reforming its criminal justice system to enable speedy trial, fair investigation, and proper prosecution, has given inordinate power to police, military, and other law enforcement agencies to restrict fundamental rights of the people in the name of fighting crime.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to remind the government of Pakistan that international human rights law requires that police killings are thoroughly investigated, and that the police officials responsible for unlawful actions are prosecuted and convicted. The AHRC also urges the government to form a high judicial powered commission to probe the instances of fake police encounters, particularly in Punjab province, where this has reached epidemic proportions. The government of Punjab finds it easy to resort to encounters and terrorising the whole society in order to keep them under control.
The AHRC praises the courageous cameraman who took this video.
Document Type :Statement
Document ID :AHRC-STM-087-2014
Countries : Pakistan
Issues : Right to life, Rule of law, Arbitrary arrest and detention, Extrajudicial killings, Impunity
May 14, 2014
AHRC-STM-087-2014.jpg
The citizens of Pakistan watched a video recording of a police encounter on all the television channels where a man who had been pronounced dead started crying and screaming that he was alive. The police ignored his cries for help and dragged him by the hair into a police van. He was taken to a mortuary and thrown in the morgue along with three other accomplices. The 'dead man' continued to cry out for some time, begging for someone, anyone, to save him inside the morgue, but no one came to his assistance. In fact, his life could have been saved if the police had admitted him to a hospital which was just ten minutes away from the location where the fake encounter occurred.
On May 12, the police claimed that they had raided a house in Badami Bagh, Lahore, the capital of Punjab province where some robbers were hiding. The police used one suspect, Sarfaraz Ahmed Jhangvi, as an informer to show them the hide out. The police claim that at the time of the raid the robbers opened fire at the police and in retaliation the officers returned fire. As a result of the shootout all three robbers along with the informer, Sarfaraz Jhangvi, were killed. However, the family members of the victims claim that the accused persons had already been in the custody of the police and that the officers brought them to the location of the encounter in the late hours of Monday evening and killed them. The residents of the community stated to the media that they had heard the shots and had been instructed by the police to remain in their houses. After some time they watched as the police started moving the bodies to their van.
Anyone watching one of the videos (as seen here) can plainly see that Sarfaraz Jhangvi was still very much alive when he was being taken to the morgue. The same video also reveals that another of the victims was in handcuffs at the time of the shooting. The cuffs were later removed at the morgue. Sarfaraz Jhangvi can be seen raising his head as he calls for help, a policeman forces his head down. The police party drove directly to a mortuary and dumped Sarfaraz Jhangvi in the morgue along with the others. The official police version is that he died inside the police van while it was on the way to the morgue. Despite the fact that he was obviously alive they police never stated in their media interviews that they were taking him to a hospital.
To back up the claim by the relatives that they had already been in custody prior to the shooting, one of the robbers was in hand cuffs on arrival at the morgue and it was only then they were removed. The police claimed that the four persons were involved in over 300 cases of robberies, rapes and kidnapping for ransom.
Please see the following videos and news links of various media reports in which he can clearly be seen that the 'dead man' was begging for help:
http://www.onlinenewsvideo.net/lahore-police-encounter-13-may-2014_b3be9cb0e.html
http://video.dunyanews.tv/index.php/en/mustwatch/1155/Police-Encounter-in-Lahore#.U3L_qIGSw6U
http://videos.geo.tv/VideoGallery.aspx?ID=19116
http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-147503-Lahore:-four-dacoits-killed-in-alleged-police-encounter
After the huge media coverage the Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, announced the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the incident but has not taken any departmental action to avoid any interference by the police into the inquiry. Shahbaz Sharif is famous when it comes to police encounters. When he was Chief Minister in the government of 1997 several cases of fake encounters were framed against him by the family members of the victims. The cases remained pending in the courts until 2012 when he, being the Chief Minister, influenced the judges and exonerated himself. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has reported that during 2013, 217 cases of extrajudicial killings were reported from Punjab province. This is still the continued practice of instant justice by the Punjab government.
Due to the absence of a proper criminal justice system and the existence of the weak rule of law, the law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, enjoy impunity for not respecting the right to life. The government does not focus on the rule of law but rather the maintenance of what they consider to be law and order. This has created the problem of continuous fake encounters which result in the killings of innocent people.
The police and law enforcement agencies (LEA) have been given authority to violate the dignity and respect for the right to life of the citizens. Through the impunity the LEA have been given full protection for the illegal acts and supra constitutional methods. In Pakistan there is no longer any obligation for anyone with a criminal charge to be entitled to a fair trial and due process.
Extrajudicial executions manifest rooted problems within the law enforcement and criminal justice machineries of these states. Statutory impunity provided to state agencies to undertake extrajudicial executions, under the guise of the maintenance of law and order. This has resulted in an alarming increase in the number of extrajudicial executions throughout the country.
The government, instead of reforming its criminal justice system to enable speedy trial, fair investigation, and proper prosecution, has given inordinate power to police, military, and other law enforcement agencies to restrict fundamental rights of the people in the name of fighting crime.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to remind the government of Pakistan that international human rights law requires that police killings are thoroughly investigated, and that the police officials responsible for unlawful actions are prosecuted and convicted. The AHRC also urges the government to form a high judicial powered commission to probe the instances of fake police encounters, particularly in Punjab province, where this has reached epidemic proportions. The government of Punjab finds it easy to resort to encounters and terrorising the whole society in order to keep them under control.
The AHRC praises the courageous cameraman who took this video.
Document Type :Statement
Document ID :AHRC-STM-087-2014
Countries : Pakistan
Issues : Right to life, Rule of law, Arbitrary arrest and detention, Extrajudicial killings, Impunity
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
PAKISTAN: Is the battle with the media becoming the military's Waterloo?
An Article from the Asian Human Rights Commission
Baseer Naweed and Stewart Sloan
The attempted murder of an anchorperson of a popular media house triggered the open discussion on the role of the ISI in dealing with the freedom of expression and the media as a whole. Indeed, this is not the first occasion that the role of the ISI was brought up as a conspirator in the affairs of the state. However, the involvement of the ISI has always been swept under the carpet on the pretext of national security and potential threats to Pakistan from neighbouring countries. The ISI are portrayed by the government as a professional intelligence organisation, protectors of Islam and the ideological boundaries of Pakistan.
The role of the ISI was discussed the world over when Osama bin Laden (OBL) was killed in a well-orchestrated raid by U.S. Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011, The raid on OBL's compound in Abbottabad, was launched from Afghanistan. The ISI was exposed in that it had close connections with al Qaeda and the Taliban when they purposely concealed the world's most wanted man. The United States had direct evidence that the ISI's former chief, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, knew of OBL's presence in Pakistan. At first the military establishment denied that it had any connection with the raid or that it had any part in hiding OBL. However, the excuses and explanations offered by the military establishment and the government did not hold water. As a result of this they took another tack and charged the U.S. for violating, not only the sovereignty of the country but also committing an act of aggression. Once again the ISI was spared and the U.S. was denounced as an enemy of Pakistan and Islam as well.
It has become blatantly evident that the ISI has been involved in the arrest and enforced disappearances of thousands of innocent persons. The family members of disappeared or extrajudicially killed persons have stated and even testified that their loved ones were arrested by the ISI, following which they were disappeared or killed in detention. At the moment there are hundreds of such cases in the higher courts of the country wherein, even the judges have blamed, 'secret agencies' (pointing their fingers towards the ISI) for the disappearances. However, in not one hearing has any representative of the 'secret agencies' ever appeared in the courts despite several reminders.
Some relevant history
Since the creation of Pakistan it was felt that there was a need for an intelligence agency on the working of the three wings of the armed forces. The Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) was created in 1948 in order to form an exclusive intelligence agency for the three services. Although the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Military Intelligence (MI) had been created the year after independence, in the presence of growing complaints by the military concerning the weak performance of the MI in sharing intelligence with the army, navy and air force during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 this led to the creation of the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in 1948.
Interestingly, the ISI was the brainchild of an Australian-born, British Army officer, Major General Robert Cawthome, then Deputy Chief of Staff in the Pakistan Army. Designed to be operated by officers from the three military services, its function was to collect, analyze and assess external intelligence, either military or non-military. Initially, the ISI was not concerned with the collection of domestic intelligence except for that gained in the former N.W.F.P (which is now KPK) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
When General Ayub Khan became president in late 1958 he made use of the ISI and MI to monitor opposition politicians in order to sustain military rule in the country. The ISI was reorganised in 1966 after intelligence failures in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and further expanded in 1969 when Khan entrusted the ISI with the responsibility for the collection of internal political intelligence in what was then East Pakistan (Bangladesh). Its role was expanded when it was tasked with performing a similar intelligence gathering operation in Balochistan.
When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power in the new Pakistan in December, 1971 he was critical of the ISI and gave them the new task of gathering intelligence from Afghanistan. This was during the cold war era when Afghanistan was thought to be a puppet of the USSR. He also gave the ISI the task of spying on the activities of his political opponents. Sadly he was unaware that the ISI had their own agenda and they were instrumental in toppling his government by organising country-wide agitation on the pretext that he was rigging the election. The ISI was also part of the conspiracy which led to his execution by hanging.
When the former Chief of Army Staff, General Zia-ul-Haq seized power on 5 July, 1977, he expanded the ISI once again by making it responsible for the collection of intelligence about the Pakistan Communist Party and particularly Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP).
The ISI today
Several reports have surfaced recently concerning the alleged connection of the ISI and the military establishment with terrorist organisations that are planning strikes against US and foreign embassies in the East.
In an article which appeared in the South Asia Monitor, Pakistan-backed Indian Mujahideen - down but certainly not out!, by Ajai Sahni, the author makes the assertion that Pakistan's MI is backing the Indian Mujahideen (IM), which has, "…..been declared by many as one of the most lethal Pakistan-backed Islamist terrorist organisations operating in India……". It must be noted that in view of the direct connection between Pakistan's MI and the ISI it is evident that not much happens without the approval of the hierarchy of the ISI.
A further report involved the arrest of a Sri Lankan national alleged to be an ISI agent who was a Pakistani official based in Sri Lankan. The suspect, originally from Kandy was remanded in judicial custody by a Magistrate's Court in Chennai, India. Zaheer Hussain (37), allegedly linked to a Pakistani terror organisation, was ceased in a joint operation of Central and state police forces. According to reports by Indian intelligence, Hussain has been instructed by a senior official in the Pakistan High commission in Colombo, "….to recruit youths from South India, especially in Tamil Nadu for terror activities…..". The same intelligence report went on to say that, "…..a person with close links with a Pakistan high commission official in Colombo was involved in head hunting for the ISI….".
Hussain was remanded in Puzhal prison and charged under IPC 120 B (conspiracy) and 480 C besides sections 16 and 17 of Prevention of Unlawful Activities. The Indian press speaks of Husain's, "explosive confessional statement", which was sent to the Indian home ministry, but it can only be left to the imagination as to how such a 'confession' was obtained. It has, however, sent shock waves through the country's anti-terror agencies.
Within Pakistan
It is widely accepted that the government of Pakistan and the military and intelligence agencies in the form of the ISI are supporting the Pakistani and Afghan al Qaeda networks and Islamic extremist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba. For some time now there has been a policy of appeasement by the government towards any acts of the two Taliban organisations. No doubt the origin of this policy came from the ISI who want, very much, to be the handlers of these organisations.
The Pakistan Intelligence community also maintains a significant presence in Balochistan. The ISI is responsible for strategic intelligence as well as conducting operations and has a large element in Quetta. The ISI's Joint Signals Intelligence Bureau (JISB) operates signal intelligence collection stations in Saindak which covers the western border and in Gwadar which covers the shipping lanes of the Gulf of Oman. In addition to the ISI each service has military intelligence assets, collectively known as the MI, which support tactical requirements. The IB is the oldest intelligence entity in Pakistan which traces its heritage back to British India. The IB conducts federal investigations in Balochistan along the lines of the United States, Federal Bureau of Investigation and also supports the military establishment. Finally, there are the special branches of the provincial and local law enforcement that conduct criminal intelligence.
Clearly, Pakistan's security establishment is unwilling to stop the growing power of the dreadful extremists of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi while their own 'death squads' have the reputation of pursuing and killing insurgents with great efficiency. It seems that as in the past; like the use of the Taliban in the 1990s, that of local militant groups in Kashmir, and that of sectarian groups like the SSP in the 1980s, the security establishment considers the LeJ as an ally in Balochistan with the apparent aim of controlling the unruly province with the help of religious forces that have little in common with the secular orientation of the Baloch rebels and are controlled by ethnic Punjabis like Malik Ishaq. LeJ and their Pakistani allies are believed to have the sympathies if not the active support of the Saudis although there seems to be little doubt about the funds that generously flow to these groups from the Arabian Gulf. These militants are also hostile to the neighbouring Shia Iran due to their religious beliefs. Hazara Shias, a peaceful community, has thus become a victim and cannon fodder in this high stake and deadly game to promote hatred and extremism in order to keep Balochistan under the grip of the security establishment which has found the challenge of fighting the insurgents rather daunting in the last six years.
Several reports have surfaced about the direct connection of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence in international terror plots.
In July, 2011, journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad disappeared and his mutilated body was found bearing horrendous injuries. Saleem Shahzad had reported on the possible link between the Pakistan navy and al Qaeda. It is believed that he was picked up by the ISI in order to find his source of information. The United States of America later openly accused the ISI of involvement in his torture and death. The government of Pakistan referred to the allegations as an 'international conspiracy to defame the country's law enforcement agencies". The US backed up their claim by saying that it was the result of new classified intelligence.
Mr. Umer Cheema, a senior journalist at The News International, a daily newspaper based in Islamabad, was kidnapped, tortured and humiliated for six hours on September 4, 2010. He was picked up in cloak-and-dagger style in the early hours by men in commando uniforms and driven to a "safe house". Here unknown persons took over; he was beaten black and blue, humiliated beyond comprehension, he was made to strip off his clothes, hung upside down and remained in illegal custody for hours. Finally, he was thrown out on the roadside at Talagang, 120 kilometres from Islamabad with a shaved head and a threatening message for Ansar Abbasi, the head of the newspaper's investigative section. In the murder of journalist Hyatullah Khan, a judicial commission was formed which came out with the opinion that the secret agencies of the military were involved (again, fingers were pointed at the ISI), however, the government has not made the report public and when Khan's widow began to pursue the case she was also murdered and the ISI was given immunity.
Following the case of the assassination attempt on the anchorperson, Hamid Mir the ISI came under direct attack from the media houses and journalists as Mir and his brother accused the ISI chief of direct involvement in the attack. For a few days the media houses agitated on this incident and the prime minister himself sided with Mir and visited him in the hospital. In a quick reaction the Chief of Army Staff visited the ISI headquarters and showed his solidarity with the chief of the agency. This created a rift between the civilian and military establishments.
The ISI quickly organised religious, militant and banned terrorist organisations to come out and agitate in its favour. They also organised the media houses that were not in favour of those that had criticised the ISI.
It is no secret for the citizens of Pakistan that the ISI is very much involved in the local politics and knows exactly how to deal with the opponents. The military establishment and the government too, do not provide any logic behind the continuation of the existence of the ISI on the exchequer. However, they constantly wheel out the theory that behind the suicide bombings, terrorist attacks of the Taliban, the insurgencies in Balochistan and Sindh, there are foreign hands, particularly those of India and the USA.
If for a moment we agree to this notion of a foreign conspiracy and their involvement in Pakistan's internal affairs then it means that our intelligence agencies, particularly the ISI has failed to perform its real task to protect the interests of the country.
It is evident that the ISI was always opposed to civilian rule and involved in purchasing the loyalties of politicians through coercion, intimidation, black mail and overt threats to kill them. The agency has always remained as a partner in the growing corruption, particularly in the big foreign dealings of arms and ammunition and also land grabbing. Its agenda is to control, not only domestic issues, but also foreign policy. The Secretary of the Ministry of Defence cannot be appointed without clearance from the ISI and the secretary must be selected from among the retired generals.
Once, when the former Prime Minister, Yousuf Gillani, tried to put the ISI under the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the military establishment became very angry and used all its cronies, the banned terrorist organisations, the media houses and opposition parties to agitate against the decision. Finally the ISI succeeded and it was released from any civilian oversight.
This time it has again clashed horns with the journalists, their organisations and a popular media house to punish them for open discussions on the role of ISI. It will be interesting to see who will win.
It is inconceivable for the military mindset that if they won the war against media then still it would be difficult to defeat the power of the pen with arms and ammunition. For an army which has never won once in five wars over a period of 65 years the media will become their Waterloo.
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
Baseer Naweed and Stewart Sloan
The attempted murder of an anchorperson of a popular media house triggered the open discussion on the role of the ISI in dealing with the freedom of expression and the media as a whole. Indeed, this is not the first occasion that the role of the ISI was brought up as a conspirator in the affairs of the state. However, the involvement of the ISI has always been swept under the carpet on the pretext of national security and potential threats to Pakistan from neighbouring countries. The ISI are portrayed by the government as a professional intelligence organisation, protectors of Islam and the ideological boundaries of Pakistan.
The role of the ISI was discussed the world over when Osama bin Laden (OBL) was killed in a well-orchestrated raid by U.S. Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011, The raid on OBL's compound in Abbottabad, was launched from Afghanistan. The ISI was exposed in that it had close connections with al Qaeda and the Taliban when they purposely concealed the world's most wanted man. The United States had direct evidence that the ISI's former chief, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, knew of OBL's presence in Pakistan. At first the military establishment denied that it had any connection with the raid or that it had any part in hiding OBL. However, the excuses and explanations offered by the military establishment and the government did not hold water. As a result of this they took another tack and charged the U.S. for violating, not only the sovereignty of the country but also committing an act of aggression. Once again the ISI was spared and the U.S. was denounced as an enemy of Pakistan and Islam as well.
It has become blatantly evident that the ISI has been involved in the arrest and enforced disappearances of thousands of innocent persons. The family members of disappeared or extrajudicially killed persons have stated and even testified that their loved ones were arrested by the ISI, following which they were disappeared or killed in detention. At the moment there are hundreds of such cases in the higher courts of the country wherein, even the judges have blamed, 'secret agencies' (pointing their fingers towards the ISI) for the disappearances. However, in not one hearing has any representative of the 'secret agencies' ever appeared in the courts despite several reminders.
Some relevant history
Since the creation of Pakistan it was felt that there was a need for an intelligence agency on the working of the three wings of the armed forces. The Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) was created in 1948 in order to form an exclusive intelligence agency for the three services. Although the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Military Intelligence (MI) had been created the year after independence, in the presence of growing complaints by the military concerning the weak performance of the MI in sharing intelligence with the army, navy and air force during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 this led to the creation of the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in 1948.
Interestingly, the ISI was the brainchild of an Australian-born, British Army officer, Major General Robert Cawthome, then Deputy Chief of Staff in the Pakistan Army. Designed to be operated by officers from the three military services, its function was to collect, analyze and assess external intelligence, either military or non-military. Initially, the ISI was not concerned with the collection of domestic intelligence except for that gained in the former N.W.F.P (which is now KPK) and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
When General Ayub Khan became president in late 1958 he made use of the ISI and MI to monitor opposition politicians in order to sustain military rule in the country. The ISI was reorganised in 1966 after intelligence failures in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and further expanded in 1969 when Khan entrusted the ISI with the responsibility for the collection of internal political intelligence in what was then East Pakistan (Bangladesh). Its role was expanded when it was tasked with performing a similar intelligence gathering operation in Balochistan.
When Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came to power in the new Pakistan in December, 1971 he was critical of the ISI and gave them the new task of gathering intelligence from Afghanistan. This was during the cold war era when Afghanistan was thought to be a puppet of the USSR. He also gave the ISI the task of spying on the activities of his political opponents. Sadly he was unaware that the ISI had their own agenda and they were instrumental in toppling his government by organising country-wide agitation on the pretext that he was rigging the election. The ISI was also part of the conspiracy which led to his execution by hanging.
When the former Chief of Army Staff, General Zia-ul-Haq seized power on 5 July, 1977, he expanded the ISI once again by making it responsible for the collection of intelligence about the Pakistan Communist Party and particularly Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP).
The ISI today
Several reports have surfaced recently concerning the alleged connection of the ISI and the military establishment with terrorist organisations that are planning strikes against US and foreign embassies in the East.
In an article which appeared in the South Asia Monitor, Pakistan-backed Indian Mujahideen - down but certainly not out!, by Ajai Sahni, the author makes the assertion that Pakistan's MI is backing the Indian Mujahideen (IM), which has, "…..been declared by many as one of the most lethal Pakistan-backed Islamist terrorist organisations operating in India……". It must be noted that in view of the direct connection between Pakistan's MI and the ISI it is evident that not much happens without the approval of the hierarchy of the ISI.
A further report involved the arrest of a Sri Lankan national alleged to be an ISI agent who was a Pakistani official based in Sri Lankan. The suspect, originally from Kandy was remanded in judicial custody by a Magistrate's Court in Chennai, India. Zaheer Hussain (37), allegedly linked to a Pakistani terror organisation, was ceased in a joint operation of Central and state police forces. According to reports by Indian intelligence, Hussain has been instructed by a senior official in the Pakistan High commission in Colombo, "….to recruit youths from South India, especially in Tamil Nadu for terror activities…..". The same intelligence report went on to say that, "…..a person with close links with a Pakistan high commission official in Colombo was involved in head hunting for the ISI….".
Hussain was remanded in Puzhal prison and charged under IPC 120 B (conspiracy) and 480 C besides sections 16 and 17 of Prevention of Unlawful Activities. The Indian press speaks of Husain's, "explosive confessional statement", which was sent to the Indian home ministry, but it can only be left to the imagination as to how such a 'confession' was obtained. It has, however, sent shock waves through the country's anti-terror agencies.
Within Pakistan
It is widely accepted that the government of Pakistan and the military and intelligence agencies in the form of the ISI are supporting the Pakistani and Afghan al Qaeda networks and Islamic extremist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba. For some time now there has been a policy of appeasement by the government towards any acts of the two Taliban organisations. No doubt the origin of this policy came from the ISI who want, very much, to be the handlers of these organisations.
The Pakistan Intelligence community also maintains a significant presence in Balochistan. The ISI is responsible for strategic intelligence as well as conducting operations and has a large element in Quetta. The ISI's Joint Signals Intelligence Bureau (JISB) operates signal intelligence collection stations in Saindak which covers the western border and in Gwadar which covers the shipping lanes of the Gulf of Oman. In addition to the ISI each service has military intelligence assets, collectively known as the MI, which support tactical requirements. The IB is the oldest intelligence entity in Pakistan which traces its heritage back to British India. The IB conducts federal investigations in Balochistan along the lines of the United States, Federal Bureau of Investigation and also supports the military establishment. Finally, there are the special branches of the provincial and local law enforcement that conduct criminal intelligence.
Clearly, Pakistan's security establishment is unwilling to stop the growing power of the dreadful extremists of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi while their own 'death squads' have the reputation of pursuing and killing insurgents with great efficiency. It seems that as in the past; like the use of the Taliban in the 1990s, that of local militant groups in Kashmir, and that of sectarian groups like the SSP in the 1980s, the security establishment considers the LeJ as an ally in Balochistan with the apparent aim of controlling the unruly province with the help of religious forces that have little in common with the secular orientation of the Baloch rebels and are controlled by ethnic Punjabis like Malik Ishaq. LeJ and their Pakistani allies are believed to have the sympathies if not the active support of the Saudis although there seems to be little doubt about the funds that generously flow to these groups from the Arabian Gulf. These militants are also hostile to the neighbouring Shia Iran due to their religious beliefs. Hazara Shias, a peaceful community, has thus become a victim and cannon fodder in this high stake and deadly game to promote hatred and extremism in order to keep Balochistan under the grip of the security establishment which has found the challenge of fighting the insurgents rather daunting in the last six years.
Several reports have surfaced about the direct connection of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence in international terror plots.
In July, 2011, journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad disappeared and his mutilated body was found bearing horrendous injuries. Saleem Shahzad had reported on the possible link between the Pakistan navy and al Qaeda. It is believed that he was picked up by the ISI in order to find his source of information. The United States of America later openly accused the ISI of involvement in his torture and death. The government of Pakistan referred to the allegations as an 'international conspiracy to defame the country's law enforcement agencies". The US backed up their claim by saying that it was the result of new classified intelligence.
Mr. Umer Cheema, a senior journalist at The News International, a daily newspaper based in Islamabad, was kidnapped, tortured and humiliated for six hours on September 4, 2010. He was picked up in cloak-and-dagger style in the early hours by men in commando uniforms and driven to a "safe house". Here unknown persons took over; he was beaten black and blue, humiliated beyond comprehension, he was made to strip off his clothes, hung upside down and remained in illegal custody for hours. Finally, he was thrown out on the roadside at Talagang, 120 kilometres from Islamabad with a shaved head and a threatening message for Ansar Abbasi, the head of the newspaper's investigative section. In the murder of journalist Hyatullah Khan, a judicial commission was formed which came out with the opinion that the secret agencies of the military were involved (again, fingers were pointed at the ISI), however, the government has not made the report public and when Khan's widow began to pursue the case she was also murdered and the ISI was given immunity.
Following the case of the assassination attempt on the anchorperson, Hamid Mir the ISI came under direct attack from the media houses and journalists as Mir and his brother accused the ISI chief of direct involvement in the attack. For a few days the media houses agitated on this incident and the prime minister himself sided with Mir and visited him in the hospital. In a quick reaction the Chief of Army Staff visited the ISI headquarters and showed his solidarity with the chief of the agency. This created a rift between the civilian and military establishments.
The ISI quickly organised religious, militant and banned terrorist organisations to come out and agitate in its favour. They also organised the media houses that were not in favour of those that had criticised the ISI.
It is no secret for the citizens of Pakistan that the ISI is very much involved in the local politics and knows exactly how to deal with the opponents. The military establishment and the government too, do not provide any logic behind the continuation of the existence of the ISI on the exchequer. However, they constantly wheel out the theory that behind the suicide bombings, terrorist attacks of the Taliban, the insurgencies in Balochistan and Sindh, there are foreign hands, particularly those of India and the USA.
If for a moment we agree to this notion of a foreign conspiracy and their involvement in Pakistan's internal affairs then it means that our intelligence agencies, particularly the ISI has failed to perform its real task to protect the interests of the country.
It is evident that the ISI was always opposed to civilian rule and involved in purchasing the loyalties of politicians through coercion, intimidation, black mail and overt threats to kill them. The agency has always remained as a partner in the growing corruption, particularly in the big foreign dealings of arms and ammunition and also land grabbing. Its agenda is to control, not only domestic issues, but also foreign policy. The Secretary of the Ministry of Defence cannot be appointed without clearance from the ISI and the secretary must be selected from among the retired generals.
Once, when the former Prime Minister, Yousuf Gillani, tried to put the ISI under the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the military establishment became very angry and used all its cronies, the banned terrorist organisations, the media houses and opposition parties to agitate against the decision. Finally the ISI succeeded and it was released from any civilian oversight.
This time it has again clashed horns with the journalists, their organisations and a popular media house to punish them for open discussions on the role of ISI. It will be interesting to see who will win.
It is inconceivable for the military mindset that if they won the war against media then still it would be difficult to defeat the power of the pen with arms and ammunition. For an army which has never won once in five wars over a period of 65 years the media will become their Waterloo.
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
Friday, April 18, 2014
Human rights abuses by the American forces in Iraq
Stewart Sloan
Thursday, 17 April 2014 11:59
I am not suggesting for one minute that two wrongs make a right or that Sri Lanka should not be held accountable. However, the call by the Sri Lankan government that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones is a valid one. The United Nations and the United States of America are calling for an investigation into human rights abuses by the Sri Lankan government and LTTE. Sadly, one of the regular responses by the Sri Lankan government to the call for accountability is the fact that the UN has never hauled up the US for the now, well documented accusations, of human rights abuses in Iraq, including the horrific torture of literally thousands of detainees. I am not suggesting for one minute that two wrongs make a right or that Sri Lanka should not be held accountable. However, the call by the Sri Lankan government that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones is a valid one.
Following the 'successful defeat' of Saddam Hussein's forces the Americans then had to face an unexpected foe. The Sunnis were rising up in opposition to the 'democracy' that the occupation forces were attempted to impose. The American's found a convenient ally in the form of the Shia that had been brutally oppressed by Saddam. This harassment included chemical weapon attacks which were condemned internationally. However, it is fully documented that the Americans used white phosphorus and napalm on the Iraqi civilians. One of their explanations was that the weapon they were using was not, in fact, napalm but some other weapon. It was later revealed that it was indeed napalm, they had just changed the name.
The Shia were formed into police militias, trained and armed by the American and set lose on the Sunni population in order to quell them. No one knows the exact number of illegal detention cells that were set up by the Shia militia but they were created with the full knowledge of the Americans. Thousands of people were horrendously tortured and one of those methods used was by hanging the victim upside down and using an electric drill on several parts of his body. Once again, this was done with the full knowledge of the Americans, one of them being General David Howell Petraeus, the American commander in Iraq at that time.
Allow me to repeat that the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE must be held accountable to the UN and the international community for crimes against humanity and the human rights abuses committed. However, for the international community not to demand accountability from the United States of America is hypocrisy in the extreme.
Please see the following videos for further information. The videos may not be suitable for some. If they don't work you can block and copy the titles into your browser.
Eyewitness account of the Haditha massacre of an Iraqi girl's family
Fallujah:" The Hidden Massacre" Documentary-Iraq War
James Steele: America's mystery man in Iraq
Monday, April 7, 2014
For Airyn
I, John Stewart Sloan, take you, Airyn Rano Lentija, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.
And you have been there for me,
when I was sick.
Even before we were married,
You were there for me.
You have been there for me
when I was weak
when I was foolish,
and when I was selfish
You forgave me and you were there for me.
And you have been there for me
in good times and,
more importantly, in the bad times
when I have failed.
You have been there for me……..
And I will be there for you.
I will never desert you……
never abandon you……
Never.
And you have been there for me,
when I was sick.
Even before we were married,
You were there for me.
You have been there for me
when I was weak
when I was foolish,
and when I was selfish
You forgave me and you were there for me.
And you have been there for me
in good times and,
more importantly, in the bad times
when I have failed.
You have been there for me……..
And I will be there for you.
I will never desert you……
never abandon you……
Never.
Monday, March 10, 2014
SRI LANKA: The life of a human rights defender is under threat
An Urgent Appeal I prepared for the Asian Human Rights Commission was picked up by the Colombo telegraph.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/urgent-appeal-human-rights-defender-wanatamulle-sunil-samaradeeras-life-under-threat/
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION-URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-XXX-2014
10 March 2014
------------------------------------------------------
SRI LANKA: The life of a human rights defender is under threat
ISSUES: Illegal arrest; arbitrary detention; disappearance; abduction; impunity; rule of law
------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends,
Sunil Samaradeera of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella, a human rights activist based in Wanathamulla, in Colombo District was abducted in broad daylight by persons believed to be connected to the Secretary of Defense. On 13 of February Sunil had met with the Secretary, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, regarding issues concerning a housing scheme which threatens to put several households out of their land and according to reports there had been a heated exchange of words. Sunil’s abduction happened shortly after that. Sunil’s neighbours and colleagues staged a protest by blocking a road and as a result two days later he was released. However, he is concerned for his personal security and the authorities have made no effort to investigate the abduction and bring the perpetrators to justice.
This case is yet another illustration of the fact that influential or well connected people can use the Sri Lankan police to their benefit despite the fact that the victims are innocent persons.
CASE NARRATIVE:
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction of Sunil Samaradeera alias Wanathe Sunil of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella, a human rights activist based in Wanathamulla, in Colombo District. There is grave concern for his safety. Sunil was abducted on 15 of February 2014 close to the temple at Dematagoda by unknown men in a Pajero. His hands were tied; head covered, he was put into the vehicle by force and then his body was covered by a polythene sheet. After a journey of about one and half hours the vehicle stopped at a house. He was taken inside, put on a mat and chained.
After the news of his abduction spread his wife went to the Dematagoda Police Station and made a complaint. Then the residents of his housing scheme came to know of the incident and after some time, they came to the adjoining main road, Baseline Road, where they started a protest by blocking the road and appealed for his release. They urged the authorities to act immediately to find him and provide him with protection.
Sunil has been the organiser of the ‘Organisation to Protect Houses at Wanathamulla’, 34 Watte, and worked hard against the proposed demolishing and taking over of their housing scheme by the Urban Development Authority which is overseen by the Secretary of Defence. He earns his living by selling the eatables like hoppers & string hoppers in a small boutique and further he is having a family with five children to maintain. On 13 of February he had met with the Secretary, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse in this particular housing scheme and according to reports there had been a heated exchange of words.
Due to the vehement protest by Sunil’s neighbours he was released two days later. When he was released the adductors threatened him not to tell anyone about what had happened to him. They placed him in a vehicle and released on the road with his wrists still bound. He shouted to attract the attention of a passing motor cyclist who stopped and untied him. The motor cyclist took him some distance towards his place of residence but was reluctant to take him all the way to Wanathamulla. He somehow managed to reach the scene of the protest and made his appearance known and it was only then that the protest ended. His colleagues fear that he will be abducted again and complain that his life is now in danger.
At the time of writing there has not been an inquiry by the police. Instead the Police Spokesman stated that it is a drama organized by some parties interested to create trouble in the area.
Sunil along with several other persons went to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) on 5 March to complain that no suspect has been arrested by police regarding the abduction on 15 February. Sunil was able to return to his people only due to the protests carried out by the people at Wanathamulla. However, it is believed that his life is under threat as was stated in the complaint made to the Human Rights Commission.
Sunil appeals for protection for himself and his family members and justice for the abuse of his fundamental rights.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter to the authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case and requesting an immediate investigation into the allegations of abduction of a person by the police perpetrators, and the prosecution of those proven to be responsible under the criminal law of the country for misusing the powers of the state. The officers involved must also be subjected to internal investigations for the breach of the department orders as issued by the police department. Further, please also request the NPC and the IGP to have a special investigation into the malpractices of the police officers for abusing their powers.
Please note that the AHRC is also written a separate letter to the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in this regard.
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear ________,
SRI LANKA: The life of a human rights defender is under threat
Name of the victim: Sunil Samaradeera alias Wanathe Sunil of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella
Alleged perpetrator: Police officers attach to the Borella Police Station
Date of incident: 15 February 2014
Place of incident: Borella Police Division
I am writing to express my serious concern over the case of Mr. Sunil Samaradeera alias Wanathe Sunil of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella. Sunil is a human rights activist based in Wanathamulla, in Colombo District. Sunil was abducted on 15 of February 2014 close to the temple at Dematagoda by unknown men in a Pajero. His hands were tied; head covered, he was put into the vehicle by force and then his body was covered by a polythene sheet. After a journey of about one and half hours the vehicle stopped at a house. He was taken inside, put on a mat and chained.
After the news of his abduction spread his wife went to the Dematagoda Police Station and made a complaint. Then the residents of his housing scheme came to know of the incident and after some time, they came to the adjoining main road, Baseline Road, where they started a protest by blocking the road and appealed for his release. They urged the authorities to act immediately to find him and provide him with protection.
Sunil has been the organiser of the ‘Organisation to Protect Houses at Wanathamulla’, 34 Watte, and worked hard against the proposed demolishing and taking over of their housing scheme by the Urban Development Authority which is overseen by the Secretary of Defence. He earns his living by selling the eatables like hoppers & string hoppers in a small boutique and further he is having a family with five children to maintain. On 13 of February he had met with the Secretary, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse in this particular housing scheme and according to reports there had been a heated exchange of words.
Due to the vehement protest by Sunil’s neighbours he was released two days later. When he was released the adductors threatened him not to tell anyone about what had happened to him. They placed him in a vehicle and released on the road with his wrists still bound. He shouted to attract the attention of a passing motor cyclist who stopped and untied him. The motor cyclist took him some distance towards his place of residence but was reluctant to take him all the way to Wanathamulla. He somehow managed to reach the scene of the protest and made his appearance known and it was only then that the protest ended. His colleagues fear that he will be abducted again and complain that his life is now in danger.
At the time of writing there has not been an inquiry by the police. Instead the Police Spokesman stated that it is a drama organized by some parties interested to create trouble in the area.
Sunil along with several other persons went to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) on 5 March to complain that no suspect has been arrested by police regarding the abduction on 15 February. Sunil was able to return to his people only due to the protests carried out by the people at Wanathamulla. However, it is believed that his life is under threat as was stated in the complaint made to the Human Rights Commission.
I therefore request your urgent intervention to ensure that the authorities listed below instigate an immediate investigation into the allegations of abduction and the lack of any investigation into this case. I urge you to ensure the prosecution of those proven to be responsible under the criminal law of the country for illegal abduction, misusing powers of state officers and for wrongful detention. The officers involved must also be subjected to internal investigations for the breach of the department orders as issued by the department.
I also urge that protection be provided to the victim and his family forthwith.
Yours sincerely,
---------------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. N K Illangakoon
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk
2. Mr. Sarath Palith Fernando
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
E-mail: ag@attorneygeneral.gov.lk
3. Secretary
National Police Commission
3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers
109 Galle Road
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 395310
Fax: +94 11 2 395867
E-mail: npcgen@sltnet.lk or polcom@sltnet.lk
4. Secretary
Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission
No: 165 Kynsey Road,
Borella, Colombo 8.
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2694924
Email: sechrc@sltnet.lk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/urgent-appeal-human-rights-defender-wanatamulle-sunil-samaradeeras-life-under-threat/
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION-URGENT APPEAL PROGRAMME
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-XXX-2014
10 March 2014
------------------------------------------------------
SRI LANKA: The life of a human rights defender is under threat
ISSUES: Illegal arrest; arbitrary detention; disappearance; abduction; impunity; rule of law
------------------------------------------------------
Dear friends,
Sunil Samaradeera of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella, a human rights activist based in Wanathamulla, in Colombo District was abducted in broad daylight by persons believed to be connected to the Secretary of Defense. On 13 of February Sunil had met with the Secretary, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, regarding issues concerning a housing scheme which threatens to put several households out of their land and according to reports there had been a heated exchange of words. Sunil’s abduction happened shortly after that. Sunil’s neighbours and colleagues staged a protest by blocking a road and as a result two days later he was released. However, he is concerned for his personal security and the authorities have made no effort to investigate the abduction and bring the perpetrators to justice.
This case is yet another illustration of the fact that influential or well connected people can use the Sri Lankan police to their benefit despite the fact that the victims are innocent persons.
CASE NARRATIVE:
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the abduction of Sunil Samaradeera alias Wanathe Sunil of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella, a human rights activist based in Wanathamulla, in Colombo District. There is grave concern for his safety. Sunil was abducted on 15 of February 2014 close to the temple at Dematagoda by unknown men in a Pajero. His hands were tied; head covered, he was put into the vehicle by force and then his body was covered by a polythene sheet. After a journey of about one and half hours the vehicle stopped at a house. He was taken inside, put on a mat and chained.
After the news of his abduction spread his wife went to the Dematagoda Police Station and made a complaint. Then the residents of his housing scheme came to know of the incident and after some time, they came to the adjoining main road, Baseline Road, where they started a protest by blocking the road and appealed for his release. They urged the authorities to act immediately to find him and provide him with protection.
Sunil has been the organiser of the ‘Organisation to Protect Houses at Wanathamulla’, 34 Watte, and worked hard against the proposed demolishing and taking over of their housing scheme by the Urban Development Authority which is overseen by the Secretary of Defence. He earns his living by selling the eatables like hoppers & string hoppers in a small boutique and further he is having a family with five children to maintain. On 13 of February he had met with the Secretary, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse in this particular housing scheme and according to reports there had been a heated exchange of words.
Due to the vehement protest by Sunil’s neighbours he was released two days later. When he was released the adductors threatened him not to tell anyone about what had happened to him. They placed him in a vehicle and released on the road with his wrists still bound. He shouted to attract the attention of a passing motor cyclist who stopped and untied him. The motor cyclist took him some distance towards his place of residence but was reluctant to take him all the way to Wanathamulla. He somehow managed to reach the scene of the protest and made his appearance known and it was only then that the protest ended. His colleagues fear that he will be abducted again and complain that his life is now in danger.
At the time of writing there has not been an inquiry by the police. Instead the Police Spokesman stated that it is a drama organized by some parties interested to create trouble in the area.
Sunil along with several other persons went to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) on 5 March to complain that no suspect has been arrested by police regarding the abduction on 15 February. Sunil was able to return to his people only due to the protests carried out by the people at Wanathamulla. However, it is believed that his life is under threat as was stated in the complaint made to the Human Rights Commission.
Sunil appeals for protection for himself and his family members and justice for the abuse of his fundamental rights.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter to the authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case and requesting an immediate investigation into the allegations of abduction of a person by the police perpetrators, and the prosecution of those proven to be responsible under the criminal law of the country for misusing the powers of the state. The officers involved must also be subjected to internal investigations for the breach of the department orders as issued by the police department. Further, please also request the NPC and the IGP to have a special investigation into the malpractices of the police officers for abusing their powers.
Please note that the AHRC is also written a separate letter to the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders in this regard.
SAMPLE LETTER:
Dear ________,
SRI LANKA: The life of a human rights defender is under threat
Name of the victim: Sunil Samaradeera alias Wanathe Sunil of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella
Alleged perpetrator: Police officers attach to the Borella Police Station
Date of incident: 15 February 2014
Place of incident: Borella Police Division
I am writing to express my serious concern over the case of Mr. Sunil Samaradeera alias Wanathe Sunil of No: 34/2, Baseline Mawatha, Borella. Sunil is a human rights activist based in Wanathamulla, in Colombo District. Sunil was abducted on 15 of February 2014 close to the temple at Dematagoda by unknown men in a Pajero. His hands were tied; head covered, he was put into the vehicle by force and then his body was covered by a polythene sheet. After a journey of about one and half hours the vehicle stopped at a house. He was taken inside, put on a mat and chained.
After the news of his abduction spread his wife went to the Dematagoda Police Station and made a complaint. Then the residents of his housing scheme came to know of the incident and after some time, they came to the adjoining main road, Baseline Road, where they started a protest by blocking the road and appealed for his release. They urged the authorities to act immediately to find him and provide him with protection.
Sunil has been the organiser of the ‘Organisation to Protect Houses at Wanathamulla’, 34 Watte, and worked hard against the proposed demolishing and taking over of their housing scheme by the Urban Development Authority which is overseen by the Secretary of Defence. He earns his living by selling the eatables like hoppers & string hoppers in a small boutique and further he is having a family with five children to maintain. On 13 of February he had met with the Secretary, Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse in this particular housing scheme and according to reports there had been a heated exchange of words.
Due to the vehement protest by Sunil’s neighbours he was released two days later. When he was released the adductors threatened him not to tell anyone about what had happened to him. They placed him in a vehicle and released on the road with his wrists still bound. He shouted to attract the attention of a passing motor cyclist who stopped and untied him. The motor cyclist took him some distance towards his place of residence but was reluctant to take him all the way to Wanathamulla. He somehow managed to reach the scene of the protest and made his appearance known and it was only then that the protest ended. His colleagues fear that he will be abducted again and complain that his life is now in danger.
At the time of writing there has not been an inquiry by the police. Instead the Police Spokesman stated that it is a drama organized by some parties interested to create trouble in the area.
Sunil along with several other persons went to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) on 5 March to complain that no suspect has been arrested by police regarding the abduction on 15 February. Sunil was able to return to his people only due to the protests carried out by the people at Wanathamulla. However, it is believed that his life is under threat as was stated in the complaint made to the Human Rights Commission.
I therefore request your urgent intervention to ensure that the authorities listed below instigate an immediate investigation into the allegations of abduction and the lack of any investigation into this case. I urge you to ensure the prosecution of those proven to be responsible under the criminal law of the country for illegal abduction, misusing powers of state officers and for wrongful detention. The officers involved must also be subjected to internal investigations for the breach of the department orders as issued by the department.
I also urge that protection be provided to the victim and his family forthwith.
Yours sincerely,
---------------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. N K Illangakoon
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk
2. Mr. Sarath Palith Fernando
Attorney General
Attorney General's Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
E-mail: ag@attorneygeneral.gov.lk
3. Secretary
National Police Commission
3rd Floor, Rotunda Towers
109 Galle Road
Colombo 03
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 395310
Fax: +94 11 2 395867
E-mail: npcgen@sltnet.lk or polcom@sltnet.lk
4. Secretary
Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission
No: 165 Kynsey Road,
Borella, Colombo 8.
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2694924
Email: sechrc@sltnet.lk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
Monday, February 17, 2014
PALESTINE: The United Nations and the need for America to wake up
My last article for the Middle East Monitor. I say the 'last' article because I have recently been asked to sign a petition that, if followed, would allow the Palestinians to mistreat the Israelis in the same manner in which they have been treated the Palestinians. I am not defending the Zionists but two wrongs don't make a right.
PALESTINE: The United Nations and the need for America to wake up
Stewart Sloan
The article may be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.middleeastmonitor.com%2Fblogs%2Fpolitics%2F9813-palestine-the-united-nations-and-the-need-for-america-to-wake-up&h=lAQEAUq2u
At any given time the five so-called ‘permanent members’ of the United Nations Security Council have the right to veto any substantive draft resolution, regardless of the level of international support there is for the draft. At one time or another, each of the five permanent members has exercised that right. Those countries are: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States of America and in agenda items entitled, ‘Middle East situation, including the Palestinian question’ and ‘The question of the exercise by the Palestinian people of its inalienable rights’ the USA has vetoed draft resolutions on no less than 15 occasions.
The drafts repeatedly reaffirms that, “….the Israeli settlements established in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem are illegal and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace” and, “…..demands that Israel, the occupying Power, immediately and completely ceases all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and, that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard…..”
The question that begs to be asked is: when the majority of the member states demand that Israel complies with its moral and legal obligations, what right does the United States of America, or any other country for that matter, have to say otherwise?
In the last three years America’s relationships with Israel have become somewhat strained, which would seem to indicate their continuing support of Israel in the United Nations all the more hypocritical.
In 2010, Hilary Clinton announced to the nation and the world Israel’s intention to build 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem as “deeply negative” for US-Israeli relations. Obama, in a rare mood announced that he would refuse to meet with Netanyahu when he arrived in Washington and then promptly met him in the White House. So much for tough talk! Obama then demanded that Israel impose a freeze on Jewish construction in East Jerusalem and in his own defense Netanyahu replied that he had no knowledge of the decision to build any houses; a very strange comment coming from the Prime Minister of the country.
The meeting ended without any progress on and Israel continued to build the 1,600 houses prompting Vice President Joe Biden to describe the situation as "one of the most serious rows between the two allies in recent decades".
The following year, 2011, Obama made a foreign policy speech in which he called for a return to the pre-1967 Israeli borders, suggesting that the two countries settle on a mutually agreed border, a suggestion that Netanyahu objected to out of hand. While the United States of America might be playing lip service to the idea of finding a lasting solution, Israel is not even pretending to consider the idea. It is in view of this constant snubbing by the state of Israel that makes the actions of the USA even more unacceptable.
The USA has repeatedly turned a blind eye to the atrocities carried out by the state of Israel against a sovereign country. The wanton destruction of entire communities including places of worship, schools and homes happens on a daily basis. Houses are bulldozed and the inhabitants given only a moment’s notice to get out and save as many of their belongings are they can. What right does Israel have to do this?
There are factions within the country that believe God gave them this land and they do have to right to take it. However, Jewish scholars deny this and have repeatedly said openly that the Torah, the Jewish Bible states that the State of Israel will never exist until such time as the people of the world unite as one and worship God. It goes so far as to say that any establishment of the country until that time would be contrary to God’s word.
That the United Nations was set up with the highest of ideals cannot be denied. It was created on 24 October 1945 in the hopes of promoting international co-operation for lasting peace. The Security Council, one of its six departments is responsible for, “deciding certain resolutions for peace and security”. However, as the League of Nations outgrew its usefulness when it proved incapable of preventing aggression by the Axis powers in the 30s, can it be argued that the United Nations might go the same way as it has been corrupted from within by nationalist sentiments that place the benefits of one nation over that of others?
That one country can prevent assistance to another country in order to safeguard the blatantly illegal and immoral demands of a third country is clearly wrong!
PALESTINE: The United Nations and the need for America to wake up
Stewart Sloan
The article may be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.middleeastmonitor.com%2Fblogs%2Fpolitics%2F9813-palestine-the-united-nations-and-the-need-for-america-to-wake-up&h=lAQEAUq2u
At any given time the five so-called ‘permanent members’ of the United Nations Security Council have the right to veto any substantive draft resolution, regardless of the level of international support there is for the draft. At one time or another, each of the five permanent members has exercised that right. Those countries are: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States of America and in agenda items entitled, ‘Middle East situation, including the Palestinian question’ and ‘The question of the exercise by the Palestinian people of its inalienable rights’ the USA has vetoed draft resolutions on no less than 15 occasions.
The drafts repeatedly reaffirms that, “….the Israeli settlements established in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem are illegal and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace” and, “…..demands that Israel, the occupying Power, immediately and completely ceases all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and, that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in this regard…..”
The question that begs to be asked is: when the majority of the member states demand that Israel complies with its moral and legal obligations, what right does the United States of America, or any other country for that matter, have to say otherwise?
In the last three years America’s relationships with Israel have become somewhat strained, which would seem to indicate their continuing support of Israel in the United Nations all the more hypocritical.
In 2010, Hilary Clinton announced to the nation and the world Israel’s intention to build 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem as “deeply negative” for US-Israeli relations. Obama, in a rare mood announced that he would refuse to meet with Netanyahu when he arrived in Washington and then promptly met him in the White House. So much for tough talk! Obama then demanded that Israel impose a freeze on Jewish construction in East Jerusalem and in his own defense Netanyahu replied that he had no knowledge of the decision to build any houses; a very strange comment coming from the Prime Minister of the country.
The meeting ended without any progress on and Israel continued to build the 1,600 houses prompting Vice President Joe Biden to describe the situation as "one of the most serious rows between the two allies in recent decades".
The following year, 2011, Obama made a foreign policy speech in which he called for a return to the pre-1967 Israeli borders, suggesting that the two countries settle on a mutually agreed border, a suggestion that Netanyahu objected to out of hand. While the United States of America might be playing lip service to the idea of finding a lasting solution, Israel is not even pretending to consider the idea. It is in view of this constant snubbing by the state of Israel that makes the actions of the USA even more unacceptable.
The USA has repeatedly turned a blind eye to the atrocities carried out by the state of Israel against a sovereign country. The wanton destruction of entire communities including places of worship, schools and homes happens on a daily basis. Houses are bulldozed and the inhabitants given only a moment’s notice to get out and save as many of their belongings are they can. What right does Israel have to do this?
There are factions within the country that believe God gave them this land and they do have to right to take it. However, Jewish scholars deny this and have repeatedly said openly that the Torah, the Jewish Bible states that the State of Israel will never exist until such time as the people of the world unite as one and worship God. It goes so far as to say that any establishment of the country until that time would be contrary to God’s word.
That the United Nations was set up with the highest of ideals cannot be denied. It was created on 24 October 1945 in the hopes of promoting international co-operation for lasting peace. The Security Council, one of its six departments is responsible for, “deciding certain resolutions for peace and security”. However, as the League of Nations outgrew its usefulness when it proved incapable of preventing aggression by the Axis powers in the 30s, can it be argued that the United Nations might go the same way as it has been corrupted from within by nationalist sentiments that place the benefits of one nation over that of others?
That one country can prevent assistance to another country in order to safeguard the blatantly illegal and immoral demands of a third country is clearly wrong!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Israel’s abuse of Palestinian children
I am so happy that the Middle East Monitor picked up my article.
You can see the full article at their site at: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/blogs/lifestyle/9616-israels-abuse-of-palestinian-children
Israel’s abuse of Palestinian children
Stewart Sloan
I wonder if the United Nations has always been a toothless dog. The organisation is very good at coming up with conventions and getting countries to sign and ratify them but not quite so good at getting them to comply with them. The situation reminds me of the late 70s and early 80s when no smoking signs started appearing on buses and other forms of public transport. The transportation companies felt that it was their job to put the signs up but, when it came to enforcing the regulation they actually believed that it was someone else’s job. I think the UN might be operating along the same lines.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was adopted on 20 November 1989 and entered into force on 2 September 1990. The state of Israel ratified the CRC in 1991 but continues to wage war on Palestinian children, some as young as the age of five. There is ample video-graphic evidence of Israeli Defense Force personnel targeting children, roughing them up unnecessarily and arresting them at gun point. Why it is necessary to point an M16 at a child below the age of 12, or any age for that matter, defies logic. Often, for want of a better excuse they are charged with “throwing rocks”. Israeli military order 378 allows for up to 20 years of imprisonment for stone throwing and while international standards put the age of adulthood at 18, despite having ratified the CRC Israel has allowed that children of the age of 16 may be tried as adults. Following arrest they are interrogated and denied access to their parents and legal counsel. Victims have reported that they are traumatized, beaten, denied food and water and deprived of sleep for periods of up to several days. It is therefore not surprising that confessions are extracted by force and the statements which the victims are then forced to sign are prepared in Hebrew, a language which the vast majority of them do not understand.
According to reports over 9,000 children have been arrested since the year 2000 (almost 700 per year). They are all subjected to inhuman treatment. It would take too much room to quote the entirety of the CRC in this article but certain extracts are necessary.
“No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
“The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time.”
“Every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty before a court or other competent, independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action.”
As mentioned above Israel ratified the CRC in 1991 but arbitrarily ignores its Articles and in turn, the UN ignores the resulting human rights abuses that Israel commits in the name of national security. We are not talking about ignorant travelers arrogantly ignoring no smoking signs here. We are talking about a country that continues to torture children as young as the age of five while the United Nations under Ban Ki Moon does nothing but make “tut-tutting” noises, cowed by their master and overseer, the United States of America.
Perhaps the UN might like to follow the example of the Israeli NGO, The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI). The PCATI is an Israeli human rights organisation that works to combat torture. It was founded in 1990 in reaction to the policy of the Israeli government to allow the systematic use of torture and ill-treatment in investigations. According to one of the organisation’s reports arrested children were subjected to verbal and physical threats including those of sexual violence. It is mind boggling to imagine how any country that considers itself to be civilised to allow such horrendous abuse.
It is evident, and very sad that well-intentioned Israeli NGOs are more active in defending Palestinian children than the United Nations.
The internet is full of video-graphic evidence of Israeli abuse and these are just two examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfQtHdymqQM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaO6gsjxK4I
And although unrelated to the issue of the abuse of children, this one is especially for Ban Ki Moon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=encHlimCC7U
You can see the full article at their site at: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/blogs/lifestyle/9616-israels-abuse-of-palestinian-children
Israel’s abuse of Palestinian children
Stewart Sloan
I wonder if the United Nations has always been a toothless dog. The organisation is very good at coming up with conventions and getting countries to sign and ratify them but not quite so good at getting them to comply with them. The situation reminds me of the late 70s and early 80s when no smoking signs started appearing on buses and other forms of public transport. The transportation companies felt that it was their job to put the signs up but, when it came to enforcing the regulation they actually believed that it was someone else’s job. I think the UN might be operating along the same lines.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was adopted on 20 November 1989 and entered into force on 2 September 1990. The state of Israel ratified the CRC in 1991 but continues to wage war on Palestinian children, some as young as the age of five. There is ample video-graphic evidence of Israeli Defense Force personnel targeting children, roughing them up unnecessarily and arresting them at gun point. Why it is necessary to point an M16 at a child below the age of 12, or any age for that matter, defies logic. Often, for want of a better excuse they are charged with “throwing rocks”. Israeli military order 378 allows for up to 20 years of imprisonment for stone throwing and while international standards put the age of adulthood at 18, despite having ratified the CRC Israel has allowed that children of the age of 16 may be tried as adults. Following arrest they are interrogated and denied access to their parents and legal counsel. Victims have reported that they are traumatized, beaten, denied food and water and deprived of sleep for periods of up to several days. It is therefore not surprising that confessions are extracted by force and the statements which the victims are then forced to sign are prepared in Hebrew, a language which the vast majority of them do not understand.
According to reports over 9,000 children have been arrested since the year 2000 (almost 700 per year). They are all subjected to inhuman treatment. It would take too much room to quote the entirety of the CRC in this article but certain extracts are necessary.
“No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
“The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time.”
“Every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty before a court or other competent, independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action.”
As mentioned above Israel ratified the CRC in 1991 but arbitrarily ignores its Articles and in turn, the UN ignores the resulting human rights abuses that Israel commits in the name of national security. We are not talking about ignorant travelers arrogantly ignoring no smoking signs here. We are talking about a country that continues to torture children as young as the age of five while the United Nations under Ban Ki Moon does nothing but make “tut-tutting” noises, cowed by their master and overseer, the United States of America.
Perhaps the UN might like to follow the example of the Israeli NGO, The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI). The PCATI is an Israeli human rights organisation that works to combat torture. It was founded in 1990 in reaction to the policy of the Israeli government to allow the systematic use of torture and ill-treatment in investigations. According to one of the organisation’s reports arrested children were subjected to verbal and physical threats including those of sexual violence. It is mind boggling to imagine how any country that considers itself to be civilised to allow such horrendous abuse.
It is evident, and very sad that well-intentioned Israeli NGOs are more active in defending Palestinian children than the United Nations.
The internet is full of video-graphic evidence of Israeli abuse and these are just two examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfQtHdymqQM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaO6gsjxK4I
And although unrelated to the issue of the abuse of children, this one is especially for Ban Ki Moon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=encHlimCC7U
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Palestine: The silence of the UN is deafening
Stewart Sloan
The United Nations under Ban Ki Moon has announced that 2014 is the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Despite the fact that Palestine is a ‘non-member observer state’ and the year being dedicated to solidarity with the country and six resolutions being passed against Israel, nothing much in the way of progress has been seen. Israeli atrocities continue to happen and in one recent incident alone, Israeli soldiers ordered the members of a house due to be demolished to come out into the street. There, one of the soldiers opened fire, slowly and deliberately, on the family, injuring the grandmother, killing two young girls and critically wounding another, all sisters. The BBC report may be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krlnS6hcxTI The BBC has passed a copy of their video to the Israelis along with the map references and copies of the statements relating to the incident and they have promised to investigate. No one is holding their breath.
As regards the UN resolutions, on the one hand there is praise for raising the awareness of the international community to the situation in Palestine but on the other, there are feelings that the resolutions will work towards pushing the two parties further apart and be counter-productive to the already fragile peace process. However, the question must be asked: what peace process?
Israel has consistently denied, and continues to deny the Palestinians the right to live in peace in their own country. There is no justification, legal, moral or religious for Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land. And the naysayers are not just from the international community but from Israel itself and the Jewish clergy themselves. It is widely accepted, by non-Zionists that God told the Jews that they could live in the land of Palestine if they followed certain rules. However, it is also stated that even if the land was unoccupied they are forbidden by God to occupy it as they must live in exile until such time as mankind unites and embraces God. They are taught that they must live in exile and be loyal citizens of whatever country gives them shelter. They believe that it would be rebelling against God if they came out of exile by their power of their own hands, i.e. by violence against others. Zionism on the other hand is not a religion. It is a nationalist ideal that was set up 100 years ago and their teachings allowed them to make up the law as they go along. And they do so with the financial and moral assistance of the USA and some Arab countries who, for political reasons do not want to make an enemy of Israel. Other Jewish religious leaders believe that the Zionists have stolen the title, ‘Judaism’.
Everyday there are fresh reports of atrocities conducted by the Israelis against Palestinians. The incident given about of the lady and the young girls being shot while Israeli Defense Force soldiers looked on, eating chocolate is just one. I will keep repeating the same questions over and over again: what justification did the Israelis have for shooting these children? What is Ban Ki Moon doing about it and why is America continuing to support a nation of murderers. Perhaps the answer to that last question lies in the fact that the Americans themselves committed genocide against the own native Americans in order to steal their lands. Perhaps they are inured to the pain of the Palestinians because of the pain they caused the American Indians.
Of course it is well known, understood even that the UN is hamstrung because America has let it be known that they will veto any resolution made against Israel and, in fact, have done so in the past. However, it is time for Ban Ki Moon and the representatives of the member states of the UN to stand firm and demand that the United States of America allows resolutions against the state of Israel in order to stop the genocide they are committing against the people of Palestine who want nothing more than to live in peace, in their own land. Not to do so would make the United Nations a party to this crime.
Stewart Sloan is a published author and works as an editor in a regional human rights NGO based in Hong Kong. He became interested in the situation of Palestine several months ago through contact with his friends. This is his second article on this issue and he would welcome the opportunity of becoming more deeply involved. Stewart may be contacted at sloanbooks@gmail.com.
PALESTINE: Children starve while the world and the UN look on
Stewart Sloan
Due to the ethnic conflict between Israel and Palestine a blockade has been imposed on most of the country of Palestine. The supply of electricity and running water has been cut off and Palestinian commerce virtually brought to a halt due to the stringent travel restrictions imposed by the Israelis. This has brought the economy to a standstill but it is not so much a case of not having enough money to buy food but rather the fact that there is no food to buy.
Added to this the wanton destruction of Palestinian homes and farms by Israeli settlers is ongoing and no alternative accommodation is provided, meaning that entire families, parents, grandparents, children and infants are left to face the elements and fend for themselves. Olive trees that were planted 50 years ago are being uprooted and destroyed to discourage farmers from returning to the property they have owned and farmed for generations.
The United Nations has declared 2014 to be the Year of Palestinian Solidarity which can only be a good thing. However, in the past, UN interventions in countries around the world have been disappointing at best and the question that begs to be asked is why has the UN not taken action to relieve the suffering of the Palestinian people up to now? In comments made elsewhere the author has made no effort to conceal his disgust at the lack of action by the UN and the seeming indifference of Ban Ki Moon to the suffering of the Palestinians.
Hundreds if not thousands of children, elderly people and the vulnerable face death due to malnourishment within days, not weeks or months. Again, it must be asked, why has this situation been allowed to reach this stage?
International bodies have attempted on several occasions to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza by sending ships laden with food and supplies. Despite the fact that these ships were not carrying weapons or arms but only food and medical supplies the Israelis prevented them from entering port and on one occasion even opened fire on a ship, killing several crew members. In 2012 Israel even demanded that the UN intervene to stop the Estelle, a ship sailing under the Swedish flag from entering Gaza, referring to them as "...less moral than Viking raiders".
There is a humanitarian crisis occurring in Palestine now! It is not hidden. It is happening in full view of the international community,including the United States of American who continues to support Israel and threatens to boycott any action that might be taken against them in the United Nations. Indeed, a newly elected American mayor announced in public that part of his work was to support Israel. At a private gala event hosted by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) at the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said that "part of his job description is to defend Israel". He went on to say, “……it is "elemental to being an American, because there is no greater ally on earth, and that's something we can say proudly." I wonder just how many Americans he is speaking for because I know a great many that want nothing to do with any support for the Zionist regime.
In a recent report it was announced that there is an internal revolt at OXFAM, an organization that provides food for thousands of needy persons around the world because OXFAM America refuses to support any cause that might be detrimental to Israel’s interests. OXFAM, who has been doing a great deal of good for decades is in danger of losing its credibility in the international arena because of the support of its Global Ambassadors, Scarlett Johansson. In one article published recently it was admitted that, “Although Oxfam has done a lot of lobbying both publicly and privately on the issue of Israeli settlements, it has faced intense resistance from Oxfam America”.
Perhaps America and the UN might answer this simple question: What possible advantage can be had by condemning innocent children, the elderly and anyone else for that matter to a slow death by starvation?
Stewart Sloan is a published author and works as an editor in a regional human rights NGO based in Hong Kong. He became interested in the situation of Palestine several months ago through contact with his friends. This is his first article on this issue and he would welcome the opportunity of becoming more deeply involved. Stewart may be contacted at sloanbooks@gmail.com.
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