<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Human Rights Now(HRN), a Tokyo based human rights <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n the imposition of the constitutional referendum, and the extension of Aung San \n \uff14<\/span>.<\/span>\u3000<\/span>Tibet and DPRK<\/span><\/p>\n As for the DPRK, HRN welcomes that the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting remarked on <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u00a0 Human Rights Now(HRN), a Tokyo based human rights organization, issued a statement in June urging the G8 states to address ongoing serious human rights violation in the world, in particular, the situations in Burma( Myanmar), Darfur\/ Sudan, and human rights violations in the course of ” war on terror”. In the wake of the G8 foreign ministers’ meeting, based on recent developments of the human rights situation, Human Rights Now urges the G8 leaders to make a strong commitment to the world’s human rights problems. 1. Situation in Darfur\/ Sudan In the Darfur region of Sudan, serious human rights violations have been taking place since February of 2003. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[141,138,154,106,17,107],"countries":[249,245,244],"class_list":["post-43","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-statement","tag-accountability","tag-armed-conflict","tag-defenders-democratic-space","tag-freedom-of-assembly","tag-human-rights-violation-under-armed-conflictsmilitary-operation","tag-refugee-idp","countries-iraq","countries-myanmar","countries-northeast-asia"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\norganization, issued a statement in June urging the G8 states to address
\nongoing serious human rights violation in the world, in particular, the
\nsituations in Burma( Myanmar), Darfur\/ Sudan, and human rights violations in
\nthe course of ” war on terror”.
\nIn the wake of the G8 foreign ministers’ meeting, based on recent developments
\nof the human rights situation, Human Rights Now urges the G8 leaders to make a
\nstrong commitment to the world’s human rights problems.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n1. Situation in Darfur\/ Sudan<\/span><\/p>\n
\nIn the Darfur region of Sudan, serious human rights violations have been taking
\nplace since February of 2003. The government and government-supported militias
\nhave continuously attacked the region’s non-Arab residents and more than
\n200,000 people have reportedly been victimized. Rape and other forms of
\nviolence against women have frequently been used to terrorize the population.
\nTwo to three hundred thousand people have been forcibly displaced and turned
\ninto refugees. Furthermore, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) agreed to
\nby the northern and southern Sudanese governments in January 2005 is in
\njeopardy because of the ongoing conflicts in the Abyei region.
\nThis situation must be addressed by the international society. Upon the call of
\nmany of the world’s international human rights organizations, more than 130,000
\npeople participated in the petition calling for the G8 leaders to address and
\nmake a strong commitment on this situation.
\nHRN welcomes the foreign ministers’ meeting addressing of the issue by calling
\nfor 1) immediate cease fire and adherence of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement(
\nCPA), 2) support for UNAMID, 3) adherence of the UN Security Council, 4) full
\ncooperation with the ICC, and for the G8’s commitment to humanitarian and
\ndevelopment assistance. However, this was not enough, because the statement did
\nnot clearly urge the world to stop any importing of arms to the Darfur area.
\nWhile the UN Security Council resolution set an arms embargo, this has often
\nbeen violated and has become a cause of conflict.
\nHRN urge G8 leaders to issue a strong statement including the above points, as
\nwell as arms embargo and to act to resolve the situation. The world, and all
\nparties to the conflict, is watching how the G8 acts.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n2. Situation in Zimbabwe<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe Human Rights situation in Zimbabwe now faces a critical moment. Despite the
\nvictory of the Opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC),
\nPresident Mugabe and the ruling party insisted on and implemented the final
\npresidential election. During the process of this final election, gross human
\nrights violations of opposition, including extrajudicial killing and arbitrary
\ndetention has taken place. As a result, the election committee declared Mugabe
\nwas elected as the president with 85% vote. Now, the opposition are persecuted,
\nmore and more people are becoming refugees, and human rights violations and
\nrepression are prevailing throughout the entire nation.
\nIt is very clear that an election in the course of such gross human rights
\nviolations is illegitimate. Mugabe and the authorities must stop the violence
\nand human rights violations, nullify the election result, and conduct a
\nre-election immediately.
\nHRN calls upon the G8 leaders to address this issue by issuing a strong
\nstatement including in the following area;
\n1) Clearly state that this election is illegitimate and recommend the authority
\nto conduct fair and transparent election with participation of all parties
\nconcern, having international monitoring team on the election.
\n2) Condemn the recent human rights violations, including killing of the
\nopposition, and urge the authorities to stop the human rights violations and
\nviolence
\n3) Request peaceful dialogue between the authorities and the opposition to
\nresolve the problem, support current and future efforts of the UN and regional
\norgan, and make clear that the peaceful resolution should based on respect of
\nthe March election result.
\n4) Pledge immediate humanitarian aid to address the crisis, in particular meet
\nthe needs of the most vulnerable population affected by the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n3. Situation in Burma ( Myanmar)<\/span><\/p>\n
\nIn Burma, the military junta (the SPDC) brutally repressed peaceful
\ndemonstrations for democracy led by massive numbers of monks last September.
\nSince then over 1,900 monks and democracy activists have been detained.
\nSince Cyclone Nargis hit Burma, the SPDC has continued to neglect its
\nresponsibility to supply food, medical care and sanitation to the cyclone’s
\nvictims, and prevented foreign aid As a result, the lives of many of the
\nsuffering, especially women, children and the elderly, are at risk. Further,
\nthe SPDC has forcibly displaced the evacuees from evacuation centers and sent
\nthem back to cyclone-devastated areas, and forcibly taken them into forced
\nlabor.
\nAt the same time, the SPDC forced through its referendum on the new
\nconstitution, which is designed only to prolong the survival of the military
\nregime, and which makes the realization of respect for human rights and
\ndemocracy even more distant. The SPDC also extended the house arrest of
\ndemocratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
\nWhile HRN welcomes the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting address of the situation, it
\ncalls upon the G8 leaders to issue a strong statement including the following.
\n1) Condemn the brutal crackdown against pro-democracy activists last September,<\/p>\n
\nSuu Kyi’s detention.
\n2) Urge the SPDC to immediately release all political detainees, and initiate
\nthe democratization process by opening a serious dialogue with pro-democracy
\ngroups, ethnic minority leaders and others concerned.
\n3) Given the humanitarian crisis that many cyclone victims still face, increase
\nthe amount of G8 countries’ relief aid and at the same time urge the SPDC to
\nfulfill its obligation to provide for the basic needs of victims, such as food,
\nhealth, medical treatment and sanitation in close cooperation with donor
\ncountries.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>\u3000<\/span> Since March 2008, the Chinese authorities have brutally
\ncracked down on the Tibetan demonstrators, and continue to detain monks and
\ncitizens in the Tibetan Autonomous Region and other regions where Tibetans
\nreside. In the wake of international criticism regarding this treatment, the
\nChinese authorities commenced a dialogue with the representative of Tibetan
\nleader the Dalai Lama. However, the Chinese Authorities have so far stubbornly
\nrejected all requests made by the Dalai Lama, including release of citizens and
\nmonks detained since March, and full and free access of the Media into the
\nTibetan Autonomous Region. There is no development of the peaceful resolution
\nbased on the Tibetans’ given “high- level” autonomy. One could argue that the
\ndialogue is merely cosmetic, conducted by the Chinese authorities for damage
\ncontrol.
\nThe International Community must not forget the human rights situation of
\nTibet.
\nThe G8 should request the Chinese government to work on serious dialogue with
\nTibetans to solve the problem in peaceful way, and call for the immediate
\nrelease of demonstrators and acceptance of full and free media access.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nthe improvement of the human rights situation in the DPRK and not only Security
\nissues, and expects that similar remarks will be made in the G8 statement.<\/p>\n
\n5.<\/span>\u3000<\/span>Situation in Iraq<\/span><\/p>\n
\nRegarding the situation in Iraq, the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting expressed
\ncommitment to promoting human rights. However, no remark was made on the human
\nrights violations committed by Multi National Force (MNF) including, some G8
\ncountries.
\nUN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) released a report on the human rights
\nsituation in Iraq in October 2007, documenting widespread human rights abuses
\nincluding extrajudicial executions committed by insurgents, MNF and privately
\nhired contractors, and recommending specific measures in response. UNAMI urged
\n“all credible allegations of unlawful killings by MNF forces [to] be thoroughly,
\npromptly and impartially investigated, and appropriate action [to] be taken
\nagainst military personnel found to have used excessive or indiscriminate
\nforce,” and urges the United States authorities to investigate reports of
\ndeaths caused by privately hired contractors, and establish effective
\nmechanisms for holding them accountable whenever circumstances surrounding the
\nkillings show no justifiable cause. The countries participating in the MSF
\nwithin the G8 members should establish its accountability in regards to
\npromoting human rights in Iraq. <\/span><\/p>\n
\n6. Counter-terrorism and human rights<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHRN express its disappointment on the lack of comment regarding human rights in
\nthe Foreign Ministers’ Statement on counter-terrorism. The G8 countries must
\nrecognize that they are not exempt from responsibility for human rights
\nviolations in the 21st century. In particular, since September 11th in 2001, in
\nthe name of “the War on Terror” innocent civilians have been killed in
\nAfghanistan, Iraq and Chechnya. Other grave breaches of international human
\nrights and humanitarian law include, but are not limited to, the torture and
\nindefinite detention of terrorism suspects in Guatanamo Bay and at other
\ndisclosed and undisclosed locations worldwide.
\nHowever, the G8 countries refuse to accept any accountability for these
\nviolations, contributing to the spread of human rights violations throughout
\nthe world in the name of the “War on Terror”.
\nHRN urges the G8 leaders to address the following issues at the summit:
\n1) State clearly the G8 member states’ commitment to adhering to established
\ninternational human rights standards and international humanitarian law in all
\ncircumstances and address past breaches of the Geneva Conventions in the course
\nof the ” War on Terror,” including attacks on civilians and the practice of
\ntorture in interrogations. The parties responsible for these violations should
\nbe identified and held accountable in a court of law.
\n2) Establish concrete measures to prevent the recurrence of human rights
\nviolations in the course of the “War on Terror”.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nViolations of human rights will be repeated as long as the international
\ncommunity tolerates them. If the G8 countries continue to extol democracy and
\ncivil liberties, they should live up to the ideals they proclaim and fulfill
\ntheir responsibilities regarding the above-mentioned human rights violations.
\nThe silence alone at this summit of the G8 nations with regards to these abuses
\nwould worsen the human rights situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n