CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY FRARFfl TJWI'TY. flT. TXMRV
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDATION OF
AMNIESTY INTERNATIONAL
CANBERRA 28 MAY 1991
Ministerial eand Parliamentary Colleagues
Members of Amnesty International
Friends Thirty years ago today an article appeared in a London
newspaper written by a British lawyer, Peter Benenson. A
defence lawyer for political prisoners in Hungary, South
Africa and Spain and a human rights campaigner, Benenson
began his article with these words:
" Open your newspaper any day of the week and you will
find a report from somewhere in the world of someone
being imprisoned, tortured or executed because his
opinions or religion are unacceptable to the
government."
He continued " The newspaper reader feels a sickening sense of
impotence. Yet if these feelings of disgust all over
the world could be united into common action, something
effective could be done."
Just a few weeks after the appearance of that newspaper
article, Benenson spoke on Australian radio. Over fifty
listeners immediately wrote asking what they could do to
help. This response was repeated worldwide, and from the
idea of a single individual grew a movement which today has
over one million members, subscribers and regular donors in
over 150 countries, together with over 4,200 local volunteer
groups. I
In Australia, Amnesty International has over 30,000 members
and supporters; and 180 local groups.
Peter Benenson' s message stemmed from a simple belief in the
dignity and riLghts of all human beings to express their own
beliefs free of the threat of physical abuse or
intimidation.
This belief still forms the basis of Amnesty International's
charter today: the immediate and unconditional release of all
' prisoners of conscience';
fair and prompt trial for all political prisoners;
and an end to all torture and executions.
Since its inception Amnesty International has been one of
the most consistent and compassionate voices in defence of
human rights across the globe. Over the last three decades
it has taken up more than 42,000 cases.
It was in just recognition of this organisation's
achievement that in 1977 it was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Peace. And only last December, Amnesty helped draw the attention of
the world to the human rights violations by Iraq during its
brutal and illegal occupation of Kuwait and it has continued
to report on the human rights situation in Kuwait.
It is a telling tribute to Amnesty International's
independence and impartiality that it has achieved support
and recognition across the entire political spectrum.
Amnesty International Australia is the first section of the
movement to have a Federal Parliamentary Group, listing
almost two-thirds of MP's as members and having as its
patrons representatives from all parties represented in the
Parliament.
My friends
The success of Amnesty in gaining support in Australia and
throughout the world should not lead us to underestimate the
challenges which still beset those committed to the human
rights cause.
It is estimated that prisoners of conscience are still being
held in nearly half the countries of the world, and in
countries political prisoners can still be held without
charge or trial.
In 1989 torture and ill-treatment of prisoners were reported
in 96 countries. Extrajudicial executions, and death from
torture or ill-treatment in custody, were reported in more
than 40 countries, and ' disappearances' in more than
Political prisoners were detained in at least 92 countries,
and unfair trials in political cases were known to have
taken place in 31 countries.
These statistics point to a litany of injustice and human
rights abuses which continue to occur throughout the world.
But more than that, the figures are evidence that the
principles of hu man rights enshrined in the United Nations
Declaration of 1948 and elaborated on in the many
declarations, covenants and conventions of the United
Nations are still far from being fully accepted throughout
the global community.
And for this reason it is imperative that government and
non-government organisations alike continue to pursue the
cause of hum-an rights.
I think Australia can be proud of its record in this area.
Generations of Australians, and their parliamentary
representatives, have worked to give practical effect to the
principles and spirit of the Universal Declaration both in
our own society and in broader international forums.
It gives me particular pleasure to welcome the many young
people here today who will carry on this great task.
The current positive climate of international realignment
presents, I believe, an historic opportunity to carry this
work forward.
Of course we are unlikely to see a complete end to human
rights abuses. Tensions in many parts of the world require
us to work hard if we are to ensure that the rights to
freedom of expression, economic organisation and selfdetermination
are met in the most humane and peaceable way.
Australia has never accepted the view, still occasionally'
espoused, that action aimed at the improvement of human
rights in some way constitutes intereference in the domestic:
af fairs of individual countries.
Our position on this is now increasingly shared by the
international. community.
We continue t: o be one of the most active countries in the
world pursuing human rights issues on a bilateral basis.
In 1989/ 90, for example, we made direct representations at,
ministerial or official level in relation to 443 different
groups or individuals in 87 different countries.
We have also taken a particular interest in regional issues:
We have expressed our concern about the situation
in Myanmar and, in particular, the failure of the
military to hand over power to a civilian
government. We have made clear our concern about the
continuation of human rights abuses in China and
our continuing concern about the tragic cycle of
violence In Sri Lanka.
We have reached an agreement with the Chinese
Government to send a delegation to that country to
examine and discuss human rights and related
matters an agreement which we hope will be a
first step in developing a serious and
constructive bilateral dialogue on human rights
issues And, while we have acknowledged the overall
improvement in the human rights situation in East
Timor in recent years, we continue to urge that
existing problems be dealt with fairly and
humanely and that domestic and international
concerns be allayed.
Australia's active pursuit of human rights issues is a
cornerstone of our foreign policy, and demonstrates our
intention to be a good international citizen in the full
sense of the term.
It is equally true that we have worked to remedy domestic
human rights concerns.
One area in which Amnesty International has taken an
interest in Australia has been in the treatment and status
of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.
The final report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal
Deaths in Custody was tabled in May by the Minister for
Aboriginal Affairs. This comprehensive report gave
considerable information to the Government indeed to all
,' Australians on the present position of Aborigines in
Australian society today.
Putting it simply, the main finding of the Royal Commission
was that too many Aboriginal people are in custody too
often. In fact they are in custody at a rate, calculated
nationally, 29 times that of the general community.
The Royal Commission report indicts the legal and corrective
services systems in Australia and points to a society-wide
range of Aboriginal disadvantage.
The Government has committed itself to ensuring that there
is a co-ordinated and comprehensive national response to the
Royal Commission's final report.
I have written to all the Premiers and Chief Ministers
seeking their co-operation in a joint strategy of response
and I am confident that the necessary co-operation will be
forthcoming.
We are conscious that there will continue to be considerable
international interest in how all Governments in Australia
and the Australian community as a whole reacts to what the
Royal Commission has to say and how we set about
implementing the recommendations.
Foremost among these, I am sure, will be Amnesty
International. For it is a measure of Amnesty International's credibility
and the breadth of their concern that they will leave no
area of the world untouched and demand nothing less than
universal adherence to their principles.
And it is a measure of the high regard in which Amnesty
International is held by so many people in this country,
that any subject in which Amnesty involves itself
immediately becomes a centre of attention and a very good
reason for governments to take a hard look at their
policies. For that we have good cause for gratitude and I appreciate
the opportunity you have given me today to congratulate
Amnesty International on its thirthieth birthday.