Castlegar News sepiember20, 1987

Amnesty group says
human rights abused

LONDON (AP) — Amnesty International said today
it received reports of human-rights abuses last year from
129 countries, including four-fifths of the members of the
United Nations and every political ideology.

In its annual survey, the London-based, human-
rights group accused the world’s richest countries, parti
cularly in North America and Western Europe, of
ignoring the plight of refugees and turning them away in
increasing numbers.

The 400-page report includes thousands of alle-
gations ranging from jailing of draft-evaders in many
European countries to torture and mass-killings in Latin
America, Africa, Asis and the Middle East.

It alleges the massacre of more than 150 prisoners by
Peruvian security forees, executions by stoning of eight

"It alleges the massacre
of more than 150
prisoners by Peruvian
security forces ...'

people in Iran and amputation as punishment in Saudi
Arabia.

In summary of the report, Amnesty said: “Govern
ments of every political persuasion have imprisoned their
citizens for holding dissenting views, tried them unfairly
or detained them without any trial at all, often in
appalling conditions.

STONES TO DEATH

“Victims have also “disappeared,” or been tortured
or subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment that
included judicial whippings and mutilations. Hundreds of
others have been put to death by being stoned, having
their heads cut off, or by being hanged, shot, gassed,
poisoned or electrocuted.”

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty as
cruel and inhuman punishment and a violation of the right
to life. It cited the United States for carrying out 18
executions in 1986 and said a record 1,838 prisoners were
on U.S. death rows by the end of the year.

Worldwide, 743 prisoners were known to have been

executed in 39 countries last year and 1,272 were
sentenced to death in 67 countries, the report said. It =
the figures rep only

the actual number was “certainly higher.”

The 1987 survey gives a‘country-by-country ac-
counting of work by Amnesty International's more than
500,000 volunteers last year in 129 countriues, nearly all
of which belong to the 159-member United Nations. It
said omission of some countries does not necessarily
indicate absence of human-rights violations but could
reflect a lack of information.

The survey noted improvements during 1986 in the
human- rights records of several countries, notably the

i uganda, Zi Zaire and

GRIM VIEW

“While in 1986, we have seen encouraging develop-

ments; in reality, the report presents a very grim view as

far as human rights are concerned,” added Amnesty
International spokesman Carline Windall.

Amnesty said millions of people have fled
persecution from more than 30 countries since the
mid-1970s and are increasingly finding “doors to safe
have slammed in their faces.”

It said most governments agree with the principle of
taking in political refugees, but many have become
restrictive in granting asylum while contending the
refugees’ fears of persecution are exaggerated.

“In Western Europe and North America parti-

Human rights group
claims door closed

OTTAWA (CP) — Doors are slamming in the faces of
millions of people trying to escape repression in their home
countries, the worldwide human rights organization
Amnesty International says in its annual report.

“The international protection of refugees is becoming

gly difficult as g become more restric-
tive in granting asylum,” says the report, which examines
human rights around the world in 1986.

“Men, women and children whose lives are in jeopardy
are finding more and more doors to safe havens slammed in
their faces.”

The report released Tuesday cites hundreds of cases
where governments refused asylum to refugees fleeing
political or religious persecution at home.

The practice of closing borders to political refugees is
not confined to the Third World.

Amnesty found that in Western Europe and North
America “there is a growing tendency to treat increasing
numbers of asylum as ‘manife
contributing to “a real risk (of) unfair and arbitrary
decisions” on whether refugees should be accepted.

GETS TOUGH

In Canada, the arrival of two boatloads of refugees from
Sri Lanka and the Indian state of Punjab this year caused
the government to stiffen requirements for refugee status
and to increase penalties for those who attempt to circum-
vent normal immigration procedures.

Refugee support groups have complained that the
changes might result in some people being left vulnerable to
persecution in their home countries because they will not be
able to enter Canada.

The changes to Canadian refugee and immigration

cularly, there appears to be a growing | y to treat

are not in the report because they

increasing numbers of asylum i as
unfounded,” the report said.

In Canada, the arrival of two boatloads of refugees
believed originally from Sri Lanka and the India state of
Punjab this year caused the government to stiffen
requirements for refugee status and to increase penalties

were not proposed until recent months.

The report found evidence that industrialized demo-
cracies are endangering the lives of refugees by denying
them safe haven.

DEPORTS BASQUES
France deported rao to Spain where they faced

for those who attempt to ci normal i
procedures.

The changes to Canadaian refugee and immigration
regulations are not mentioned in the Amnesty report
because they were not proposed until recently.

political imp later produced
evidence that they had Rites tortured by the Spanish.

Britain imposed visa requirements on Sri Lankan
Tamils trying to escape civil strife in Sri Lanka, the first
time such a measure was imposed on a fellow Common-
wealth country.

The Finnish government returned dissidents to the
Soviet Union, where théy were subsequently imprisoned:

But there is no doubt conditions are worse in developing
countries, where poorly guarded borders often fail to stop
marauding armed forces from attacking refugee sanctuaries.

The report says refugee camps in Mozambique, Angola,
Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland have been attacked by
South African military forces which have killed unarmed
refugees and citizens of the country which offered refuge.

In some cases, Amnesty says, refugees are abducted by
the South Africans and taken to prison in South Africa and
Namibia.

EXCHANGE REFUGEES

The report also accuses Kenya and Tanzania of ex-
changing refugees “in order to bring their political
opponents back to captivity.”

‘The report contains critical entries on 129 countries, the
most ever.

Amnesty found evidence of torture in at least 31
countries, disappearances in 19 countries, deaths in de-
tention or illegal executions in 23 countries and cruel and
unusual state-imposed death penalties in 17 countries,
including the United States.

In more than four pages dealing with the death penalty
and other concerns about: human rights in the United States,
Amnesty found evidence that juveniles and mentally-in-
competent people were being put to death, that prisoners
had died in detention and that people were being prosecuted
for giving sanctuary to Central American refugees.

And it repeated its complaint that prisoners in the
Soviet Union are being mistreated despite the country's
stated plans to relax repressiom.

Hunter education
being called for

VANCOUVER (CP) — The vive its hunter education
British Columbia Wildlife course following the deaths
Federation has called on the of two hunters in less than

Thursday, October | through to Wednesday, October 7

of Wednesday, September 30, 1987

Supplement to the Castlegar News

provincial government to re-

two weeks.

i

t balance of fun and
" airs Sundays on

4

There hasn't been a successful
“Dol

variety show in years, but Doll
Parton is hoping her show w

strike the ri
song.
ABC.

Wayne Ferris, president of
the federation’s East Koot-
enay region, said “the woods
are not as safe as they used
to be.”

Ferris said he would be
speaking with RCMP officers
investigating the fatalities.

“The worse thing would be
for them to write these off as
accidents,” Ferris said. “We
want charges laid so that
these kind of mistakes stop.”

RCMP in Kimberley and
Fernie refused to disclose 4 ‘
details surrounding the
deaths.
— 5 In the most recent fatality,
Hon. William Vander Zalm, Premier. a Vancouver-area man was ‘. #235 ag

mistaken for an elk by a flit

@ @ member of his own hunting
party Sunday night near
Fernie. Names have not been 5 it Fee
released. 3
In the earlier death, oes i
George Commandeur, 22, of
Nelson was shot Sept. 18 in

the bush near Kimberley.
Charges are pending.

Ferris said it is unbe-
lievable that anyone could be
mistaken for an elk because a
hunter must first identify the
three spikes on an elk’s
antler before firing.

DON'T KNOW HOW

“In other words, people are
not identifying their targets
and that's because they don't
know how to. And there is no
reason or excuse for things
like this to be happening.”

Ferris said that until four
years ago the provincial gov-
ernment subsidized a comp-
rehensive, mandatory hunter
education course that cost

° $12 a year.
The plan for regional participation “Now that it's been handed
will establish eight development regions in British Columbia, each cee Wes aed ite tials
Weaning ofa grouping of regional districts. This will bring greater decision- watered down,” he said.
making authority to the regional level without setting up another level Stu Reeder, vice-president
of government of the wildlife federation,
OC We will appoint from Cabinet a Minister of State, with Parliamentary Secretary Sgteed, with Petrie.

é : oe “The training program has
support, for each of these development regions, with full responsibility to fallen down in the last few
co-ordinate development initiatives and provincial services in their areas. years,” Reeder said. “It's not
They will work with local government and private sector bodies. that the people teaching it

O We will re-deploy government resources freed up under our re-structuring aren't qualified, but due to
Program into these regions So that personnel can work directly with the private the cost, fewer and fewer
sector in new participation initiatives. people are keg iS

O We will all f $1 million to each of these eight regions to assist in a ee = feceretion

locate a sum of $1 million Se eight regions to assist i has been pressuring the
Start-up and ongoing operational development activities. government to “get the train-

O We will develop and implement specific, targetted incentives tailored to the ing program back on track.”

unique requirements of the individual regions. But Jim Walker, provincial

n . wildlife branch director, said

The Provincial Government has already taken steps to put this new the government doesn't plan

approach into effect...and there will be close consultation with local to resurrect the old program.
OLE ; : fit from . ’ In fact, the government plans ‘2 $3 5

groups on ways to gain maximum bene fro regional development to reduce the requirements 2 ally in ty

For additional information, you are invited to obtain a copy of Premier for obtaining a hunting li

Vander Zalm’s recent speech. It's available from the office of any cence. Under the proposed st £ qu i

Government Agent in British Columbia...or by writing: changes, prospective hunters

would not have to take a ‘3s fall
Premier's Office, training program to get a
Parliament Buildings,
Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4

. Good Credit

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In a speech to the Annual Meeting of the Union of B.C. Municipalities
on September 24th, Premier Vander Zalm outlined his new vision for
British Columbia. A vision that recognizes the special value of groups
and individuals in all regions of the province...their eriergy and ideas,
their hopes and aspirations for the future.

Utilizing this rich human resource calls for a greater regional
involvement in decision-making...less centralized control, with more
freedom and authority at the local level. This is a cornerstone of the
Premier's vision.

In the months ahead, British Columbians will begin to play a larger
role in setting priorities within their own regions. They'll be aided by
a plan of action that will help turn vision into positive reality...a reality
that will mean increased economic activity and new opportunities
for participation throughout British Columbia.

oe

‘dons building! $107 500. Excellence!

Highlights of the Premier’s
Commitment to British Columbians

‘but

con | beat the commercial valve of ths

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Siap must make
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P HOMES — $70,000 TO $90,000

“in the months ahead, as restructuring starts to
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in every corner of our province. Not to duplicate, not
to dominate, not to dictate, but to work with local
leaders to better serve our people and our regions.”

r, B.C.

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Selon: this property hos. good potenti. [for the woe litle price of only $44,
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“No initiative is more important to retaining and
improving our quality of life in British Columbia
than the re-structuring of government...and the
re-definition of its role. Only then can we begin to
sharpen the focus on our future...and to shape the
kind of British Columbia we want for ourselves
and our families??

Thursday, October 1 through to Wednesday, October 7, 1987

CLAN — This neat ottractive | COMMERCIAL INVESTORS — You'l irovel

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“Government will become a catalyst that sparks
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economic opportunities for people in all corners
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“This new drive to take government to the people
will not be confined to only economic issues
important though they are. We intend to apply the
same principles to health care, education, social
services, agriculture, environment, the justice
system, highways and consumer services??

From August 1986,
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or

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shaped wwvimming pool or your
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ram um they cn wae al

them and they can just take
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