Some important info: Re: While we're on the topic . . . (fwd)

some important info...

Mine 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2000 16:18:40 -0500
From: Margaret Reeves <mreeves@chass.utoronto.ca>
Reply-To: MatFem@csf.colorado.edu
To: MATERIALIST FEMINISM <MatFem@csf.colorado.edu>
Subject: Re: While we're on the topic . . .

Dear List Members:

I received the following appeal on the same day as I received the recent
posting on rape as an adaptation. The content of the message below responds
more than adequately, I suspect, to the issue. Hope you will do what you can
for this poor woman. It is all explained below:

**********************************
Margaret Reeves
University of Toronto
mreeves@chass.utoronto.ca
**********************************

Please try to respond and pass this on:

Linda Briskin
Associate Professor
Social Science Division
York University
4700 Keele St
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
Tel: 416-736-5054  Fax: 416-736-5615

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000 14:14:07 -0400
From: Martin Dufresne <martin@laurentides.net>
Reply-To: Policy Action Research List/Liste politique action recherche
    <PAR-L@LISTSERV.UNB.CA>
To: PAR-L@LISTSERV.UNB.CA
Subject: Raped woman about to be stoned to death for adultery (fwd)

A woman accused of adultery after she was raped is now about to be stoned to
death by the government of the United Arab Emirates.
You can help save her life by writing a letter or two.

Martin Dufresne
martin@laurentides.net

***************************PLEASE FORWARD FREELY**********************
URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION              URGENT APPEAL PROGRAM

AHRC UA Index: 000322                               22 March 2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE UA 16/00: No fair trial; sentenced to death by stoning

INDONESIA/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Kartini sentenced to death by stoning
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

We have received news of Kartini (full name Karteen Karikander), the
Indonesian domestic worker who was sentenced to death by stoning for
adultery in the United Arab Emirates.  Our reliable contact visited
Kartini in the United Arab Emirates, as well as her lawyer (she now
has one), the attorney and the judge.

Kartini's sentence is now due to be appealed in a higher court in
Fujairah, but to date her sentence to death by stoning still stands.

MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Kartini was actually raped by an Indian national Mohammed Sulaiman
Frangoan.  Kartini was apparently so ashamed and degraded by the rape that
she was ready to give up and die, believing she could never have a normal
life.  However the enormous response to this appeal from around the  world
has convinced her to fight this unjust sentence and reclaim her life.


RECOMMENDED ACTION: If you have not yet written to the President and the
Minster of Justice, please do so as soon as you can. We believe that your
letter, joined to the many others that have come in, have a good chance of
convincing the President to overturn the sentence.  If you have written,
you could add to your action by notifying your national embassy in the UAE,
or by organising a small gathering outside the UAE embassy or other
symbolic location in your city.

----------------------------- SAMPLE LETTER ----------------------------

HH President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
President, Supreme Council of United Arab Emirates
Presidential Court
280, Abu Dhabi

---- March 2000

Your Excellency

I am writing to urge you to overturn the death sentence that has been
handed down on the Indonesian domestic worker, Kartini (full name
Karteen Karikander).

It has come to my attention that, after being accused of adultery and
detained for some time, Karsini was taken before the Syariah Fujairah
Municipal Court and tried without any legal assistance, or even an
interpreter to allow her to defend herself.  I am certain you are unhappy
with this process, as are many people around the world as they learn of
the plight of this woman.  Basic human rights standards demand a fair trial,
which is obviously not possible without understanding what is happening
or having access to legal representation.

For a nation seeking to engage in freely with the rest of the world, it
may be inappropriate to continue the practice of the death sentence,
particularly in the circumstances surrounding Kartini's trial. Death by
stoning would be viewed by most nations and most people in the countries
with which you seek to engage as brutal and inhumane. There are many
ancient practices and traditions that add value and meaning to a modern
society - the death penalty by stoning for adultery is surely not one of
them.

I know that you are a man of great faith, and once you said "Islam is the
religion of tolerance and forgiveness....of dialogue and understanding. It
is Islamic social justice which has asked every Muslim to respect the
other. To treat every person, no matter what his creed or race, as a
special soul is a mark of Islam." I humbly ask you to think of Karsini as
a 'special soul', and to show great tolerance and understanding of her
situation. Please overturn her sentence and let her get on with her
life.

I have alerted my national embassy in your country to the situation of
Kartini, and am assured that they will monitor the case closely. We all
expect and hope that you will find it in your heart to overturn
Karsini's
death sentence.

Yours sincerely


---------------------------------------------------------------------

SEND URGENT APPEALS TO:

HH President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
President, Supreme Council of United Arab Emirates
Presidential Court
280, Abu Dhabi
TEL: 971-2-652000
SALUTATION: Your Excellency

H.E. Mohammed Nakhira Al Dhahiri
Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf
P.O. Box 753
Abu Dhabi, U.A.E
Telephone: 971 2 652224
SALUTATION: Dear Minister

Please remember to send a copy of your letter to AHRC: ua@ahrchk.org
========================================================================
AHRC Ugent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
Unit D, 7th Floor, Mongkok Commercial Centre,
16 - 16B Argyle Street, Kowloon, HONGKONG
Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339
Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367
E-mail: ua@ahrchk.org

If you need to contact the AHRC Urgent Appeal Coordinator.
Send message to: Mr.sinapan samydorai <samysd@pacific.net.hk>
______________________________________________________________________
AHRC has an Urgent Appeal Programme which operates around the clock.
AHRC issues urgent appeals on behalf of persons or groups of persons
whose human rights have been violated. All urgent appeals released
by the AHRC since late 1997 can be accessed at our website:
http://www.ahrchk.net/hrappeal.htm