7 December 2008
To: Singapore/Malaysia Network
Friends,
Sixty years ago,in the wake of the horrendous cruelty committed during the Second World War, the world was determined to end human rights violations. In 1948, on December 10, the first global treaty on human rights — the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — was signed at the United Nations. Canadians are particularly proud that Canadian Law Professor John Humphrey was involved in drawing up that historic document. Yet today, that Declaration is violated in many countries, as we see from our daily media reports. Singapore and Malaysia are among the violators. But while abuses continue, the human rights community is growing everywhere. And we know well that courageous human rights defenders such as Dr Chee Soon Juan in Singapore and Dr Anwar Ibrahim in Malaysia — both former prisoners of conscience — will not give up the struggle for fundamental rights. The best way we can mark December 10 is, of course, by taking action to support them.
I am asking therefore that you write a brief letter to their governments, urging a change in direction. Please see below.
I f you would like to join AI Canada’s Human Rights Write-a-Thon focus on several other countries (part of AI’s worldwide campaign to mark December 10), please go to www.amnesty.ca/writeathon.
Margaret John
Coordinator for Singapore and Malaysia
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