Child Labor in Pakistan

Child Labor in Pakistan

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – With the coming of Eid al-Fitr, there is a boost in the glass bangles industry, and an increase in the child labor it takes to meet the high demand.  One child worker states, “Usually we work eight or nine hours a day. At busy times like this we work for up to 16.”  He earns approximately $13 per month.  Another child said, “Our parents are very poor. We have to work, though I would like to go to school.  If the workshop owner is happy with our work he may give us some extra money and then our parents will be happy.“

The International Labour Organization (ILO) conducted a study of the glass bangles industry and found that, on average, children worked nearly 12 hours per day.  Children sit hunched over hot furnaces and are subject to toxic chemicals, putting their health at risk.

Non-governmental organizations such as the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), based in Islamabad, estimate approximately 8 to 10 million children are exploited for work.  According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, 3.3 million are engaged in the glass bangle industry.

SPARC’s national manager for promotions stated that it is not poverty that leads to exploitation, “The notion that poverty is a cause is inaccurate. In fact child labor itself leads to poverty and creates a vicious circle… The high drop-out rate from schools, with 50 percent leaving education within the first five years of primary education, also contributes to child labor.”  Moreover, the lack of awareness attributes to Pakistani child labor since consumers do not know how the bangles are made.

A study conducted by Save the Children said that, “eradication of this labour is not a viable option unless new avenues and opportunities are created.”  They also point out that one impediment is that there are few work alternatives and few pay as much.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Pakistan Labour Effort Praised – 4 May 2006

Irin – Pakistan:  The Darker Side of Glittering Bangles – 3 October 2008

IPS – Rights-Pakistan:  Glass Bangle Industry Rides on Child Labour – 20 June 2003

Developments on the Khmer Rouge Trial

By Pei Hu
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – The Khmer Rouge trial has been delayed until next year. The delay results from new charges being brought against Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, one of the defendants on trial. “The chance to have a trial for Duch could be in 2009, early next year,” said a tribunal spokesman.

The United States has also pledged $1.8 million dollars to help the efforts of the tribunal.  This is the first donation from the United States because of worries of corruption since the establishment of the tribunal.

The Extraordinary Chambers in Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) was established by both the United Nations and the Cambodian government in 2001 to investigate and try surviving Khmer Rouge officials. ECCC uses both Cambodian and International law.

In May 2008, the ECCC banned communication amongst defendants during pre-trial. The Pre-Trial Chamber approved the “strict separation between the detainees,” taking away “the right to communicate among themselves.” However, this past Thursday the ECCC overturned the segregation order. The Pre-Trial Chamber found “that there can be no reason related to investigation purposes justifying that contacts between [defendants] be restricted.”

The Khmer Rouge tribunal has been an international effort to bring to justice the 1.7 million people that perished under the brutal Khmer Rouge regime from 1975-1979.

Currently, five key Khmer Rouge officers are on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Pol Pot, the dictator of the Khmer Rouge regime died in 1998 without ever being brought to justice.

For more information, please see:

Boston Globe – Cambodia’s Genocide Trial Delayed Until Next Year – 2 October 2008

Jurist – ECCC Ends Ban On Communication Among Defendants in Pretrial Detention – 2 October 2008

New York Times – Cambodia: U.S. Pledges Funds to Khmer Rouge Tribunal– 17 September 2008

Tagicakibau Suggests UN Training is Being Used to Perpetuate Coup Culture

By Ryan L. Maness
Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – As a United Nations delegation toured Fiji this week, interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama called upon the delegation to allow a greater role in the UN’s international peacekeeping efforts for Fiji’s peacekeeping soldiers.  Bainimarama said that Fiji’s forces had a “proud track record” for their involvement with UN peacekeeping.

However, Pacific Concerns Resource Centre has cautioned the UN to not grant Bainimarama’s request.  Organization spokesperson Ema Tagicakibau, said that the training  and confidence that Fiji’s forces have received from the UN have been employed in Fiji to allow the military to stage coups.  Referring to repeated allegations of police and military misconduct, the spokeswoman said, “”After all, a military force that terrorises and violates the rights of its own people and intervenes in political and democratic governance, has no business cleaning up the affairs of other nations.”

“The credibility of the UN will be at stake if it turns a blind eye to the fact that these professional peacekeepers are the very ones breaking the peace at home,”   Tagicakibau said.

For more information, please see:

FijiVillage – Reconsider Peacekeeping Role- PCRC – 01 October 2008

Fiji Times – UN told of coup cycle, peacekeeping link – 01 October 2008

Tagicakibau Suggests UN Training is Being Used to Perpetuate Coup Culture

By Ryan L. Maness
Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – As a United Nations delegation toured Fiji this week, interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama called upon the delegation to allow a greater role in the UN’s international peacekeeping efforts for Fiji’s peacekeeping soldiers.  Bainimarama said that Fiji’s forces had a “proud track record” for their involvement with UN peacekeeping.

However, Pacific Concerns Resource Centre has cautioned the UN to not grant Bainimarama’s request.  Organization spokesperson Ema Tagicakibau, said that the training  and confidence that Fiji’s forces have received from the UN have been employed in Fiji to allow the military to stage coups.  Referring to repeated allegations of police and military misconduct, the spokeswoman said, “”After all, a military force that terrorises and violates the rights of its own people and intervenes in political and democratic governance, has no business cleaning up the affairs of other nations.”

“The credibility of the UN will be at stake if it turns a blind eye to the fact that these professional peacekeepers are the very ones breaking the peace at home,”   Tagicakibau said.

For more information, please see:

FijiVillage – Reconsider Peacekeeping Role- PCRC – 01 October 2008

Fiji Times – UN told of coup cycle, peacekeeping link – 01 October 2008

EU: Concern for Religious Minorities

By Yasmine S. Hakimian
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BRUSSELS, Belgium – On September 26, the European Union declared its concern for religious minorities in Iran. The declaration released by the Presidency of the EU urges the Iranian government to reconsider its plan to debate a draft bill on apostasy. Apostasy occurs when one abandons their religious faith.

There has been a decrease in the freedom of religion and specifically the freedom to worship. Since April 2008, the circumstances of religious minorities have worsened and many Iranian converts to Christianity and Bahai have been arrested. Mahmoud Mohammad Matin-Azad, (53 years old) and Arash Ahmad-Ali Basirat (40 years old), two Christian converts have been detained for apostasy since May 15.

Many reports indicate that those belonging to the Christian, Baha’i, Sufi and Sunni minorities in Iran are continuously living in persecution. The minorities have dealt with confiscation of property, profanation of their prayer spaces, imprisonment and numerous acts of violence, some of which life threatening.

The Iranian parliament may soon draft a law making apostasy a crime punishable by death. If passed, the law will infringe the freedom of religion. As a result, Iranian’s will be stripped of their right to change religion or have no religion. Such a law violates Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iran freely ratified.

There will be drastic consequences for thousands of religious minorities living in Iran if the Iranian parliament passes the law. The law would put converts’ lives in grave danger. The law would further threaten the lives of those Iranians who have been arrested for their religious beliefs and held without trial for months.

The apostasy bill, named the Islamic Penal Code, was approved at a first stage vote by the Iranian parliament on September 9. A total of 196 votes were for, seven against, and two abstentions for the bill. The bill will be sent back to the Legislative Commission for amendments and brought before the Iranian parliament for a further vote.

The European Union is asking Iran to forego the law and release the imprisoned converts. The EU urges Iran to put an end to violence and discrimination against religious minorities and allow them to fully exercise their freedom of religion or belief.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a Christian human rights group, is strongly supporting the EU in its declaration to Iran. Tina Lambert, CSW’s advocacy director, stated “the international community must continue to urge the Iranian government to release all those detained on the basis of their religious affiliation and respect their obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

For more information, please see:

Christian Today – Christian Group Welcomes EU’s Strong Stance on Iran Apostasy Bill – 2 October 2008

Assyrian International News Agency – EU Urges Iran to Drop Draft Apostasy Bill and Release Christian Converts – 1 October 2008

Iran Human Rights – EU Presidency is Very Concerned about the Situation of Religious Minorities in Iran – 30 September 2008

Associated Press – EU Worried About Freedom of Religion in Iran – 26 September 2008