Urgent Appeal Case

“In the course of this speech which has lasted for only a few minutes, one life per minute has been stamped out because of small arms, resulting in destroyed families, destabilized societies, weakened countries. To those watching and listening to us, let us give a concrete and bold response. Let us be willful,. Let us be responsible.” 
— Hon. Charles Josselin, Minister Delegate for Cooperation and Francophonie, at the UN conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. [1] 

Indonesia’s history of heavy-handed tactics in battling separatist movements in East Timor, Aceh, and West Papua is well documented, as is Indonesia’s failure to place responsibility for the systematic human rights violations involved. Impunity continues as the Indonesian government approves and encourages brutal counter-revolutionary military and police operations. 

UA-22-2001 – Police kill adivasis, arrest activist for protesting rape INDIA: Attempted rape with impunity, denial of freedom of assembly, murder by police with impunity, detention under false charges. ———————————————————– On June 25, following the release from custody of a politician suspected of raping a local tribal woman, the tribal (adivasi) community of Puntamba, Ahemednagar […]

The military government of Pakistan plans to carry out the death sentence on Ms. Robina Khan, aged 22, on the 17th July. She will be killed by hanging, unless the President chooses to commute her sentence. She is being held at the Multan Women’s Jail [First Incident Report no. 310, Factory area, Sargodha police station]. 

The Asian Human Rights Commission brings to your notice the following 3 cases of torture and extra-judicial killings, committed by the police in Sri Lanka. These 3 cases demonstrates blatant violations of right to be protected from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. In the international law, torture is considered one of the gravest crimes. However, torture by the law enforcement officers in Sri Lanka is rampant.

The following people in Malaysia have been served with detention orders that will imprison them for two years without trials under the Internal Security Act (ISA), an act which violates all international norms related to arrests, detentions and fair trials:

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka decided on May 29, 2001, that the fundamental rights of H. B. Sriyawathie have been violated by the Mirihana police. She had been illegally arrested, wrongfully detained and tortured while she was in police custody. She was pregnant at the time of her arrest. The court upheld her application and ordered that 150,000 rupees (about US$2,000) be paid to her as compensation.

Twenty-two detainees arrested and hunger strike AUSTRALIA: The denial of the right to asylum and inhumane treatment ——————————————————————— On May 26, 2001, at 4:00 a.m., 170 police officers and guards, armed with guns, batons and shields, made a surprise raid on the Port Hedland migrant detention centre. During the raid, men, women and children were […]

INDONESIA: book burning, arson, ‘sweeping’, banning of books and writings, threats to organisations regarded as ‘leftist’ ———————————————————— \”This is the New, New Order\” That’s the view of Indonesia’s most celebrated author, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, 76, who survived 10 years of incarceration on infamous Buru Island and almost 20 years of house/city arrest years under Suharto, […]

Indonesia’s new democracy is facing its greatest threat to date.  While the world’s attention is on whether President Wahid will stay in office or not some organisations have taken the opportunity to wipe out the main progressive, democracy-building organisations, openly calling it an \”anti-communist\” purge (even though the organisations may be completely unrelated to communism).  […]

Indonesia’s new democracy is facing its greatest threat to date. While the world’s attention is on whether President Wahid will stay in office or not some organisations have taken the opportunity to wipe out the main progressive, democracy-building organisations, openly calling it an \”anti-communist\” purge (even though the organisations may be completely unrelated to communism). […]

UA-13-2001: A Christian teacher accused of blasphemy law  PAKISTAN – Death threats to minorities by the fundamentalist  We have received reliable information from religious group in Pakistan regarding Mr. Parvez Masih, who has been accused of blasphemy and now faced with grave danger. Blasphemy in Pakistan is an ill-defined offense that carries the mandatory death […]

UA-12-2001: Jesuit Priest abused by his own order – Case of Fr. P.J. Joseph S. J.  INDIA (KERALA) – Physical abuse, unfair dismissal, denial of right to livelihood and right reputation  The latest UPDATE for this appeal is available at:  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/215/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/199/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/192/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/166/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/163/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/154/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/152/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/148/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/141/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/136/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/133/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/129/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/125/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/121/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/120/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/119/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/113/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/111/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/106/ | http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/101/  http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2001/96/  A Jesuit priest of […]

Following is an update from our friends in Indonesia regarding the 19 young activists detained after the labour law and oil prices protests in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. 7 of the 19 have been released thanks to efforts to date. The other 12 were denied access to lawyers and forced to sign statements by the police, and as a result are in danger of being convicted of serious offences carrying long prison terms, despite the miscarriage of justice involved. Please read this short update and send a letter to protest the unfair proceedings being used to stop these young activists from freely expressing their opinion about attacks on worker rights and unbearable costs of living. Your letter could help to free the remaining political prisoners. 

A Sri Lankan judge has recently ordered the arrest of four members of the security forces (three policemen and one naval officer) for the following gang rape/torture case. The two women victims are currently taking refuge at the Bishop’s residence and there are also fears for the safety of the main witness in the case. This is now the time to act to ensure that the investigation is independent and transparent, that all of the perpetrators are arrested quickly and followed through to prosecutions using the full force of the law. Many members of security forces in Sri Lanka are allowed to go free for horrendous crimes such as this because pressure eases once arrests are made. Please apply pressure now by reading the following information and sending letters as suggested below.

As issued previously (UA 151/00), Mr. Thuingaleng Muivah (67), General Secretary and chief negotiator of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), a leader of the Naga indigenous peoples in the northeast of India, has been denied refugee status by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Indonesian parliament has authorised the Indonesian Military (TNI) to conduct a ‘limited military operation’ (re-labelled a ‘limited security operation’) in Aceh against the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), who are fighting for an independent Aceh. The operation is supposedly aimed at the leadership of the GAM. However, it is clear that the TNI have used this opportunity to target human rights defenders and to create terror amongst the civilians, as part of a prolonged campaign to destroy the rule of law in Aceh. The following are some recent incidents that have not been properly investigated:

Anwar Ibrahim has been languishing in the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL)

inflicted with a serious spine ailment since November 2000. Anwar is unable to move and constantly on painkillers to alleviate his suffering. He is seeking proper medical treatment but Malaysian authorities are denying him this demand.

UCHITHA THUSSARA KUMAEA, 33 years old, married and the father of two children, was tortured to death by Police at Ja-ela Police station, Sri Lanka on 24th March, 2001. Mr. Kumaea was arrested by the officers from Ja-ela police station on the morning of 24th March, using a warrant for a minor offence. Mr. Kumaea was sent to the remand prison in Negambo on the evening of the same day.

Over the last week, more than 2000 activists and politicians have been arrested by Pakistan’s military regime.

On March 23rd, Pakistan National day, the 16-party Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) attempted to hold protest to call for an immediate end to military rule. As of result, a further 100 political leaders, including Javed Hashmi (a senior figure in the Pakistan Muslim League) were arrested by police.