Home2013Monthly Archives: January 2013

Monthly Archives: January 2013

UN human rights chief backs Verma panel report

SAHR January 28, 2013

Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has backed the Verma Committee report saying that she strongly supported the fact that the report “eschews” death penalty and any lowering of the age of juvenile perpetrators.

“And that, instead, it recommends suitably heavy prison sentences ranging from seven years to life,” said Pillay in a statement.

“The Committee’s recommendations are grounded in a framework of rights, equality and non-discrimination, and represent a paradigm shift towards recognition of women as holders of rights, not just objects of protection,” she added.

India: Gender and human rights now in school curriculum

SAHR January 23, 2013

In the next academic year, students in government and aided schools will not just be welcomed with payasam and sweets, but they will also be told about gender rights. Director of public instruction (DPI) intends to make gender and human rights and gender sensitization a regular feature of school learning.
“We have lessons in social science and Malayalam on these issues. But it has to be integrated in the school curriculum in such a manner that it becomes a part of classroom teaching and activity,” said DPI director A Shahjahan.
To ensure this, DPI has asked the expert committee on state school curriculum to integrate gender sensitivity and rights in the syllabus that will be implemented in schools from academic year 2014-2015.

SAHR expresses concern over growing religious terrorism in Pakistan

SAHR January 15, 2013

South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) expresses deep concern at the growing religious terrorism in Pakistan that is daily targeting people on the basis of their faith. The first ten days of January alone has seen two major attacks on members of the Shia sect in Balochistan, including those from Hazara community, killing hundreds of people. The fact that banned sectarian groups openly claim responsibility and the government appears helpless or unwilling to act against them is a sad commentary on the state of callous disregard for human life.

The unchecked growth of religious militancy has also affected the work of NGOs, civil society and human rights defenders. Among those killed in the massacre in Quetta on 10 January was Irfan Khudi Ali, a committed rights activist who had stepped out of his house to help blast victims. Parts of the country have seen increasing violence against NGO workers, particularly women. They have been kidnapped or shot dead in broad daylight. Among those recently killed are female polio vaccinators who were performing their duties in Karachi and Peshawar.

SAHR Statement on exchange of fire and killings along the Line of Control

SAHR January 15, 2013

SAHR is deeply disturbed with the recent exchange of firing and report of the beheading of two Indian jawans along the LoC. The firing and killing of two Indian and one Pakistani jawan is highly deplorable and no sane person or society can accept such unwarranted and gruesome incidences. The said incidences have a potential to derail the ongoing peace process that has shown remarkable progress in recent times in easing the visa regime, improving trade relations and securing many other confidence building measures that hold great promise for both the countries.

Initially Pakistan alleged one Pakistani soldier was killed and another injured in an unprovoked Indian firing and accordingly they summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Gopal Baglay and lodged their protest. The report of Pakistani troops crossing LoC in the Mendhar sector of Jammu & Kashmir on Monday and killing two Lance Naik’s is also shocking. The report also says that the body of one of the soldiers was mutilated. India summoned Pakistan’s High Commissioner to protest the gruesome incident. If true, it is reprehensible and must be thoroughly investigated to punish the guilty and ensure such terrible incidences do not recur.

SAHR condemns the execution of Rizana Nafeek

SAHR January 11, 2013

South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR) condemns the execution of Rizana Nafeek, and expresses grave concern about the continuing vulnerability experienced by many migrant workers from South Asian countries.

Rizana was 17 years old when she traveled to Saudi Arabia, under forged documents, to be employed as a domestic worker. The child in her care died, and while she claimed it was accidental, she was convicted of murder and sentenced to death, over two years later.

Efforts to have her pardoned were championed by many, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, but contrary to some reports that she would soon be pardoned, she was executed on 9^th January 2013.