(The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Rice:
We are writing to urge a significant increase in U.S. pressure on the
Government of Pakistan to end Martial Law and to release those who
have been detained or are under house arrest. This increased pressure
should include a strong, unequivocal statement from [U.S.] President
[George W.] Bush explicitly condemning Martial Law and the subsequent
arrests, and a cutoff of all security assistance until these
repressive steps are reversed.
Although [General Pervez] Musharraf has sought to justify the
suspension of the Constitution as a response to terrorism and
extremism, Martial Law has from the start constituted an attack on the
independence of the judiciary and on civil society. As you know,
[General] Musharraf has purged the Supreme Court of independent-minded
judges. The arrests have targeted moderate and democratic critics of
his rule: human rights activists, lawyers and members of opposition
political parties. It is critical for the United States Government to
condemn these serious human rights violations, and for senior U.S.
officials to express these concerns clearly and forcefully.
Senior U.S. officials, including President Bush, have criticized the
Emergency measures and called for a return to democracy. However, such
statements were not linked to any explicit statement of consequences
should the Musharraf Government fail to reverse the rapidly
deteriorating human rights situation.
The human rights community is in full support of effective and
appropriate multilateral counterterrorism measures. However, even
tacit support for this imposition of Martial Law in Pakistan can be
expected to set back efforts to address terrorism in that country and
throughout the region. Violation of fundamental human rights standards
and violent repression of non-violent critics of the government will
only increase popular support for militant groups. The imposition of a
state of Emergency by the Musharraf Government flies in the face of
the [Bush] Administration’s policy of supporting freedom and democracy
as an antidote to extremism.
We strongly urge you to send a clear, consistent and public message to
the Government of Pakistan. We also urge you to call for the immediate
release of those detained or held under house arrest, a rescinding of
the Emergency orders and any restrictions on press freedom, a full
restoration of the Constitution and the reinstatement of all judges
who have been removed from their positions. Without such measures,
free and fair elections will not be possible.
We urge you specifically to call on the Pakistani authorities to
immediately release the leading jurists and advocates now under house
arrest or in detention, including members of the Supreme Court and its
bar association, Chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan,
Asma Jahangir, and other officials of the Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan [HRCP].
Until these steps are taken and the rule of law is restored, all
security assistance to the Government of Pakistan, including military
assistance, should be suspended, to put added pressure on the
Government of Pakistan to meet its international human rights
obligations.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
1. Mr. Larry Cox, Executive Director
Amnesty International USA (AIUSA)
2. Ms. Karin Ryan, Director
Human Rights Program, The Carter Center (TCC)
3. Ms. Jennifer Windsor, Executive Director
Freedom House (FH)
4. Mr. Salih Booker, Executive Director
Global Rights (GR)
5. Ms. Maureen Byrnes, Executive Director
Human Rights First (HRF)
http://www.humanrightsfirst.org
6. Mr. Kenneth Roth, Executive Director
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
7. Mr. Gary Haugen, President
International Justice Mission (IJM)
8. Mr. Robert Arsenault, President
International League for Human Rights (ILHR)
9. Ms. Felice D. Gaer, Director
Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights (JBI)
10. Ms. Robin Phillips, Executive Director
Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights (MAHR)
11. Mr. Frank Donaghue, Chief Executive Officer
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)
http://www.physiciansforhumanrights.org
12. Ms. Monika Kalra Varma, Director
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights (RFKHR)
NOTE: The Human Rights Foundation (HRF - USA) - http://www.JusticeForum.info
– has endorsed this letter of America’s 12 human rights groups to U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.