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PNG, Fiji, Solomons, Vanuatu, NZ singled out by Amnesty International human rights report
Amnesty International has singles out Pacific nations for human rights abuses, including New Zealand, PNG, Solomons, Vanuatu, and Fiji. (Photo by Amnesty International.)
Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC newsdesk – Video – By Amnesty International.
Amnesty International has singled out Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and New Zealand over human rights breaches in its annual report of the world.
The report stated that a lack of accountability, and a detectable gap between the ideals of justice and true recourse to the law were no more evident than in the Pacific Region.
Amnesty's report titled State of the World's Human Rights, documents abuses in 159 countries.
It summarises abuses in the following countries as:
- * Fiji witnessing ongoing human rights violations and impunity; with the military-led Government suspending the constitution; dismissing the judiciary; imposing emergency regulations to stifle media dissent; and implementing a policing policy that granted impunity to those who perpetrated domestic violence .
* Papua New Guinea seeing increases in sorcery-related killings;
violence against women and girls; and HIV infection rates, with the
Government doing little to address these situations and bring
perpetrators to justice.
* The Governments of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu failing to
provide basic services (such as clean water, healthcare and education)
to thousands of people living in informal settlements, reflecting
growing urban poverty. Levels of violence against women also increased
in both countries.
* New Zealand was also not exempt from criticism, which included
concerns about discrimination of Maori by the Foreshore and Seabed Act;
risks posed to asylum-seekers due to the new Immigration Act; and the
privatisation of prisons.
A global justice gap that is being made worse by a lack of accountability is nowhere more apparent than in the Pacific region, said Amnesty International today in its annual assessment of human rights worldwide.
In a statement, Patrick Holmes, CEO of Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand said: "Repression and injustice are flourishing in parts of the Pacific, condemning thousands of people to abuse, oppression and poverty."
"Globally, millions of people have been pushed into poverty by the food,
energy and financial crises. The Pacific is no different – events in the
region have shown the urgent need to tackle the abuses that are
affecting poverty there," said Holmes.
"Justice is not only about not being tortured or being free to express ones views without fear and reprisal. Justice is also being able to go
to school, to have access to clean water and to obtain decent health
care," Holmes said in the statement.
For further information:
The Amnesty International statement.
Amnesty International Report 2010, briefing sheets (including Facts &
Figures, Human Rights Gains and Global Update) and multimedia materials are available here.
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aotearoa, new zealand
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