Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Bangladesh Human Rights report handed in to Dutch MP van Bommel

dec 10th, 2007

appropriately, on world human rights day. bangladeshi hindus and buddhists suffer some of the worst human rights abuses in the world.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sital GHRD

 
Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) has handed in its Bangladesh Human Rights Report 2007 to the representative of Foreign Affairs of the Dutch Parliament Harry van Bommel.

The report illustrates the most severe human rights violations taking place in Bangladesh with a particular focus on minorities. Mr van Bommel also received the petitions collected by GHRD so far for its campaign 'Stop the Gang Rapes', and a book containing drawings and texts from children from the Shri Vishnu school in the Hague. The main purposes of the meeting were to appeal to the Dutch government to address the issue of human rights violations, particularly of minorities and women, to the Bangladeshi government; to closely monitor the political development in Bangladesh and encourage for the immediate restoration of democracy and rule of law.

Mr van Bommel mentioned the importance of these documents at this crucial moment, when the Dutch Parliament is preparing to discuss human rights issues in January. The information provided by GHRD in what concerns human rights in Bangladesh will be taken into account during these debates.

As a representative of the Socialist Party, Mr van Bommel also greeted and addressed GHRD's volunteers and supporters who were waiting in the main square in front of Parliament (Plein), and congratulated them on their commitment to human rights.

Mr van Bommel wrote about this meeting in his weblog: http://harryvanbommel.sp.nl/weblog/2007/12/10/mensenrechtendag/

The visit to the Dutch Parliament was the end point of a silent demonstration organized by GHRD. About 15 people in black walked the streets in the Hague gagged and tied up with a rope around their waste. This was a symbolic way to mark the Human Rights Day and remember violations against human rights being committed in Bangladesh, a country that GHRD has been focusing on through its yearly campaign 'Stop the Gang Rapes'.

GHRD's Bangladesh Human Rights Report 2007 was published on 10 December and explains in detail the current human rights issues in the country, giving particular focus to minority groups and women.

The report can be downloaded from GHRD's website: www.ghrd.org

For more information, please contact:

Cintia Taylor, Communication Officer

+31 70 34 56 975

+31 6211 04 066

ctaylor@ghrd.org


Attachment: pictures from the demonstration and meeting with MP Harry van Bommel

Photographer: Martijn van Dam




CĂ­ntia Taylor
Communication Officer
Global Human Rights Defence
Javastraat 58
2585 AR The Hague
The Netherlands

T.: +31 70 345 69 75 - +31 70 345 34 11  F.: +31 70 392 65 75
www.ghrd.org

-----
Scanned for virus and spam

No comments: