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Share with us your vrews on our work or the actions you've taken for human rights. Please include your name, phone number, address and email address. rÅ&=ãÊ+E++tJËHÉEEË Share this newsletter with your friends
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Letter from the Ghair
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China is marking several important anniversaries during 2009: the 90th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement; the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic; and the 20th anniversary of the Tìananmen Square pro-democracy protests. These dates are important in the nation's history and development, because they all signify similar visions - a stronger, democratic China, and better lives for its peopre.
For a century, demands have been made and petitions have been organised for modernisation, equality,
democracy, freedom of expression, and the right to
political participation, to name just a few. Such aspirations have been echoed by their numerous supporters in the civil society. Civil movements have never stopped trying to make them a reality, even in the face of oppression. While China's economy has flourished and the country has stepped onto the international stage, the international community has continued to call on it to affirm human rights, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. ln fact, China has still not delivered on the promise it made when it bid to host the Olympics Games. lt promised not only social progress and economic development but also an improvement in its human rights situation. The Chinese government took a huge step forward in recognising the importance of human rights when it released the National Human Rights Action Plan. However, this actlon plan puts more emphasis on economic, social and cultural rights than on civil and political rights.
A number of researches by Amnesty lnternational show that violations of civil and political rights in China are far from being remedied. To name just a few examoles: the unlawful detention of human rights defenders, lack of access to fair trials, and the highest number of executions in the world. Neglecting
certain kinds of human rights suggests that human rights are divisible. This is not true. Human rights are indivisible and inalienable. ln this context, the improvement of human rights in China is lagging behind the international trend. As we mark these anniversaries, we always remember those who risked and sacrificed their own freedom and lives for human rights. And we also remember the unfulfilled dreams and visions these oioneers advocated.
Kong-sau Tan Chair, Amnesty lnternational Hong Kong
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A defamation suit against a prominent human rights defender was dropped in Azerbaijan. Amnesty lnternational labeled the suit against Leila Yunus an unacceptable obstacle to freedom of expression, and we welcome the decision to drop the case against her.
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Gambia
Halifa Sallah, a prominent Gambian opposition figure and journalist was released unconditionally following his unlawful arrest a few weeks before. lt is suspected that his arrest was related to publications he wrote which accused the government of committing gross human rights violations. Amnesty lnternational was concerned that Mr Sallah was at risk of torture and ill treatment, and was pleased to learn of his release.
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More than 35 years after gross human rights violations
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criminals to justice.
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The Taiwanese legislature has ratified two of the
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rallies in November 2OO7.
Bahrain
The King of Bahrain has granted a full pardon to 178 political prisoners who have been released unconditionally. Some of those who were released had been imprisoned for more than 15 months and had been convicted on criminal charges ranging from incitement to overthrow a regime to membership of an illegal organisation. Lawyers and human rights activists alleged that they had been forced to confess as a result of torture or other ill treatment.
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Displaced villagers in Papun District in Kayin State return to their hiding site, after retrieving food supplies from their abandoned village. Earlier the villagers had fled following the Myanmar army's establishment of a new camp close to their village.
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They have lost all their wealth and the concept of home, wandering like spirits from location to location, being met with fear, hostility and prejudice. They are constantly running, crying, aching, starving ... They are internally displaced people, whom we do not see, hear, or feel.
the Karen, an ethnic minority of Sinollbetan origin, have repeatedly come under attack by the Myanmar army, known as the tatmadaw, which generally follows a pattern of unlawful killings, torture, and other grave violations of human rights such as For years
(Hpa'an District, Kayin State). Other than unlawful killings, torture has for many years been widely used by the tatmadaw to elicit information
about the identity and movements of members of the KNLA, to punish and control the local population for perceived support of, or for not disclosing information about, the KNLA, and to intimidate and deter future support for the armed opposition.
forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and forced labour.
?oq These civilians have been targeted simply because they are part of the Karen ethnic group, because they live in areas where most people belong to the Karen ethnic group, or they are made to suffer for activities by the
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There are grave concerns about widespread and
systematic violations of international human rights and humanitarian law against the Karen over the past 15 years.
Amnesty lnternational has urged the UN Security Council to ensure that acts constituting crimes against humanity and all other violations of international law in the country are halted immediately. The burnt remains of the rice stores of two Karen villagers, shortly after being destroyed by LIB #22O of the tatmadaw (the Myanmar army). A charred rice storage basket and winnowing fan lie amidst the ashes. The tatmadaw has used the destruction of paddy fields and r¡ce stores as a means to undermine the livelihoods of those attempting to live in areas outside of military control and thereby drive them into military-controlled relocation sites. ffilEË,fôffiÄÊ!
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According to official statistics, nearly 3.5 million Karen live in Myanmar, with more than 830,000 residing in Kayin State. Among the Karen are practising Buddhists, Christians and animists. The KNLA was formed after Myanmar's independence from the United Kingdom in 1949 with the aim of independence or greater autonomy for the Karen. The Karen National Union (KNU) is its civil wing.
The international community should help to ensure that the suspected perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with international law and standards, and that those who have been subjected to such violations are orovided with full reoaration. Amnesty lnternational Hong Kong organised a documentary screening on June 19, the day before lnternational Refugee Day. The documentary, "Prayer of Peace: Relief and Resistance in Burma's War Zones" by Matt Blauer, was a collection of stunning footage of how the Karen people struggled for survival in Myanmar. Singer, refugee songwriter and poet Helen Mottee engaged the audience by sharing her songs and poems after the screening. She and AIHK executive committee member Armin Kalyanram also shared their frontline experiences of meeting people on the move.
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banks and the falling stock markets, the report revealed an often neglected, appalling truth: billions of people are suffering from insecurity, injustice and indignity; increased poverty and deprivation have led to denial of economic and social rights including food shortages and the use of food as a political weapon;
forced evictions; abuse of the rights of indigenous peoples; restriction on the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers; increasing incidents of racism and xenophobia.
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during the completion of a vital questionnaire and were denied legal representation during the screening process. The lack of legal recognition or clear policy guidelines for dealing with refugees and asylum seekers violates human rights standards.
ln Hong Kong, the gap between the rich and the poor has not ceased widening. Ms Law went on to explain how the human rights situation in Hong Kong is far from perfect. "Prior to the Torch Relay being held in Hong Kong, the Secretary for Security speaking on a local radio programme said that Hong Kong would not welcome anyone who advocated the splitting of the country and urged to restraint by those considering
The report also shed light on strip searches carried out by the police, loopholes in the anti-race discrimination legislation and the exclusion of same-sex couples in the Domestic Violence Ordinance in Hong Kong.
protesting during the 0lympic Torch Relay's passage through Hong Kong," said Ms Law. "Maintaining public order should not be an excuse to clamp down on acts of peaceful protest or otherwise restrict fundamental human rights." Commenting on the plight of refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong, Ms Law said that the UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees) is under siege with a plethora of cases every year along with a lack of viable support from the government and other entities.
As for China, Amnesty lnternational's Asia-Pacific
Regional Office Deputy Director Roseann Rife spoke of the ongoing crackdowns on Uighurs, Tlbetans, human rights lavrryers and other human rights defenders. She also highlighted the Amnesty lnternational Sichuan earthquake report, details of which are mentioned in the story "China: Justice through Accountability" in
this newsletter. Al report, visit: http://thereport. amnesty.orgl. To purchase the report, contact us at adm i n-hk@am nesty.org. hk or (852) 23OO-I250.
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China has been repeatedly praised for its rapid economic growth, but 20 years since the Tananmen pro-democracy protests, justice is still being denied. Human rights activists, lawyers, intellectuals, and justice seekers continue to be harassed. A country does not earn its pride and respect with its GDP growth and military advancement, but with its level of civilisation. The 20th anniversary of the Beijing protests is a time for reflection.
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The Tiananmen Crackdown 0n June 4, 1989, heavily armed troops and armoured vehicles took full control of Beijing. Protestors demanding an end to official corruption and political and economic reforms were silenced. An official report claimed that "more than 3,000 civilians were wounded and over 200, including 36 college students, died during the riot", but the real figures are believed to be
a lot higher. Many civilians who were involved in the demonstrations were hunted down by the authorities and detained, tortured, or imprisoned after unfair trials, Amnesty lnternational's record in 2004 stated that more than 50 people were still imprisoned or on medical parole for their involvement in the 1989 pro-democracy protests, Official statistics have not been made public, though it is believed that dozens of people remain in prison to this day. Every year individuals continue to be imprisoned or sent for re-education through labour facilities for peacefully commemorating the anniversary of the military crackdown; many student leaders and activists involved in the June 4 orotests continue to be denied entry to China.
As part of a global campaign, Amnesty lnternational Hong Kong launched a rose-offering action, sending cards with rose prints to the China Liaison Office in Hong Kong. The goal was to urge the Chinese authoriiies to: launch an open and independent inquiry into the crackdown; publicly acknowledge the human rights abuses which occurred; account for all those killed and injured during the crackdown; release those who remain in detention for peacefully exercising their human rights in relation to the protests; acknowledge the legitimacy of the protests; cease harassment of those seeking reassessment of the protests and those wishing to commemorate the 1989 events; offer compensation to victims of the protests and their families; and educate the general public about the legitimate causes of the protests and the suppression of human rights defenders and activists associated with the 1989 protests over the past 20 years.
but also in the human rights abuses of survivors and activists who lost their loved ones during last year's Sichuan earthquake. May 12 marked the first anniversary of the disaster. According to a recent Amnesty lnternational report on the earthquake, many parents whose children were buried in the ruins claimed that the school buildings were unsafe, and corrupt officials or builders had pocketed the money meant to be used to construct
Photograph of Yuan Li, killed in Ïananmen Square. The Tiananmen Mothers, founded by several mothers including Ding Zilin, a retired university professor, is a group of 128 human rights defenders mainly women - whose children and other close relatives were killed in and around 1ìananmen Square on the night of 3-4 June 1989. Ê xa1lÈ€-LyzùÉ!Ë¡fr!ffi H " €TÉ
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stronger buildings. They also demanded that officials, school building designers and construction companies be held accountable for the deaths of their children. Yet, despite official acknowledgement of the structural problems of the schools and the need to "severely
punish the offenders", authorities from the hardest-hit province have denied correlations between the collapse of schools and shoddy construction. Worse
still, earthquake survivors and activists seeking
justice have found themselves arbitrarily detained, persecuted, obstructed from petitioning, denied legal representation, rejected by the court of litigation and placed under surveillance. Lawyers trying to help the quake victims have also been harassed.
The authorities should comply with all international and domestic laws and stop this harassment, intimidation and arbitrary or unlawful detention immediately. They should facilitate access for survivors and activists who wish to file criminal or civil complaints, and ensure that all trials are fair and up to international standards. They should also allow legal representation and freedom of expression through the media.
It is only by admitting its mistakes and restoring justice that China will be respected as a civilised society which values the rights and dignity of humankind. To read the full report, please visit: http ://www, a m n esty. org. h k/htm l/si c h u a n_ea rth
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Despite the scorching heat, at least 26,000 people joined ihe demonstration on July 1st from Victoria Park to the Central Government Offices, official statistics revealed. The participating groups and individuals had different specific demands, but all were there to call for a more humane society where everyone is equal and
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Amnesty lnternaiìonal Hong Kong joined the demonstration with a theme of protecting freedom of expression. Waving flags and holding up banners, we shouted out loud for freedom of expression with a focus on internet freedom and access to information, relating our demands to the recent announcement by the Chinese government to install Green Dam-a software that filters "improper" information-in all comouters to be sold in China.
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While the Chinese off icials claimed that the aim of installing Green Dam was to f ilter sexual and violent rmages in order to protect vulnerable children and youth, the software can also control the time spent in using the internet, monitor computer games, and by doing so f ilter anti-government voices and monitor internei users. Although Beijing has announced it will delay the mandatory use of the software, drfferent kinds of filtering software may still exist, threatening internet users' freedom of expression and right to access information. Many websites cannot be accessed and viewed from
within Mainland China, especially websites of several human rights organisations, including Amnesty lnternational's, and the media. ln some places like Shenzhen, the internet police monitor internet users' internet footorints. China has an infamous track record of suppressing freedom of expression. The press is censored and individuals' voices are often silenced. Dissidents may be arrested, detained or even tortured on different charges. For instance family members of those who died in the Sichuan earthquake were prevented from actively calling for the investigation of "tofu dreg" constructions, some were even detained (Read the article "China: Justice through accountability"); Chinese scholars and lawyers who drafted lhe Charter OSto push for political and legal reforms in China were harassed by the authorities; one of its supporters, Liu Xiaobo, was recently charged with "inciting subversion
of state Dower".
ln Hong Kong, activists coming from abroad planning to participate in activities commemorating the June 4 anniversary, including Xiang Xiaoji, a student leader of the 1989 peaceful demonstration in Tiananmen Square, have been denied entry to their home country. The failure to provide any reasonable explanattons for such denial of entry would only raise more fears and speculations that the Hong Kong government is arbilrarily restricting people's freedom of expression
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Everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas without fear or interference. Recent events in China and the HKSAR show how freedom of speech is eroded in the name of "national security": although now considered as a "world power", China's respect for basic human rights recognised and protected by international conventions, most notably the freedom of expression, ts still strictly limited and respect for people's civil and political rights is virtually non-existent. The authorities frequently use dubious charges such as "inciting subversion of state power", "illegal possession of state secrets" and "disturbance of social order" to suppress opposition and dissent, and in some cases, they resort to arresting and detaining dissidents.
Amnesty lnternational Hong Kong calls for the Hong Kong and Chinese governments to respect the freedom of expression, freedom of publication and media, freedom of assembly, protest and demonstration, and freedom to access ihe internet. We urge the Chinese government to revoke the requirement to install f iltering software on all computers sold f rom this time on.
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land. They would build factories, hospitals, schools and more. But when I arrived, everything was empty. The land was flooded, and I felt hOpeleSS." - An evicted vouns mother
Cambodia has a duty to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights provided for in these treaties, including the right to an adequate standard of living, and specifically the right to adequate housing (Article 11 of
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talking to Amnesty lnternational. On June 6th 2006, excavators and bulldozers flattened
Sambok Chab, an informal settlement established in the early 1990s on the banks of the Bassac River in central Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Approximately 1,500 families living there were evicted forcibly. The vast majority of the evictees were made homeless. They were taken to New Andong, some 20 kilometres away, a sodden field with no shelter, no sewage system, no safe water supply, no electricity, no access road, no schools, no clinics and no markets. Using debris
from the eviction site and tarpaulins provided by civil society organisations, the families erected makeshift shelters on the flood-orone field. They have lost their jobs as a result of poor transportation. Health problems are widespread especially among children. Within the first year, at least three children died of dengue and one of malnutrition.
Thy and her husband Prum Pel are among around 32 families at Borei Keila, Phnom Penh living with HIV-AIDS who are facing imminent forced eviction. They are both ln poor health and struggle to earn a living. Like the other 31 families, they rely on access to medical services, which would not be accessible if they are resettled.
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Some people found no alternative but to leave the resettlement site in order to keep their jobs. Many now live huddled under plastic sheets on the streets of Phnom Penh, near their old neighbourhood, risking yet another eviction. These evictees are excluded from the processes
and decisions that impact on their lives. They were not notified prior to the eviction, and no one has meaningfully consulted them about their needs.
Villagers from the community of Mittapheap 4 try to protect themselves as security forces burn their homes and ransack the r belongi ngs. ÆËÅËft Æ{ú{P5 É!ä H&H€{Û{FT tlF Mittapheap 4ì18É!lüRËâ.fR'# " @ Housing Rights Task Force i
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Amnesty lnternational Hong Kong was again one of the organisers of the lnternational Day Against Homophobia (lDAH0) this year. Our emphasis, as usual, was on the internattonal aspect of the lack of righis for sexual minorities. Since 1991, Amnesty lnternational has committed itself to campaigning for the release of anyone imprisoned solely because of homosexuality, which we considered a grave violation of human rights. Locally, homosexualìty is no longer criminalised but rights have yet to be protected. 0ur demand for legislation is grounded not only in the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights Ordinance but also in the obligatìons contained in UN Human Rights Treaties. The Hong Kong government has the obligation to legislate against discriminaiion based on sexual orientation and gender identities. Just as we need a law to combat racism in Hong Kong, we need laws to protect minorities, as well as civic education tools to ensure that we can all live in harmonv.
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ln a powerful victory for the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 66 nations at the UN General Assembly in December 2OO8, gave support to a groundbreaking statement confirming that international human rìghts protections include sexual orientation and gender identity. The statement received support from all five UN regions. lt is the f irst time that a statement condemning rights abuses against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people has been presented in the General Assembly. Although the statement is non-binding, it reaffirms existing protections for human rights in international law. lt builds on a previous joint statement supported by 54 countries, which Norway delivered at the UN Human Rights Councìl in 2006. We considered this a huge success. The statemeni
reaffirms the universality of human rights, that we are all born equal in rights. The draft statement condemns violence, harassment, discrimination, exclusion, stigmatization, and prejudice based on sexual orìentation and gender identity. lt also condemns killings and executions, torture, arbilrary arrest, and deprivatron of economìc, social, and cultural rights on those grounds.
truly harmonious society, it is important to eliminate homophobia in the same way as we deal with racial discrimination. This is something that we can all participate in, right now. To establish a
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attacked by the Tgers. The Sri Lankan military has in the past used heavy artillery, which is indiscriminate under the circumstances, causing civilian deaths and in juries.
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The war in Sri Lanka has reached its final phase
following the reported admission of defeat by the Liberation Igers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers/ LTTE). A humanitarian crisis continues to unfold in the country.
The on-and-off civil war in Sri Lanka began in 1983, predominantly between the government and the LTTE, which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil Eelam in the north and the east of the island.
Amnesty lnternational has called for key steps to be adopted to ensure civilians and captured f ighters are protected. There are more than 200,000 displaced people, including approximately 80,000 children, who need relief and also protection from abuses in Sri Lanka. "The government should accept the surrender of any LTTE fighter who wants to surrender and treat
humanely LTTE fighters who have laid down their arms. ln turn, the LTTE must also protect civilians and any Sri Lankan soldier they take prisoner," said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty lnternational's Asia-Pacific Director.
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full access to national and international humanitarian agencies; allow immediate and unfettered access to national and international independent observers to monitor the situation and provide a safeguard against human rights violations; and take measures to protect displaced people. Amnesty lnternational is also supporting the convening of a special session of the Human Rights Council to maintain awareness of the evolving situation in Sri Lanka, and is calling for the United Nations to immediately establish an international commission of inquiry. T7
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Ben Sweetbaum As a full-time intern at Amnesty lnternational for the past four weeks, I have had invaluable experience
My internship is part of a school programme for which I will receive credit, but I have developed a passion for the work I have been assigned, and I feel as if working here has really given me a chance to make a difference in the lives of people who need it most around the world. Working here is like nothing I have ever experienced before, and for the first time in my life, I look forward to getting up every morning and continuing my assignments.
After getting this opportunity to work for Amnesty lnternational in Hong Kong, I have set a goal for myself of one day working for a non-profit organisation. I can't thank Amnesty lnternational enough for providing me with the opportunity for this life-changing experience. Ben Sweetbaum
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Michael Sheppard Since the start of my academic career, I have had a profound interest in human rights and the development of countries. At first I was under the impression that NGOs could take on almost any challenge and persevere. lt was only after the first few courses in international relations and my participation with various NGOs that I realised the truth was vastly There is a plethora of checks and balances along with annoying politics that at times hinder NGO work. Despite the numerous hardships, it is the drive of NGOs that is so enriching, since they represent the part of humanity that will go to enormous lengths to make sure that others can live rich and full lives free from pain and persecution. To work for a profound NGO such as Amnesty lnternational has been a dream come true. For starters, I feel confident with the staff and location as both are very welcoming and ready to engage in all aspects of Amnesty lnternational and local issues. While my co-workers speak Cantonese, they do switch to English when necessary and I understand that I am in a foreign country and as such should not feel annoyed or isolated by it.
I have engaged in my duties to the best of my ability and have come up with interesting research material. I have even gone ahead to contact people in high positions such as the chairman of the Law Society of Hong Kong and the regional director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Normally, I would feel hesitant about contacting people in high positions as I am just an intern, but this city is so vibrant, I feel that by working in an international city I am gaining more confidence to ask questions and do research on my own by various means. I consider myself lucky to have gotten this internship since my passion is human rights, and what better way than to get a job with Amnesty lnternational! Michael Sheppard
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different.
learning not only about humanitarian rights and global affairs, but also about the inner workings of non-profit organisations.
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