Gay Rights are Human Rights: Clinton’s Speech on International Human Rights Day

Gay Rights are Human Rights: Clinton’s Speech on International Human Rights Day

By Brittney Hodnik
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, United States – December 9 officially marked “International Human Rights Day” throughout the world.  Many celebrated by making others aware of current human rights issues.  Among these discussions was a speech given by Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton supporting gay rights throughout the nation and the world.

Hillary Clinton wants to promote gay rights not only in the United States, but throughout the world. (Image courtesy of The New York Times)

Clinton used her platform not to discuss more obvious human rights abuses, but to talk about the “invisible minority” that is the gay community.  The speech about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals took place in Geneva.  According to the Huffington Post, the speech was far from political, avoiding any praise of the United States; rather, she described the American record as “far from perfect.”

International Human Rights Day commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948.  Generally, the document serves as a reminder that all people are entitled to fundamental human rights and freedoms.

“Being gay is not a Western invention; it is a human reality.  And protecting the human rights of all people, gay or straight, is not something that only Western governments too,” Clinton said.  The Huffington Post reports that she continued on to give examples of countries where men and women can still face death for being gay.  She reinforced the fact that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, if not applied equally in all countries, is not “universal” at all.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Clinton used the speech to announce the creation of a Global Equality Fund to assist in obtaining civil rights for gays abroad.  The United States has committed about $3 million to the new fund.  President Obama issued a memorandum further explaining the purpose of the fund.

According to the New York Times, the fund is in place to actively combat efforts by other nations that criminalize homosexual conduct, abuse gay men, lesbians, bisexuals or transgendered people, or ignore abuse against them.

Listeners were impressed and humbled by the speech.  A senior State Department official in Geneva said that Clinton “came not to wag a finger, but to really invite a conversation,” reports the Los Angeles Times.

The New York Times reports there are still many countries that use violence against gay individuals.  In Turkey, there are still reports of harassment.  In Saudi Arabia, homosexuality is banned and sex between two men or two women is punishable by death or flogging.

Overall, Clinton’s speech was well received by the congregation.  The New York Times reports that she received a standing ovation as she left the stage.  International Human Rights Day takes place every year on 9 December, encouraging people to be tolerant of other cultures and values, and recognize some of the atrocities ongoing today.

For more information, please visit:

CatholicCulture.org — Promotion of Gay Rights  Worldwide is a U.S. Foreign Policy Priority, says Clinton — 9 Dec. 2011

The Huffington Post — It’s Not Gay Rights; It’s Human Rights: Clinton Breakd Down the Wall — 8 Dec. 2011

The Los Angeles Times — Hillary Clinton Calls on World  to Not Discriminate Against Gays — 6 Dec. 2011

The New York Times — U.S. Backs Gay Rights Abroad, Obama and Clinton Say — 6 Dec. 2011

Labor Minister Carlos Lupi Resigns Amid Corruption Scandal

By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile — Labor minister Carlos Lupi resigned on Sunday after being accused of corruption by news agency Agencia Brasil. The news agency accused him of misusing public funds and supporting certain NGOs over others. Lupi is the seventh minister to resign since President Rousseff took office in January.

Brazil's Labor Minister steps down. (Photo Courtesy of BBC News).

Suspicions surrounding Lupi’s work ethics first arose in November after Brazilian news magazine Veja reported that Lupi and some of his aids were receiving kickbacks from NGOs in exchange for government funding. Additionally, Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper also reported allegations that Lupi was receiving dual government salary for six years as a federal congressional employee and state legislature of Rio de Janeiro at the same time; a violation of Brazilian law.

Lupi has denied the accusations and is confident that the truth will come out. In a statement on the labor ministry’s web site, Lupi wrote “In the face of political and personal persecution in the media that I have been suffering for two months without the right of defense and without proof, and taking into consideration the report of the Ethics Commission of the Presidency — which has also condemned me in a summary fashion based on these same media reports without giving me a right to defend myself — I’ve decided to irrevocably resign my position.” He has not yet been charged with a crime.

Lupi will be replaced by the ministry’s executive secretary, Paulo Roberto dos Santos Pinto starting on Monday.

President Rousseff has publicly thanked Lupi for all his work in her government and that she expects him to “continue contributing to the country.” She has lost six ministers to scandals this year alone which has weakened her relationship with coalition parties in congress.

Opposition groups have suggested that the scandals and resignations surrounding President Rousseffs government show that her government is tainted by corruption. President Rousseff, however rebuts those claims, stating that there has always been corruption in Brazilian governments– the only difference now is that the scandals are being made public and investigated appropriately.

 

For further information, please see:

BBC News – Brazil Labour Minister Carlos Lupi is Latest to Resign – 04 December 2011

CNN – Brazil’s Labor Minister Quits AmidAllegations of Corruption – 04 December 2011

Reuters – Brazilian Labor Minister Quits Amid Scandal – 05 December 2011

MercoPress – Countdown for Brazil’s Labour Minister: Sixth Cabinet Loss on Corruption Allegations – 01 December 2011

Philippine Soldiers Placed on School Grounds

By: Jessica Ties
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government is being pressured by rights groups to end the conducting of military practices on school grounds.

Rights groups are urging the Philippine government to remove soldiers from schools (Photo Courtesy of Human Right Watch).

In an investigation lasting little over a week on northern Luzon island, Human Rights Watch found five cases since 2009 in which schools were being used simultaneously as educational institutions and as military barracks or military.

According to the investigation’s findings, the use of schools lasted anywhere from three months to over a year.

Over twenty principals, teachers and officials were interviewed during the course of the investigation and many expressed significant concern for the danger that the military use could potentially bring to school children.

In addition to the potential conflict between the Philippine government soldiers and the communist insurgents, many of those interviewed also fear that the government soldiers will act inappropriately around or toward the students.

One teacher states that, “[Soldiers] staying there is a big threat. They just leave arms lying around and you know that kids may play with them.”

Other teachers complained that the presence of the soldiers also distracts students from their learning and causes students to be exposed to alcohol and pornography while at school.

During an investigation of Gueday Elementary School, Human Rights Watch discovered that troops had occupied a building on the school and used it to store their weaponry. In addition, the soldiers were known to ask the children to run errands for them and one occasion a soldier threatened to shoot a child who he believed had returned the wrong change.

At another school, Sadanga National High School, soldiers were forced to walk or drive their military vehicles through the school to reach their encampment. The only access road to the school was overlooked by a sentry and according to school personnel, at one time there was a sentry stationed at the school’s only entrance.

Despite concerns about soldier occupation, there have also been reports of positive results from soldier occupation. For example, one school reported receiving a health center while another school reported that soldiers installed a basketball hoop, led morning exercises for the children and cut their hair.

Conflict between the Philippine government has lasted for over forty years and has led both sides to guilty of violating the laws of war.

The use of schools for military purposes is a violation of both Philippine law and international law. Military use of schools was banned by the Philippine government in 1992 after reports of abuse.

The laws of war forbid the attacking of a school unless the schools are being used in the military effort. In addition, the distraction caused but he soldiers have led to concerns that the children’s right to education is also being violated by the military presence.

For more information, please see:

Philippine Daily Inquirer – Gov’t Urged to Stop Soldiers from Using Schools as Barracks – 3 December 2011

Reuters – Philippines Must Stop Using Schools as Military Bases – Rights Group – 1 December 2011

Human Rights Watch – Philippines: Soldiers on the School Grounds – 30 November 2011

Chile Seeks Extradition of Former U.S. Captain for Involvement in Unsolved Murders

by Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America 

SANTIAGO, Chile ­– Chilean judge, Jorge Zepeda has issued an indictment of former US Captain Raymond E. Davis.  The indictment calls for the extradition of Davis to be tried by a Chilean court for his involvement in the murders of two American citizens.

A poster from the movie "Missing" in 1982 which was based on the murder of Horman. (Photo courtesy of Movie Poster)

In 1973, when the murder s of journalist Charles Horman and student Frank Teruggi occurred, Davis was the lead commander of the United States Military Group in Chile.  Both men were murdered in the aftermath of the military coup led by Augusto Pinochet that led to the assassination of socialist President Salvador Allende.

Horman and Teruggi were both supporters of the American Information Source (FIN) which was a left wing group that supported President Allende in the years before the coup.  Horman disappeared on 17 September 1973 and his body was found more than a month later.  He had been shot multiple times and his body showed signs of torture.

Teruggi was taken from his home in Santiago days after the coup and detained at the National Stadium, what Pinochet used as a detention center after his coup.  He was murdered on the 21 or 22 of September 1973 and his body was found in the streets of Santiago.

The media coverage of the two murders seemed to culminate in the award-winning movie “Missing” in 1982.  The film promoted Joyce Horman’s allegations that her husband Charles had been murdered due to his inadvertent knowledge of the CIA involvement in the coup. 

The film led to a libel lawsuit, brought by a number of government officials outraged at the way in which they were portrayed in the film.  The libel lawsuit was eventually dismissed but no answers to the homicides ever emerged.

 Then, in 2000, Joyce Horman filed a criminal suit to revive the case.  In 2001 the Chilean court asked for testimony from former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger about the role of US intelligence in the case.   Judge Zepeda has made use of many declassified US documents in finally bringing about justice in this case.

In his request for extradition, Zepeda describes Davis as being in a position of authority which would have allowed him to stop the murders from occurring but that he chose not to do so due to his coordination efforts with the Chilean army to place Pinochet in power. 

 Captain Davis has denied any knowledge or role in the murders throughout the years.  In an article just released by the Washington Post, his wife Patricia states that Davis is in a nursing home and suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

The US Embassy in Santiago released a statement that noted they would not comment on specific cases but that the US government supports through investigations into the murders so that those responsible are brought to justice.

 

For more information, please see:

Merco Press – Chile Requests Extradition of Former US Army Officer Allegedly Involved in the 1973 Killing of two US Citizens – 1 December 2011

The Washington Post National – Wife of Former US Navy Captain Sought for Extradition to Chile Says he has Alzheimer’s – 1 December 2011

The Santiago Times – Chilean Judge Indicts Former US Officer Over Coup Killings – 30 November 2011

BBC News – Chile Seeks Ray Davis Extradition Over 1973 Coup Murder – 29 November 2011

CNN International – Chilean Judge Indicts US Military Official in 1973 Killings – 29 November 2011

USA Today – Chilean Judge Charges Ex-US Military Officer – 28 November 2011

Proposed Saudi Law Would Allow Indefinite Detention

By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — A proposed Saudi Arabian law would allow the kingdom to detain security suspects indefinitely and without trial.   It indicates that peaceful acts of dissent could in the future be prosecuted as a “terrorist crime.”

Tightened security in Saudi Arabia (Photo courtesy of al Jazeera)

A copy of the law leaked to Amnesty International earlier this year.

Amnesty included commentary on the proposed law in a report released on Thursday about the state of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia, in which it called the situation “dire.”

It criticized the Saudi “vague and broad” definitions of terrorism, which range from “destabilizing society” to “harming the reputation of the state.”

“The formulation of a new anti-terror law is another apparent sign of the authorities to use the law to silence dissent,” Amnesty International said.

“This opaqueness could be exploited to charge peaceful meetings of a group of people who make political demands or even engage in academic discussions with a ‘terrorist crime’ under this draft law.”

Saudi Arabia has thus far avoided the popular uprisings of the Arab Spring that have consumed much of the region, but it appears they are proactively attempting to repress any future opposition.

Amnesty has called on the Saudi government to release all prisoners of conscience, denouncing the “extremely weak” protection of human rights in Saudi Arabia. It says hundreds of people have been arrested in the east, many without charge or trial.

Detained prisoners are often held for months without trial or access to a lawyer.  Confessions are extracted under duress, including beatings with sticks, punching, suspension from the ceiling by the ankles or wrists, and sleep deprivation.

When cases are brought to trial, the proceedings are often held behind closed doors, and fail to live up to the international standards for judicial fairness and transparency.

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy that doesn’t have a written criminal code.  Their law is instead based upon an uncodified version of Islamic Shari’a law as interpreted by judges.

The Saudi embassy in London claims that the report is based upon “inaccurate information” taken from a law that has been circulating for years and that is still subject to changes.

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to and respects human rights in accordance with Islamic sharia, which is the foundation of our legal system,” Saudi Ambassador Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Saud said in a statement.

The embassy says that all those detained were endangering the lives of others.  Most of them were released without charge after questioning. It denied any human rights violations against the detainees.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera — Draft Saudi security law faces criticism — 01 Dec. 2011

BBC — Saudi Arabia rejects Amnesty repression claims — 01 Dec. 2011

MSNBC — Report: Saudi draft terror law legalizes repression — 01 Dec. 2011

Voice of America — Report Charges Saudis with “New Wave of Repression” — 01 Dec. 2011