Mr. Ivan Tosevski of Yugoslavia, Chairman of the Working Group on Enforced Disappearances, introduced his group’s report to the 45th Session of U.N. Commission of Human Rights. He declared that in spite of positive developments in certain countries the problem of disappearances had not improved. In fact the problem persisted and had even aggravated in number of countries. Disappearances which in the past were ‘only denounced locally, or not at all, were now more and more brought to the attention of International Community.

Peter Kooijmars, Special Reporter on Torture also introduced. his report.

The roots of torture were to be found in the lack of respect for the dignity of other human beings. This was usually justified with ideological, political, religious or racial arguments and if the fight against torture was not pursued to the deepest layers of society the struggle would be in vain.

“India has not ratified convention on torture. It is also noteworthy that the commonly used methods of punishment in Punjab have appeared in the above reports first time.” Mr, S.S. Ahluwalia M.P. India addressed the commission and said that Special Reporter of Torture has rightly pointed out in his report that no Society is immune to torture, It may be used to suppress dissent and to force compliance, in violation of the right to equality and equal opportunity.

 

The chairman, it is unfortunate that the Working Group has included such allegations in its report. The allegations made by Sikh Human Rights Group are completely baseless. The report appears to project the view that appealing to Supreme Court is “extremely expensive and practically impossible for people from the villages.” Mr. Ahluwalia went on to say that these difficulties projected in appealing to the Supreme Court are distorted. The Supreme Court has treated even a post card as a writ petition for the protection of fundamental rights.

I repeat, Mr. Chairman, we object to the procedure which has been followed with regard to the allegations made by the so-called SIKH HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP.

State Secretary of Holy See (Vatican)

Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, praised the role of the Commission in the progressive affirmation of Collective Human Rights. The dramatic situation of the millions of frustrated men and women, he said, was well reflected in the debates of the Commission.

The sources of oppression were to be understood historically and traced to man’s pride which aimed to prove its own superiority and domination over others and to man’s egoism and hatred. The Cardinal then focused on the importance of religious freedom. It was essential for all mankind, he said, to freely enjoy its quest for truth, to follow the voice of its conscience, and to practice the religion of their choice.

Felix Stanenski (Soviet Union)

He noted that while torture was said to be “a relic from the Middle Ages” that relic was all too prevalent in the 20th Century. Torture harmed not only the victims, it also morally crippled the torturer and those who knew of it but remained silent.

 Jean Daniel Vigny (Switzerland)

The speaker noted that of the 34 states mentioned therein, 16 states had not even replied. Of the 21 states which had replied, some did not deal substantially with the allegations or merely denied them and called them slanderous. These states should realize once and for all that such a response was completely counterproductive because the readers of the report would deduce rightly or wrongly, that the allegations are well founded.

Ana Martins Gomes of Portugal

..declared that it was overwhelming to note that since 1987 the number of countries affected had not only increased but the number of individual cases of disappearances had doubled, She thanked the working group on disappearances for the excellent work it has accomplished and considered that it should put an urgent action procedure in place.

Helena Cook (Amnesty International)

Illustrated the failure of governments to take the recommended measures by reference to a number of situations. She referred to examples of inadequacy of investigating procedures in Guetmala India and Philippines.

Article extracted from this publication >>  March 17, 1989