Written evidence submitted by Gareth Howell,
Chairman of the Cooperative UK HR in Foreign Policy Committee
In response to your request for evidence regarding
the FCO human rights record over the last year, I should like
to draw your attention to the lack of any effort to create dialogue
with the OIC Organisation of the Islamic conference.
Whilst the British EU Trade Commissioner for
External relations Mandelsson, spends his time creating trade
opportunities with Mercosur and SEA trade organisation very little
attempt is made to create dialogue of any sort with any supranational
organisation of the Near Middle East, least of all in the realm
of Foreign Affairs and Human rights. In truth everything is done
to prevent any thought of such order.
The United States government has spent many
and long years in promoting stability and indeed the incorporation
into European Law of Human Rights law, which they feel they are
unable to accept on a suprastate basis even themselves, and yet
when it comes to the creation of a Supranational identity in the
Islamic world, as they and we have done in the West European Christian
world of the Treaty of Rome, there is a stunning silence.
The existing and potential scale of the EU has
the effect of destabilising and causing civil unrest in neighbouring
nation states. That is not even to exclude the previous role of
Iraq for 100s of years as part of the Turkish Ottoman empire before
1920.
The supranational perspective, especially that
of the OIC, largely unknown in the Christian world, provides illuminating
evidence that supranationality itself is the cause of a good deal
of the Human Rights abuse in nation states which have no such
neighbourly protection. The OIC itself was formed in 1969 in support
of the struggle of the people of Palestine against oppression.
Furthermore it is the conflict between US English law and Islamic
law which is a source of a great deal of the human rights abuses
that do occur.
What representations for example did the UK
FCO make to the European president to ensure that the meeting,
and I quote below from the OIC website, went ahead?
The Republic of Turkey, in its capacity as the
current chair of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers,
had invited the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organisation
of the Islamic Conference and the European Union to the second
meeting of the OIC-EU Joint Forum on 4-5 October 2004 in Istanbul.
This meeting, titled "Civilization and
Harmony: Values and Mechanisms of the Global Order", would
have been a very timely and relevant initiative that would have
led to more understanding and cooperation among the two Organisations'
member states in view of the positive results of the First OIC-EU
Joint Forum which was held in 2002.
The Organisation, unfortunately, was now informed
that the meeting was cancelled. The Current President of the European
Union has informed the host country that they will not participate
in this Forum in objection to the participation of the Turkish
Cypriots as the "Turkish Cypriot State". We should recall
that this title belongs to the Peace Plan of the UN Secretary
General and was accepted by a resolution endorsed at the 31st
Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers last June. This is the
name with which the Turkish Cypriot party now participates as
an observer in all OIC gatherings. Therefore, it is even more
regretful that this important Forum, which would have brought
together the two biggest group of nations of Eurasia and Africa,
has been cancelled owing to a totally unrelated issue.
It is common knowledge that the OIC's decisions
are taken on the basis of consensus and represent the collective
will of its members. It is generally admitted as a rule that any
organisation has the right to invite to any meeting all of its
members.
The OIC, which has embraced dialogue among civilisations
and has sought to strengthen its principles, cannot but express
its utmost regret for the cancellation of this meeting that was
expected to deepen dialogue and reinforce understanding among
the two parties; even more so that the current critical world
conditions call upon us all to promote the values of harmony,
tolerance and coherence in international relations. Furthermore,
the Organisation affirms that the initiative put forward by the
current Chair of the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers to
hold the Second Joint Forum was aimed at enhancing dialogue engaged
by the First Forum between the two organisations in many a vital
field, and helping strengthen understanding and cooperation between
the two parties.
Jeddah, 2 October 2004.
Going back then to my marked point, the President
of the USA urged the EU to accept and welcome Turkey into its
midst, so that the EU should not be seen as a Christian Union,
which of course it is.
The destabilisation of non-European peripheral
countries continues. Considering the CofE Christian opinions of
the president of the USA would it not seem appropriate for the
FCO to have made further efforts to ensure and encourage that
a successful meeting took place?
What FCO overview and representations if any were
made for the following important meeting of the IOC on the rights
of the Child in Sharia law? And what for future meetings? I suspect
none whatsoever in view of the Indifference of the UK government
to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.
Draft Covenant on the Right of the Child in Islam
discussed by the Ninth Meeting of the Intergovernmental Group
of Experts in Charge of Considering Human Rights in Islam
After the sub-committee of the Intergovernmental
Group of Experts in charge of following up the Cairo Declaration
on Human Rights in Islam prepared the first Islamic Draft Covenant
on the Rights of the Child in Islam, the Intergovernmental Group
of Experts holds its ninth meeting in Jeddah in order to reach
a final version of the Draft Covenant.
The Group had requested that the Draft Covenant
on the Rights of the Child in Islam be submitted to the Islamic
Fiqh Academy (IFA) in order to consider it from the Point of view
of the Islamic Sharia and to check its conformity with its provisions.
The IFA's reply was that, in general, the Draft Covenant does
not contradict with the provisions of Islamic Sharia, but does
not include all the rights the child was granted by the Islamic
lawgiver. According to the OIC Secretary-General's Report to the
meeting, the IFA mentioned a number of general and particular
remarks on certain articles of the Covenant.
In his address to the meeting, Mr Zuhair Al
Idrissi, Chairman of the Meeting and representative of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia, affirmed that the Kingdom has been keen on requesting
the IFA's opinion about the Draft Covenant of the Rights of the
Child in Islam, based on the principles emanating from its commitment
to Islamic Sharia and its firm belief in the importance of the
rights of the human being since early childhood. The Chairman
stated that, as a proof of the importance it attaches to children,
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia acceded to the International Convention
on the Rights of the Child in1996 , established the Saudi National
Committee for Childhood in 1979, and is making considerable efforts
so that each and every child enjoys his/her fundamental rights
represented in health and psychological care, education, social
care and leisure, preservation of the child's life, self and body
from any harm whatsoever so that he/she may grow up and become
a good citizen useful to himself/herself and to his/her family,
and contributes to the development of his/her country.
Mr Al Idrissi stated that the IFA's observations
on the Draft Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam will
be taken into consideration by the meeting during discussions.
This document is the first practical achievement of the intergovernmental
group of experts since it has been charged to follow up on the
Draft Declaration on Human Rights in Islam adopted by the 19th
Session of ICFM, which was held in Cairo in 1990. The Chairman
hoped that the participants will reach a comprehensive draft that
rises to the IFA's observations and addresses the shortcomings
existing in the Draft Covenant's articles according to these observations.
Earlier in the meeting, the Intergovernmental
Group of Experts in Charge of Following up the Cairo Declaration
on Human Rights in Islam had elected the members of the bureau:
Saudi Arabia was elected Chair and the Islamic Republic of Iran,
Vice-Chair. The Group will end its meeting on Tuesday, 30 November
2004 (17 Shawwal 1425 H) by issuing a report including the final
version of the Draft Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam,
pending its submission to the forthcoming ICFM due to be held
in Sana'a, Republic of Yemen in 2005.
Jeddah: 29 November 2003
What support and encouragement was given by the UK
government or FCO to the Secretary of the OIC in the statement
that he made in June below with regard to the holy places of Iraq
since devastated in such a way? I suspect little or none
PRESS RELEASE
Secretary General calls for Respect of the Sanctity
of Holy Cities in Iraq
The Secretary-General of the Organisation of
the Islamic Conference Dr Abdelouahed BelKeziz follows with great
concern the critical situation in Najaf Al Ashraf, Karbala and
other Iraqi cities, threatening the safety of holy shrines and
exposing citizens to the gravest risks.
The Secretary-General stressed the necessity
of respecting the inviolability of holy places, including mausoleums,
mosques and cemeteries, as well as the obligation of avoiding
the repercussions of the ongoing fierce conflict therein.
He recalled that the invasion of holy cities
and exposing them to destruction and demolition runs counter to
all international laws and norms and to the noble human values
which provide for their reverence, respect and immunity in all
circumstances.
The Secretary-General of the Organisation of
the Islamic Conference is of the view that violation of the holy
places in Iraq would exacerbate sentiments and further complicate
the situation, which would impede the efforts aimed at reaching
a just and acceptable settlement of the crisis.
Jeddah, on 16 May 2004.
What efforts have been made by the UK government
and FCO to promote understanding that the tragedy of Dharfur is
yet again a conflict between the power of the law of Islam and
the law of Christianity and to promote a clear cut supranational
point of view in the Islamic conference countries. None whatsoever.
The Emergency Committee of the Permanent Council
of the Islamic Solidarity Fund, upon the initiative taken by Dr
Abdelouahed Belkeziz, the Secretary-General of the Organisation
of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and Chairman of the said committee,
has approved the allocation of emergency assistance in the amount
of US$100,000 to alleviate the plight of sufferers affected by
the current conditions in the Darfour province. The allocation
comes as an expression of solidarity with the Sudanese Government.
The financial assistance was delivered on Monday
13 September 2004 to the Consul General of the Republic of The
Sudan. The Emergency Committee of the Islamic Solidarity Fund
is composed of representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
and the State of the United Arab Emirates and is chaired by the
Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference.
The FCO says that the only sustainable solution
to the crisis is a political one which addresses the underlying
causes of the conflict. (Quote)
What endeavours have been made by the UK government
and the FCO to discuss these matters individually with the Secretary
General of the IOC, the supranational organisation? Very little.
It is understood that the AU (African Union) has a much greater
part to play.
What supranational intergovernmental organisations
are there between the EU and the Islamic conference which are
supported by the FCO and the UK government? The lack of such possibilities
itself promotes vast potential for human rights abuse. What financial
commitment is made to such things? Little or none.
Under the Heading "Human Rights Democracy
Equality and Freedom" the FCO report proudly proclaims its
commitment. What endeavours have been made to establish a dialogue
with the OIC in that way? Very Few.
A large proportion of the discussions of the
virtues of the work of the FCO in this year's report are concerned
with Islamic conference countries, and yet I can find not one
reference to the Islamic Conference in it. Whilst it may be a
measure of the structural importance of that organisation, does
the Foreign Secretary, and does the FASelcom, not consider that
such a potential supranational structure would be a fine counterbalance
to political Destabilisation caused by the chaotic expansion of
the European Union projected even to include the previously Islamic
state of Turkey in Asia minor, and if not why not?
The second OSCE conference on anti Semitism
took place this year. Did the foreign office take with them a
representative from the no small group of British UK subjects
of Arab Descent, including 150,000 of Iraqi, Jordanian/Palestinian
descent? They did not. Why not? "Hate" legislation has
no limits in human rights.
Mr Straw's speech which is quoted is sanctimonious
when you consider that absolutely no thought has been given to
the interests of the law of 46 Islamic states in those remarks.
"We have strong human rights dialogues with MANY Third (world)
countries." Secretary Straw
does not Mr Straw consider that it would be
most effective to create dialogue with Islamic nations per se
especially considering our own incorporation FROM European Convention
or is that too much to expect? Islamic law has a proud history
dating back to the schools of law of the Caliphs in Baghdad, Fez
and Cordoba in the golden age of Islam the 8-9-10th centuries
AD. The many individual cases of HR abuse in individual Islamic
countries should not prevent him from making a worthwhile judgement
in the matter.
"A new Era in foreign policy" described
by Secretary Straw should mean greater integrity of the US and
EU governments to the Islamic world, the creation of supranational
dialogue based on understanding of the different forms of Islamic
law, and an endeavour to enhance them just as we should like in
the interest of the Spirit of the law to enhance our own.
The spirit of the law is quite the most important
factor but not just the spirit of English or US law. The evolution
of the spirit of the law is crucial in the development of a peaceful
world of groups of nation states. If the spirit of international
law destroys itself through ignoring cultural differences then
the supranational states too will destroy themselves by fragmentation.
If the EU is to survive for any length of time
as a supranational organisation then it must make vigorous endeavours
to promote the spirit of the law of other groups of nations. The
Islamic states should be the first in this inspection, but to
look at them individually is not the answer. Mr Straw in mistaken
is supposing that it is.
"The challenges we face" he says "are
global and require a global response" and my response is
"Yes. There are 45 nations waiting to talk and not one word
has been heard to them as a group from Secretary Straw or the
UK government. Hardly an exercise in international human rights.
I do not believe that Mr Straw's speech in which
he makes detailed reference to the Arab world are in any way an
answer to the problems of human rights.(Civility programme on
Middle East Reform; Chatham House) For the global view that he
seeks a British foreign secretary (and a secretary concerned with
Laws) has to address Islamic people not just Arabic people. It
is an obfuscation convenient for some politicians to think of
Arabism and Islam as one and the same; that is nonsense. Mr Straw
does not convey mock humility; he merely answers the wrong question
with the wrong answers, and goes about it sincerely.
Current pressure points are not between Arabs
and the rest of the world but between Islam and Christianity.
It is better not to say it too often, and if you do, to be intimately
concerned with greater understanding of both.
I urge the committee and the secretary of state
to give greater thought to the history of nation states, to their
futures as supranational groups, in pursuance of peace, harmony
and the development of the spirit of the law without the sudden
conflict which are so often a consequence of the break up of that
development. The history of the laws of Islam, especially the
Ottoman world should be afforded greater respect to achieve that
goal. It is not the Arab world that matters, and I am not anti-semitic
to say so.
It is the thoughts and the prayers of Islam.
Chairman; thank you once again for this opportunity
to express my opinion in democratic and time honoured way as befits
the reputation and history of the mother of parliaments.
Gareth Howell
Chairman of Cooperative UK HR in Foreign Policy Committee
Written evidence submitted by Bangladesh
Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council
Thank you for your appreciation regarding the
gross violation of human rights and continuous atrocities inflicted
upon the minorities in Bangladesh. There is no improvement so
far, rather the Bangladesh Government patronised killings, tortures,
rape, eviction from the land as well as various form of human
rights violation against the minorities. In fact Bangladesh is
rapidly moving towards the fundamentalist Talibani state. You
are no doubt aware that a well known Islamic fundamentalist political
party, is one of the coalition parties in the Government.
During the month of March 2004 we have arranged
an international conference in London, but because of your otherwise
engagement you could not attend the conference. You know that
12 October 2004 in the House of Commons session, Bangladesh human
rights issue was raised and 43 MPs took part on the proceedings.
However, we earnestly need your support and cooperation. It would
be highly appreciated if you could give us some guidelines and
raise the issue to the appropriate forums and put pressure upon
the Bangladesh Government to stop atrocities upon the minorities.
For your kind attention I am herewith enclosing some documents.
Thanks and best regards for continuous cooperation.
I enclose some more documents for your kind attention. We look
forward to hearing from you soon
Samir Das
General Secretary
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council
17 November 2004
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