[sacw] ACT NOW TO DEFEND PAK WOMEN's NGO !

[Harsh Kapoor]

18 May 1999
Please write to the Pakistani authorities to protest against harrassment of
Shrikat-Gah the Pakistani women's resource centre. The Alert posted below
provides all details.
(South Asia Citizens Web)
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15th May 1999

Dear Friends,

We are witnessing a full-fledged attack on human rights activists,
organisations and other institutions of civil society as part of an overall
move toward an authoritarian regime in Pakistan. In this context, we are
writing to share with you the extremely disturbing developments taking
place. We are especially concerned about the threats, harrassment and
vilification campaign against Shirkat Gah, a prominent women's organization.
your's sincerely
Marieme Helie- Lucas
(International Coordinator, Women Living Under Muslim Laws: An
International Solidarity Network)

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::URGENT ALERT FOR
ACTION:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

In a press statement (See News report Posted below * ) issued on Friday, 14
May 1999, Punjab Social Welfare Minister, Pir Bin Yamin attacked by name
the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Shirkat Gah, and Ajoka (a
conscientisation theatre group), charging that they were "spreading
vulgarity and obscenity in the name of human rights." (The News, 5.15.99,
copy attached). He accused HRCP of "trying to promote a 'culture of
adultery,'" saying that it "wanted to create a generation which didn't even
know about their parents, and when they grew up they would have no love for
the country or Islam."

Minister Bin Yamin further claimed that, because NGOs receive funding from
outside Pakistan, they "served foreign masters and worked for some 'vested
interests.' The latest onslaught is a news report in the daily Umat,
Karachi (16/05/99) which states that the Government of Sindh, (on the
directive of the Federal Government) has initiated an enquiry against
Shirkat Gah for embezzling Rs 8 crores of World Bank funds and for its
involvement in anti-state activities. The absurdity of the financial
allegation is revealed by the fact that Shirkat Gah has never received any
funds from the World Bank for any project. The allegation of anti-state
activities emanates from the participation of a Shirkat Gah representative
in a British Council seminar on Violence Against Women. The seminar was
attended by Ms Nasreen Parvez, Additional Secretary, Dept of Social Welfare
and Women's Development, Sindh, who declared that she was there for the
explicit purpose of monitoring NGOs; she cautioned Shirkat Gah in
particular not to make statements that may be construed as anti-government.

In addition to this, Shirkat Gah has also received a letter from the
Registrar of Societies, Sindh (where Shirkat Gah is registered), charging
it with failure to submit information about the organisation. This letter
has been addressed to the office bearers of Shirkat Gah and to their new
address, which belies the charge that Shirkat Gah has not been sending
information.

The general attack against NGOs is most intensive in the Punjab (where the
Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif is the brother of the Prime Minister)
and is led by the Social Welfare Minister, Pir Bin Yamin. The excuse being
used is that of accountability. While we agree that accountability is a
necessary process for a developed civil society, we reject its misuse as a
tool to silence any diversity of opinion.

The first result of the government's so-called "scrutiny" was the
de-registration of 1,941 organisations operating under the Voluntary Social
Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961 on 10 May 1999.
Amongst these at least one has been de-registered for failing to inform the
Directorate of a change in address.

At the same time, the Punjab Minister for Social Welfare has announced that
they are now scrutinising/investigating those NGOs registered under the
Societies Act and reiterated that he thinks all human rights and women's
rights organisations in urban areas to be "fraudulent" (The News/Dawn
10.5.99)

Parallel to this attack on NGOs numerous other developments have taken
place in the overall move towards an authoritarian regime without checks
and balances. This has included the attack on journalists, and the
undermining of other institutions. (see attached news clippings).

Shirkat Gah is one of 35 organizations that form the Joint Action Committee
for People's Rights (JAC), which for over a year now, has led the human
rights campaigns. Most of these groups are presently being visited by
members of the government intelligence agency, who ask them their
stands/opinions on:
=B7 Human rights in general
=B7 The blasphemy laws
=B7 Introduction of a column recording a citizen's religion on the
national identity card
=B7 Qadianis (a sect declared non-Muslim by the government)
They also ask for information about the organizations' sources of funding
and about other human rights groups.

Shirkat Gah is an organisation that is highly regarded both within Pakistan
and internationally, for its commitment, quality of work and integrity. We
urge you to support Shirkat Gah and other institutions of civil society in
Pakistan by:

1) Writing to the Pakistan Embassy/High Commission in your country and
to the persons at the addresses listed below:
a) expressing concern about the vilification campaign against Shirkat
Gah and direct attacks on institutions of civil society, especially NGOs
and journalists,
b) requesting an immediate halt to inflammatory statements by
government representatives and incitement to violence against human rights
activists and organisations in Pakistan

2) Write to your representatives and bilateral agencies expressing
concern and asking that your government take up this issue with the
government of Pakistan;

3) Write to international and regional institutions expressing concern
and asking them to take up this issue with the government of Pakistan,
reminding them that Pakistan is signatory to various international
instruments that uphold human rights and call for an enabling environment
for NGOs (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, CEDAW, Child Rights
Convention, ICPD Programme of Action, Beijing Platform, Social Summit)

Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif
=46ax: (92-42) 920 0130 and 920 0160

Prime Minister, Mian Nawaz Sharif
primeminister@p...
fax: (92-51) 920 8890 and 920 1545

=46ederal Minister of the Interior, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain
=46ax: (92-51) 920 2624

Additionally, write to the following members of the judiciary as custodians
of fundamental rights to please take suo moto notice of these attacks

The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Ajmal Mian
=46ax: (92-51) 921 3452

Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid,
C/o Supreme Court of Pakistan
=46ax: (92-51) 921 3452

Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Justice Rashid Aziz
=46ax: (92-42) 735 5888
_____________________________________________

(* News report in The News [Pakistan], 5 May 1999)

"NGOS GUILTY OF PROMOTING IMMORALITY, CLAIMS BINYAMIN"
LASHES OUT AT NGOS FOR GETTING MASSIVE FUNDS FROM FOREIGN MASTERS, VOWS TO
EXPOSE AJOKA, SHIRKAT GAH AND HRCP'S ACTIVITIES"

Punjab Social Welfare Minister Pir Binjamin Rizvi has said if the
activities of the NGOs are not checked the country will be turned into an
"East India Company" in the next eight years.

In a press statement here Friday, he said the NGO mafia should be
eliminated and added that he would expose the activities of Ajoka, Shirkat
Gah and Human Rights Commission.
"Is it a safeguard of human rights to give a chance to a girl to spend a
night with her paramour?" Binyamin asked. He maintained these
organisations were spreading vulgarity and obscenity in the name of human
rights. He said the Human Rights Commission was trying to promote a
"culture of adultery" and it wanted to create a generation which didn't
even know about their parents, and when they grew up they would have no
love for the country or Islam.

Binyamin said that NGOs, after registration, got huge funds, served their
foreign masters and worked for some "vested interests." He said an NGO had
destroyed the carpet industry - delivering a severe blow to the economy and
exports. He said in future, before registration, complete details would be
gathered about all the office-bearers of the NGO. He added in the next
three months he would expose the working of all the registered NGOs, while
accusing them of creating hatred among different religions and communities.
He said his department was gathering details about retired bureaucrats,
politicians, officials etc. working in the NGOs and misusing and abusing
their powers. Meanwhile The department of Social Welfare Punjab and its
counterpart from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) have mutually decided to weed
out all NGOs which squeeze money from people in the name of Kashmir
refugees.

A number of fake NGOs fleeced money from people by emotionally blackmailing
them in the name of Kashmir, said Binjamin adding that his department would
provide the names of such NGOs to the department of Social Welfare AJK and
action would be taken against them.

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