Tess Vistro, AMIHAN, PhillipinesTess Vistro, AMIHAN, Phillipines

The increasing attacks against women human rights defenders (WHRD) at the hands of both state and non-state actors is an alarming trend in the region which is intricately entwined with the forces of fundamentalisms as well as globalisation and increasing militarism. As the political situation at a national level becomes more volatile and more repressive in many countries, APWLD has undertaken activities to promote and protect the rights of WHRDs in specific countries of our members including: Philippines, Thailand, Nepal, Japan and Aceh (Indonesia). The objectives of the campaign are to highlight specific cases from among our members around the region for the protection of WHRDs at risk and to raise awareness on the specific vulnerabilities faced by WHRD because of who they are (gender) and what they do (the contentious issues they work on).

APWLD facilitated a number of activities under these campaigns over the last year including: trainings; national consultations; profiling and responding to cases such as through action alerts and disseminating information to the Special Representative on HRDs; and giving visibility to specific campaigns at international fora, including the UNCHR and the International Consultation on WHRD.

In 2006, APWLD will encourage the further recognition of WHRDs in the region through developing an ‘Information Kit’ on WHRDs which will be shared with our Task Forces and members. The Information Kit will be an awareness raising resource which will highlight specific case studies, the contexts in which WHRDs face particular risks and vulnerabilities (such as fundamentalisms, political repression), and mechanisms for the protection and promotion of WHRDs human rights. The information kit will be launched on 29 November,International WHRD Day.

Thailand

For Thailand, a round table discussion was organised by APWLD on 9 August 2005 in Phuket, Thailand. There were 15 Thai WHRDs joined by the 8 APWLD RIW TF members from the region. Most of the Thai WHRDs who shared their stories were women fighting for their rights to their land against development projects either by the government or corporations. The sharing and discussion between the Thai WHRDs and the members of the TF RIW was enriching and inspiring for all. It provided an opportunity among the Thai WHRDs to share their strategies among themselves as some of them have been fighting for some years now, and have won tactical victories (eg. delayed the projects), while some, especially those from the tsunami-affected area, are just beginning to raise their issues. Regional and international mechanisms and networks were introduced to the Thai WHRDs which they can tap into should they deem it necessary.

Philippines

APWLD supported the campaign advocacy project of one of our members, AMIHAN National Federation of Peasant Women in the Philippines. The objectives of the project were to resist political repression of human rights activists in the Philippines by: raising awareness and visibility of the issue inside the country through actions and distribution of materials; seeking justice for the relatives of human rights defenders who died; and increasing the capacity of human rights defenders to protect themselves and respond to abuses by the state against WHRDs. APWLD provided assistance to AMIHAN to conduct a national training for WHRDs in the Philippines working on peasant issues.

WOMEN HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS TRAINING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Tess Vistro, AMIHAN, Phillipines

Esmeralda Ecat, a peasant woman leader from Leyte in the Visayas, have been subjected to torture which lasted for almost 24 hours, in front of her two young children by the military last May 27, 2005. She said: “ I realized now the many ways I can hold the military accountable for the wrongdoings they have done to me and my children. My only concern before was to get out from my village, together with my children. But now, learning of how other women human rights defenders like me coped, when their human rights were violated, I think I am stronger and more confident now to file a case and confront the military men who have violated me and my children.” Esmie as she is fondly called by friends and fellow workers, was forcefully dragged out of her house in the evening of May 27, 2005, by military men, with her two children and was brought to a place near a river. The entire evening, the military kept asking her at gun point to tell them where the camp of the rebel armed group, the New People’s Army (NPA)is located and also for her divulge to them, who among the villagers are extending food and other support to the armed group.

Riza Fanilag, an organiser of peasant women in Misamis Occidental in Mindanao, witnessed the abduction of a co- human rights worker and friend during one of their meetings. She said: “I felt better after the WHRD training, learning of the experiences of other women in the training. Before, I felt so guilty, I wasn’t able to do anything while my friend and co-worker was abducted, right beside me by hooded fully armed military men, who barged into our meeting place. My guilt feelings were further heightened when I learned that my friend was raped and tortured for days by her military abductors, before she was brought out in the open and transferred to a regular prison. But now, I realized I am really just an ordinary human being, who can be weak at times.”

Beth Alfiler, a peasant women organizer in Ilocos Sur in Northern Philippines, witnessed the assassination of a co-human rights worker, right in the middle of a huge and busy market in Baguio City. The sight of him, slumped on his face on the cemented pavement of the market with blood oozing out of his ear, had stunned her, and held her immobile for sometime. That incident traumatised her for months; she admitted it was only in the sharing in the trainings that she felt she was more comfortable telling people the whole incident and how she felt during that time.

Agnes Salaum, a mother of two children and an organizer of peasant women in North Cotabato, in Mindanao have had frequent fights with her husband, who have always insisted that she had to stay home and look after their children. But the demands of her work such as participating in fact finding missions for incidents of human rights violations, supporting indigenous women build their own organisations, frequently bring her to places far away from home for days on end. Agnes shared:” I am in a dilemma. I am married to this work as much as I am married to him and my family. I know these fights will not end, not until I give in to his demand that I cease doing this kind of work. But one thing I am sure at the moment, is that I am not ready to give up the work that I am doing now.”

These are the women of AMIHAN, National Federation of Peasant Women, who have been violated in various ways, in their line of duty aswomen human rights defenders. They are four of the 28 participants of the women human rights defenders (WHRDs) training held in Quezon City, Philippines on August, 2005.

AMIHAN, realising that its WHRD members, have been frequently under attack, but their capacity to fight back and cope with the various situations of human rights violations that they encounter have been very limited, decided to hold this training. The training specifically aimed to 1) equip grassroots women human rights defenders with the scope and framework of women human rights, 2) train grassroots women human rights defenders with skills needed in their work as human rights defenders, 3) equip grassroots women human rights defenders with remedies available both at the national and international levels in the pursuit of justice for women victims of human rights violations, and 4) provide the forum for the sharing of experiences and strategies as women human rights defenders.

The training covered the topics of the scope and framework of WHRD, Remedies and Strategies to Pursue Justice for Victims of Human Rights Violations, nationally and internationally, and Skills in the Documentation of women human rights violations.

In the end, the training not only equipped the participants with skills in documentation and knowledge on the redress of grievances and violations, it also broke the silence on issues relating to their relationships with their husbands, and their families, brought out in the open the fears, risks and threats to their lives, and most importantly, the bravery, determinationand commitment of these women as they undertake their work as defenders of human rights among the poor rural women and their families.

Aside from AMIHAN members from the different provincial chapters (Cagayan Valley, Mountain Province in the Cordillera, Ilocos Sur, Pampanga, Rizal, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Misamis Occidental, North Cotabato and South Cotabato) nationwide, the training also was able to involve groups from the KARAPATAN Human Rights Group, the Children’s Rehabilitation Center, the Office of Congressman Rafael Mariano of the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines, the SENTRA, a lawyers’ group involved in agrarian issues,the Public Interest Law Center (PILC), another lawyers group, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, a peasant group and the PAMALAKAYA, a fisherfolks organization.

The training was facilitated by Atty. Eleanor Conda and Atty. Mary Jane Real, both are APWLD members, Atty Ameeh Sato of the Public Interest Law Center, Olive Bernardo of the human rights group KARAPATAN, and Beth Capoquian, from the Children Rehabilitation Center (CRC).

Women Human Rights Defenders

Nepal

In conjunction with Forum Asia and Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) and Inform, APWLD supported a ‘training of trainers’ (TOT) for Nepali WHRD’s from 28th July to 1 August 2005. 22 Nepali women activists participated in a TOT which examined the background of VAW in conflict and conflict situations and learning effectual skills of documenting human rights violations against women activists including violence against women. Relevant examples were given from different parts of the world. The objectives of the training were to: to understand conflict situation from the women’s perspective; to know the effect and impact on women caused by conflict situations and explore strategies to deal with these; and to learn the skills of documenting human rights violations. A report was produced from this training which will be used to develop a training manual for further trainings in the region (WHR working Group will be working on this in 2006). In follow-up to this training, the 22 trained women conducted trainings for over 120 WHRDs in Nepal. These defenders have since documented over 500 incidences of human rights abuses and violence against WHRDs in Nepal. APWLD will support WOREC to disseminate this information to strategic regional and international points including the UNCHR and Special Rapporteur and Representatives. Furthermore, in response APWLD supported WOREC to conduct a National Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders from 3-4 March 2006 which was attended by over 450 women human rights defenders. The Consultation aimed to raise national awareness on WHRDs and abuses they face, and build strategies for their protection.

Aceh, Indonesia

Three months after the Tsunami and the end of a long conflict, activities were organised by a member of the WHR WG in Indonesia under the WHRD campaign to assess the challenges that women activists in Aceh are facing. Meetings were held with women in Aceh which highlighted among other things: the cultural expectation on young married women; the lack of support from families; and the impact of Shariah law on their lives. The workshops were aimed at collective understanding and revealed that ‘recognition’ needs to be the most important focus of the WHRD campaign in Aceh because the challenge for WHRDs in Aceh is based on cultural and religious expectations and restrictions. The campaign will be launched by Komnas Perempuan in 2006 on 29th November which has been declared the International Day for WHRDs.

Retika Rajbhandari, WOREC,

Nepal

In December 2005, in Udayapur district, Januka Nepali, an active women human rights defender from the Dalit community tried to protect a woman severely battered by her husband. Unfortunately, as she was trying to intervene, Janaki Nepali was murdered by the abusive husband of the victim she tried to help. She died leaving behind two children. The death of Janaki is yet to receive any attention from the human rights community based primarily in Kathmandu. According to the investigation of human rights group in Udaypur, the murder was preplanned. However, the Government authorities have disregarded the investigation. The district court filed the case as ‘fury driven murder’ which means that the punishment is eight years imprisonment, whereas punishment for a general case of murder is lifetime imprisonment according to Nepali law. Hence, this case clearly shows the disadvantaged position of the victim in the eyes of Nepali law that favours the perpetrator.

The socio cultural challenges that women have always faced have been intensified by the recent political challenges that Nepal faces which has directly affected the work of women human rights defenders. Given the present deteriorating human rights situation of the country, many women have been active in their communities in addressing issues of human rights violations, especially women’s human rights. However, they so far remain invisible and marginalised.

In July 2005, Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) co-organised with APWLD, Forum Asia and Inform, a training of trainers (TOT) in documenting human rights violations against WHRDs (women human rights defenders), particularly in the context of armed conflict. Further trainings were conducted of WHRDs by the TOT participants and, as a result, hundreds of cases of human rights violations against WHRDs in Nepal have been documented. WOREC has continued to work with the 125 women human rights defenders from the community in Nepal over the last one year. During our work, specific issues related to the WHRDs have come up from the field. Issues of harassment, intimidation and threats from the State security forces and violations committed by non- State actors have emerged. Further, patriarchal notions of holding women as symbols of honour have been deliberately used to silence women about abuses they face. Reports of the most disturbing forms of violence that defenders face have come from various communities.

Given the authoritarian regime in Nepal, it becomes urgent to recognise women’s human rights because the State itself acts as one major obstacle in addressing issues of WHRDs. The restrictions placed by the State even on peaceful demonstrations and the recent arrests of women political activists are clear indications that Nepal is moving fast towards violating the most basic human rights.

The militarisation of the Nepali community due to the present armed conflict has made the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) the most powerful authority in the communities, which has increasingly silenced women human rights defenders and hindered their work. With the increasing militarisation of the Nepali society and the autocratic regime, space for women to raise their voices is shrinking. Limitations posed on women by either parties at conflict have further developed a culture of silence among women defenders which they are forced to practice. WHRDs in Nepal are double trapped- a. they face violations by the state as well as non state actors; b. they are then barred from raising their voices against these violations.

The non-State actors, including NGO groups, are equally responsible for marginalising women human rights defenders as are the State actors. Even among human rights groups in Nepal, many argue that women’s issues are private, hence receive no attention. This is exemplified by a recent comment from a prominent male human rights defender in Kathmandu, who stated that “there are more important issues than those of women”. Within the human rights community patriarchal mindsets persist, thus posing further challenges to the work of WHRDs.

Hence, politically in the context of Nepal, the women human rights defenders movement holds a specialplace in the ongoing struggle to overthrow the repressive monarchy and to establish an inclusive democracy in Nepal where there is finally a space for women. The human rights movement in Nepal then will culminate as a movement for all; ‘realisation of all human rights for all’ will then be able to see its full effect. Thus, WHRDs play an important role in the movement of protection and promotion of human rights, peace and democracy and their protection is one of the precursors leading to such an inclusive democracy.

Thus, WOREC recognised the urgency to bring together WHRDs in one platform to develop visibility of women human rights defenders, to stress on the importance of their work, to break the silence of the abuses they face and to pressure the state and non-state actors to be responsible for their protection as well as develop and bring into action other protection mechanisms.

Recognising the need to bring forth the issue of WHRDs in the context of Nepal, inspired by the solidarity among women activists around the world and as a follow up to the international consultation on WHRD held in Colombo in November 2005, WOREC called a national consultation on women human rights defenders in Nepal on March 3-4, 2006 cosponsored by APWLD.

The purpose of the national consultation was to bring together women human rights defenders from all over Nepal in one platform where they could share and reflect upon the experiences they face. The purpose was also to provide women human rights defenders a safe space where they could speak out of the abuses they face by state or non state actors.The consultation was able to bring together grassroots women from 64 districts who have never had a chance to come together in such a forum. Three senior women human rights defenders- Sahana Pradhan, Sneha Lata Shrestha and Dev Devi Sharma spoke at the event. They highlighted their commitment to promoting women’s rights and stressed on their own marginalisation during the course of their work.

The recurring issue of the WHRDs in the consultation was the lack of recognition of work they have been doing for decades. Women human rights defenders who work on a par with their male counterparts do not receive any credit for their work.Because they are not recognised as human rights defenders, their contribution to the protection of women’s human rights and minority rights has not been visible and even at the local level their contritbution to the protection of human rights is considered insignificant.

The consultation became a starting point for the majority of grassroots women defenders, first of all, to identify themselves as significant change makers. The consultation was also the initial step towards developing visibility of women human rights defenders nationally. The WHRDs were able to link more effectively at the national level in order to build solidarity among themselves. The consultation was a rare opportunity for all the participants and they appreciated this and made full use of it to build networks and connections.The participants pointed out a need for a district level and regional networks of WHRDs as well as the need to link up with the international WHRD movement. They have committed themselves to building local networks. The national campaign has now been opened up for membership and women defenders can personally or organisationally be a part of it.The national WHRD movement is picking up momentum now through building alliances. The national alliance is linked up with the international WHRD movement. Mary Jane Real, coordinator of the WHRD International Campaign, who participated in the Nepal national consultation assured that there will be continuous support and solidarity from the WHRD-ICC secretariat to the women human rights defenders in Nepal.

Encouraging women human rights defenders to continue their courageous work, the consultation allowed the defenders to realise that there is national as well as international support network that will continuously provide support to Nepali women human rights defenders working in various corners of the country. WHRDs have committed to demonstrate their solidarity with the political parties, civil society groups, human rights organisations, lawyers, professional associations, trade unions, women, Dalits, ethnic groups and disabled people to achieve the goal of restoring democracy in Nepal through ensuring their active participation in protest activities. Women have returned to their work places and to their communities re-energised with a deeper commitment towards their work of defending human rights.

A Nepal declaration on women human rights defenders - on outcome of the consultation - has formulated the pertinent issues of WHRDs and become a key document to advocate on the issue of WHRDs in Nepal.

Another national event on WHRD will be organised on 29 November 2006 that was proposed as International Women Human Rights Defenders Day at the International Consultation on WHRDs in Colombo last year. The event will give continuity to the WHRD movement that has just started in Nepal and will be a platform for more recognition, reflection and developing strategies for the future work.

Women Human Rights Defenders

Japan

Tomoko Kashiwazaki, APWLD Assistant to Programme Officer VAW NET Japan

APWLD supported the on-going campaign of VAWW-NET Japan to highlight attacks against WHRDs in Japan working on the issue of Japan’s war-time sexual slavery during WWII. Following the Women’s International War Crimes Tribunal, members of VAWWNET Japan have been facing harassment and threats for their on-going advocacy on the issue of sexual-slavery and their efforts to expose the alliance between right-wing members of parliament and the media through an on-going court case against a national broadcaster who incorrectly portrayed the purpose of the Tribunal and questioned whether war-time sexual slavery in fact happened. APWLD supported VAWW-NET Japan to publish a book clarifying the position of activists working on the war-time sexual slavery issue after debates about political interference in the TV programme which drew attention to the Tribunal and the issue of sexual slavery. WHRDs working with VAWW-Net Japan are receiving threatening phone calls, emails and faxes. The book aims to raise awareness of the issue at a national level.

VAWW Net Japan’s campaign to bring justice for the survivors of wartime sexual slavery

The court case turned to a new phase when, in January 2005, the political interference in the NHK (Japanese public media) TV programme on the Women’s International Tribunal on Japan’s Military Sexual Slavery held in December 2000 by women in Asia Pacific shown in January 2001, was disclosed finally by the newspaper, Asahi, and the chief producer of the NHK programme admitted at the media conference that NHK was contacted by the cabinet of ministers.

It was almost four years since VAWW NET Japan filed a lawsuit charging the NHK with unfair coverage of the Women’s Tribunal: the programme questioned the very existence of the war time sexual slavery to reflect the position of the right wing extremists becoming dominant in the Japanese government. After the death of Yayori Matsui, Rumiko Nishino, the present co-chair of the VAWW NET Japan, continued the fight in the court.

The disclosure of the political interference in the NHK programme caused more defensive or even offensive reactions from those politicians. They immediately mobilised the media and attacked the survivors, the Women’s Tribunal and VAWW-NET Japan calling us North Korea spies. Their insistent denial of any “intentional” interference in the NHK programme were sensationally broadcasted while no media covered our protest.

The hysterical reaction of the Japanese government reflects the current Japanese political environment. 2005 marked sixty years of the end of the Second World War and end of Japanese occupation in Asia Pacific. And the Women’s Tribunal aimed at bringing to justice those who committed the war crimes against women in the Asia Pacific countries, including the Emperor Shyowa, the Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces at the time. Obviously, our campaign clashes with the right wing government’s policy of promoting “glorious national history” and “unity of the nation” based on militarism, traditional gender roles and racist policy to regain its confidence and become a “strong country” recovering from the political and economic stagnation since early 1990s.

There is an urgent need to tell the truth to the Japanese public about Japan’s war crimes, the Women’s International Tribunal and its biased coverage on NHK. So with support from APWLD we produced a book to clarify those points “The Judgment Erased –the political interference in the NHK TV programme”. The publication is a collection of twelve articles in Japanese with comprehensive information on the International Women’s Tribunal, the details of the court case against NHK written by the VAWW-NET Japan’s lawyer, the government interference in the NHK TV programme on the Tribunal, from women’s perspective vs Japanese nationalism. Among the contributors are the lawyers who were involved in the Women’s Tribunal as Japanese prosecution team, media analysts both from the academics and a civil group, and members of VAWW NET Japan. It also includes the article by a woman journalist involved in editing the NHK programme under pressure from the Government, who is now at risk for confronting the state power. By producing the book we intend to tell the truth and expose the political situation around the case to the Japanese society confused and controlled by the political conspiracy of the government and the media. The book is also a reflection on our campaign in 2005 - the 60th anniversary of the end of the WWII - to demand from the Japanese government to bring justice to the victims and survivors of the wartime sexual slavery.