---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2001 15:22:05 -0700
From: Charlotte Utting <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WASAN] FW: [adnalist] UPDATE: Opportunism in the face of
Tragedy: Repression in the name of anti-terrorism
----------
From: nunu kidane <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 21:59:57 -0700
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [adnalist] UPDATE: Opportunism in the face of Tragedy: Repression
in the name of anti-terrorism
ADNA Update: 011001
Message from: Human Rights Watch
For contact information see also:
http://www.africapolicy.org/adna
Dear friends:
The message below is from the Human Rights Watch, on proposed policy
changes that threaten basic rights.
For more information, go to:
http://hrw.org/campaigns/september11/opportunismwatch.html.
Please distribute widely.
Nunu
Opportunism in the Face of Tragedy
Repression in the name of anti-terrorism
For the forseeable future, much of the world will understandably be focused
on efforts to bring those responsible for the attacks of September 11 to
justice. In the meantime, some governments may cynically try to take
advantage of this struggle to justify or intensify their own crackdowns on
political opponents or religious groups. In other places, leaders may
exploit the situation to advance unnecessarily restrictive or punitive
policies against refugees, asylum-seekers, and other foreigners. Human
Rights Watch will seek to report any statements or actions of this kind on
this site as they occur.
· · Australia
· · China
· · Egypt
· · Israel
· · Kyrgyzstan
· · Macedonia
· · Malaysia
· · Russia
Australia
On September 13, Defense Minister Peter Reith cited the attacks in the
United States to justify his government's effort to prevent asylum-seekers
from entering Australia. His remarks came as his government successfully
attempted to overturn a court decision that it had illegally detained
hundreds of migrants from Afghanistan.
China
On September 18, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhu Bangzao linked
Chinese support for the global campaign against terrorism to US support for
China's campaign against those advocating independence for Tibet and the
Muslim province of Xinjiang. "The United States has asked China to provide
assistance against terrorism. China, by the same token, has reasons to ask
the United States to give its support and understanding in the fight
against terrorism and separatists," Zhu said.
China is engaged in an anti-crime campaign nationwide called "Strike Hard,"
partially aimed at anyone suspected of supporting independence in these two
ethnic minority regions. The campaign has led to many arbitrary arrests and
summary executions, with little or no due process. While there have been
incidents of violence in Xinjiang, China has arrested peaceful activists
and others, and imposed tight restrictions on Muslim religious activities.
Egypt
Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Abeid lashed out at human rights groups for
“calling on us to give these terrorists their ‘human rights,’” referring to
documented reports of torture and unfair trials. “After these horrible
crimes committed in New York and Virginia, maybe Western countries should
begin to think of Egypt’s own fight and terror as their new model.”
Egyptian security forces on September 20 arrested Farid Zahran and have
since ordered him held for fifteen days of preventive detention. The
authorities apparently fear that a demonstration Zahran was helping to
organize for September 28 to mark the first anniversary of the outbreak of
Palestinan-Israeli clashes would also raise criticism of the government’s
close ties with the U.S.
Israel
On September 14, Israeli Defense Minister Binyamin Ben Elizier bragged, "It
is a fact that we have killed 14 Palestinians in Jenin, Kabatyeh and
Tammum, with the world remaining absolutely silent." Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon called Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat "our Bin Laden".
Kyrgyzstan
On September 14, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Interior announced it had conducted
a "passport control regime" against "pro-Islamic" activists in the southern
part of the country. The government of Kyrgyzstan has been intensifying its
harassment of political opponents, independent media, religious groups and
ethnic minorities since the reelection last year of President Askar Akayev.
Macedonia
On September 18, Macedonia Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski said that he
hopes that the attacks on the U.S. will lead NATO to change its policy
towards "terrorism" in Macedonia. On September 13, the VMRO-True Party, a
leading nationalist party, gloated, "After the destruction of Lesok
Monastery [in Macedonia], we said that this would not end here and that
sooner or later the Islamic fundamentalists and Taliban would turn against
the United States." Many government officials in Macedonia have sought to
portray their predominantly Muslim and Albanian opponents as terrorists. In
the course of the recent conflict in Macedonia, both government and rebel
forces have committed abuses against innocent civilians. On September 20,
James Pardew, US Special Envoy in Macedonia, condemned the Macedonian
government for seeking political gain from the tragedy.
Malaysia
On September 15, Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahman Badawi took advantage
of the attacks to praise Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA), which has
been used to imprison pro-democracy activists, students, alleged Muslim
extremists as well as supporters of jailed former Deputy Prime Minister
Anwar Ibrahim. Badawi said that the attacks showed the value of the ISA as
"an initial preventive measure before threats get beyond control." The ISA
allows for indefinite detention without trial and allows for arrest without
a warrant anyone any police officer has "reason to believe" has acted or
likely to act "in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia." In
separate comments on September 18, Rais Yatim, minister in the Prime
Minister's Department overseeing legal affairs, said that the suggestion
that the United States might endorse "political assassinations" showed the
relative merits of the ISA. In recent years, the repeal of the ISA has been
at the top of the list for leading human rights and civil society groups in
Malaysia.
Russia
On September 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin linked global efforts
against terrorism to Russia's brutal military campaign in Chechnya, where
Russian forces continue to engage in extrajudicial executions, arrests, and
extortion of civilians. Putin said, "Bin Laden's people are connected with
the events currently taking place in our Chechnya….Our American partners
cannot but be concerned about this circumstance. So we have a common foe."
The conflict in Chechnya has flared up in recent days, with the rebels
launching lethal attacks on Russian troops and Russian authorities
announcing the arrest of 400 Chechens. In the past, many Chechens detained
by Russian forces have disappeared.
--------------------
This message from Human Rights Watch is distributed through the
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA) via IDEX
Nunu Kidane
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)
Communications Facilitator for IDEX
International Development Exchange - IDEX
827 Valencia Street, Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tel: (415) 824 8384
Fax: (415 824 8387
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Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, Oct 17. Location: to be decided.
7:00 PM WASAN business meeting
7:30 PM Program: "Gender, Art and the Contemporary Situation in Zimbabwe" and an exhibit of Weya women's art from Zimbabwe (see the website for examples, www.ibike.org/africamatters/weya.htm .)
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