Sondhi, Sameer --- "World Round-Up" [1996] HRightsDef 12; (1996) Human Rights Defender

World Round-Up

Sameer Sondhi*

Argentina: Abuse Of Customary Land Rights

The Wichi Indians of Northern Argentina are facing harassment, malnutrition and violence, according to Survival International. The claims suggest that poor treatment of the native Indian tribes stems from the use of their homelands, by the Argentinean government, for the use of residential and commercial development and to provide a road link between the Paraguay border and the regional town of Tartagal. While the former Argentinean government has formally recognised Wichi possession of the disputed land, the current Salta government has failed to take any decisive action.

Source: Survival International Action Bulletin, February 1996.

Philippines: 1.8 Million Displaced Families

According to the Citizen Disaster Response Centre, around 1.8 million families have been displaced due to armed conflicts in the Philippines. Delegates at the National Consultative Conference on Children in Situations of Armed Conflict were told that over 50 percent of the Philippines 73 provinces are considered highly prone to conflicts between the government and various dissident groups.

The situation is said to be serious in at least 42 provinces, where prol-onged fighting has had a profound effect upon the size and safety of regional populations.

Source: LAWASIA Newsletter vol.5 no.4 Oct-Dec 1995.

Manila Cracks Down On Child Prostitution

Three tourists from England, France and Australia face a jail term of up to 40 years in the Philippines as the government cracks down on child sex cases. The three are believed to be the first foreigners to be prosecuted over the abuse of children. In late 1995, President Fidel Ramos asked Congress to pass laws imposing harsh penalties for rape, child prostitution, pedophilia and child pornography. The governments campaign has focused on Olongapo and nearby Angeles city, both of which hosted major US military bases until 1992.

Source: Child Worker in Asia, vol. 11, nos.2&3 Sept 1995.

Burma: Forced Labour Used For Infrastructure Projects

The Myanmar Government has reportedly made extensive use of forms of forced, unpaid labour for a variety of construction projects aimed at the development of infrastructure. Various sources have reported that there has been extensive use of forced labour in relation to several completed or ongoing railway construction projects. The Myanmar Government has proclaimed 1996 as Visit Myanmar Year. Although this could be viewed as a sign that the country is opening up, there is strong concern over the abuse of workers rights, in contravention of ILO Convention No.29 which prohibits the use of forced labour.

Source: Burma Debate, vol.2 no.5 Nov/Dec 1995.

Burma Asked to Free Performers

Amnesty International has called on the Burmese government to release immediately and unconditionally eight performers recently arrested for publicly decrying the countrys current political situation. AI has called on the government to release the dancer, if they have been arrested solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assoc-iation. AI was concerned for the well-being of the eight performers, because torture and ill-treatment are common both during interrogation and after sentencing. AI said that the detentions appear to be part of a pattern of harassment and intimid-ation [directed towards] the NLD (Suu Kyis supporters). Human Rights Watch has also called on the authorities to cease the harassment and arbitrary detention of members of the National Leagure for Democracy and to allow all people to exercise their right to freedom of association.

Source: The Irrawaddy, vol.4 no.1-2 Jan 1996.

Sri Lankan Govt. Gains U.S. Support

The International Relations Committee of the United States House of Representatives recently adopted a resolution supporting the Sri Lankan governments peace process. The resolution, which was passed unanimously, will be placed before the US House of Representatives for final ratification. The resolution identifies a political solution to the ongoing hostilities, including appropriate constitutional structures and adequate protection of minority rights as a path to a comprehensive and lasting peace in Sri Lanka.

Source: Inform, Sri Lanka Information Monitor.

Bangladesh: Garment Industry to End Child Labour

Garment manufacturers recently signed an accord with two UN agencies to end child labour in their fact-ories and to provide education for youth who lose their jobs as a result. The manufacturers agreed to fire all workers under 14 years of age, place them in newly built schools and provide them with a monthly stipend of 300 takas or AUD$7.50, for a period of three years. The accord states that: No under-aged workers will be terminated before the survey can be completed and until the appropriate school programs for the workers can be put in place. The President of the Garment Manufacturers Association signed the agreement with local representatives of the ILO and UNICEF, who will oversee the implementation of the accord.

Source: Child Workers in Asia

Philippines Anti-Terrorism Act:Repressive

The Anti-Terrorism Act of 1995 which proposes to detain suspected terrorists without a warrant is a dangerous replica of the repressive laws of such Asian countries as Malaysia, Singapore and China, says the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). Under the Internal Security Act of Malaysia, any police officer may arrest, without warrant, any person and detain him/her without trial for up to 60 days. Under the Internal Security Act of Singapore, a police officer may arrest and detain any person and the Minister for Home Affairs can order his/her detention without trial for up to two years. Under the Criminal Procedure Code of China, a suspect may be detained without trial for a maximum period of five and a half months. Such prov-isions have resulted in many human rights violations being committed under the guise of law enforcement. The AHRC has called upon Filipinos who value their freed-oms and liberties to be vigilant and to ensure that the Anti-Terrorism Act is struck down.

Source: AHRC Newsletter, vol.9 1996.

UN: No Solution to Landmine Crisis

At the opening of a UN meeting in Geneva on landmines, a coalition of over 400 organisations representing some 36 countries made a strong plea to governments to set aside their technical discussion and focus on the dramatic humanitarian cost of these weapons. The International Campaign to Ban Landmines urged the nations meeting in Geneva to draft a meaningful law calling for a complete ban on anti-personnel landmines and to abandon the current course of discussion which focuses on technology aimed at improving mines.

Source: AHRC Newsletter, vol.9 1996.

Iraq: Economic Sanctions Impact on Child Mortality

More than 500,000 Iraqi children may have died since the end of the Persian Gulf war because of economic sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council, say two scientists who surveyed the country for the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The study also found rising rates of malnutrition among children, suggesting even more deaths in coming years. Mary Smith Fawzi, a researcher at Harvard University School of Public Health conducted the study, surveying 2,120 children under the age of ten, in twenty-five neighbourhoods in Bhagdad. Of those, 28% showed stunted growth, an increase of 12% since 1991, while infant mortality rates exhibit sustained high levels.

Source: Human Rights, Winter 1996.

*Sameer Sondhi is a law student at the University of New South Wales.n