Item 9: Question of the violence of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world

(Note: The following oral presentation was made by Tina Johannesen on March 29, 2001, at the 24th meeting of the 57th session of the UNCHR.) Presented by: Ms. Tina Johannesen Mr. Chairman, I speak on behalf of the Asian Legal Resource Centre. Recently the attorney general of India stated, “It is undeniable that, despite constitutional and legal provisions, caste-based discrimination in our country persists and is pervasive and strong effective measures are needed to stamp out this evil” (Times of India, March 15, 2001, Letters section). The purpose of this submission is to look at what measures are necessary to stamp out this evil. The admission of the evil nature […]

Item 9: QUESTION OF THE VIOLENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD

United Nations Press Release Commission on Human Rights 57th session 29 March 2001 Evening and Night Commission on Human Rights Continues Discussion of Question of Violations Anywhere in World The High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Rapporteurs and Representatives gave summations this evening of situations in Chechnya, Iran, the Former Yugoslavia, Burundi, Rwanda and Iraq as the Commission on Human Rights carried on with its annual debate on the question of the violation of fundamental rights and freedoms anywhere in the world. The agenda item, annually one of the Commission’s most contentious, also was addressed by a long series of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) during the extended meeting which concluded […]

Item 6: Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and all forms of discrimination

DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF OCCUPATION AND DESCENT Joint statement by Lutheran World Federation and Asian Legal Resource Centre (Note: Following statement was made by Aishya Prakash as a joint statement of Lutheran World Federation and the Asian Legal Resource Centre on the 26 March 2001 during the 13th Meeting of the 57th Session of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland) Mr. Chairman, Already in 1996, whilst commenting on India’s report, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination made it clear that “the term ‘descent’ mentioned in article 1 of the Convention [on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination] does not solely refer to race.” […]

Item 6: NGOS SPEAKING BEFORE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS DECRY RACISM AND VOICE HOPES FOR UPCOMING WORLD CONFERENCE

United Nations Press Release Commission on Human Rights 57th session 26 March 2001 Evening A series of non-governmental organzations (NGOs) spoke before the Commission on Human Rights this evening on issues of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, lamenting that such problems continued around the world and offering suggestions and in some cases criticism of the upcoming World Conference against Racism. AISHYA PRAKASH, of Lutheran World Federation [in a joint statment with the Asian Legal Resource Centre] [addition by ALRC], said that already in 1996, while commenting on India’s report, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) had made it clear that the term “descent” mentioned in article 1 […]

Lack of legal and institutional remedies for violence against women in Asia

Item 12(a): INTEGRATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND THE GENDER PERSPECTIVE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Lack of legal and institutional remedies for violence against women in Asia (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/72) Link to UNCHR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/72) COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-seventh Session Item 12 (a) of the Provisional Agenda INTEGRATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND THE GENDER PERSPECTIVE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre a non-governmental organization with general consultative status Lack of legal and institutional remedies for violence against women in Asia 1. The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993) recognised violence against women as constituting “a violation of the rights […]

Religious Intolerance in Asia

Item 11(e): CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE Religious Intolerance in Asia (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/71) Link to UNCHR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/71) COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-seventh session Item 11 (e) of the provisional agenda CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE Religious Intolerance in Asia 1. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Notwithstanding, the Asian Legal Resource Centre concurs with the Special Rapporteur that “the situation with regard to intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief is alarming” (A/55/280, paragraph 133). In the last year, Asia has witnessed a marked increase in the level of religious intolerance and overt […]

Sri Lanka: the Bindunuwewa Massacre

Item 11(d): CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, IMPUNITY Sri Lanka: the Bindunuwewa Massacre (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/70) Link to UNCHR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/70) COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-seventh session Item 11 (d) of the provisional agenda CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, IMPUNITY Sri Lanka: the Bindunuwewa Massacre 1. On October 25, 2000, twenty-six persons (twenty-nine by some estimates), were chopped to death, while about fourteen others were seriously injured, in a rehabilitation detention centre at Bindunuwewa, Badulla, Sri Lanka. According to the National Human Rights Commission, which inquired into the incident, “the police officers, approximately 60 in […]

Harassment of sex workers in Hong Kong SAR

Item 11(d): CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, IMPUNITY Harassment of sex workers in Hong Kong SAR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/69) Link to UNCHR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/69) COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-seventh Session Item 11(d) of the Provisional Agenda CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, IMPUNITY Written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre a non-governmental organization with general consultative status Harassment of sex workers in Hong Kong SAR 1. In Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China, sex work is not technically illegal and existing laws claim to stop exploitation and control […]

Police abuses in Cambodia

Item 11(d): CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, IMPUNITY Police abuses in Cambodia (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/68) Link to UNCHR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/68) COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-seventh Session Item 11 (d) of the Provisional Agenda CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY, ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE, IMPUNITY Written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre, a non-governmental organization with general consultative status Police abuses in Cambodia 1. Basic principles of international law and fair trial are often violated in Cambodia’s criminal justice system. Impunity, torture, forced confessions, illegal arrests and detention are frequently reported by the news media and monitoring non-government organisations. […]

Freedom of assembly, the Public Order Ordinance and academic freedom in Hong Kong SAR

Item 11(c): CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Freedom of assembly, the Public Order Ordinance and academic freedom in Hong Kong SAR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/67) Link to UNCHR (E/CN.4/2001/NGO/67) COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Fifty-seventh Session Item 11(c) of the Provisional Agenda CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS THE QUESTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Written statement submitted by the Asian Legal Resource Centre a non-governmental organization with general consultative status Freedom of assembly, the Public Order Ordinance and academic freedom in Hong Kong SAR 1. On August 15, 2000, five university students in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong SAR) of the People’s Republic of China were arrested under the […]