3rd Dublin Platform is a success
26 October 2005
Human rights defenders, Irish government ministers, NGO workers and EU and UN officials gathered in Dublin from Thursday 13 October to Saturday 15 October to attend Front Line’s 3rd Dublin Platform.
Human rights defenders from over 70 countries around the globe, participated in workshops on Front Line’s Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders, discussed ways of overcoming the numerous and varied threats they face and gave testimonies of their experiences.
Irish minister for foreign affairs and Envoy of the UN Secretary General on UN reform, Mr Dermot Ahern praised the “idealism and courage” of human rights defenders in the opening session of the platform. He offered a special welcome to Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, winner of the inaugural Front Line Human Rights Defenders Award. Dr Mudawi was arrested in his native Sudan earlier this year only a few hours prior to his departure to Ireland to collect his award from the President of Ireland, Mary Mc Aleese
Mr Ahern spoke of the importance of a stronger UN for human rights defenders and stressed Ireland and the EU’s commitment to the UN reform process.
“Resources are more important than rhetoric. We will continue to put our money where our mouth is. For many years now we (Ireland) have been in the top ten voluntary donors to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and this substantial support will continue”.
Director of Front Line, Mary Lawlor spoke of the human rights defenders who had been murdered for their human rights work since the 2nd Dublin platform – Pascal Kabungulu, Teresa Yarce, Sr Dorothy Stang and Munir. She referred to the “farcical situation” of imprisoned Tunisian human rights lawyer Mohammed Abbou who was sentenced to three years in prison for publishing on the Internet while the UN world Summit on Information takes place in Tunis next month.
Applauding people who defend human rights, Ms Lawlor said: “People who never know when they get up in the morning, what the day will bring and if they will still be alive that night and yet still be willing to put their lives on the line for others, display an exceptional kind of courage”. She urged all the participants not to waver in their determination to protect human rights and to “stay true to your values”.
The three day platform saw individual human rights defenders give moving testimonies of the work they do and the hardships, challenges and risks they face daily.
Somali human rights defenders Aini Abukar Ga'al was attacked by four armed men when she was nine months pregnant. She escaped and hours later and gave birth to a son in her hiding place under a rock. Zimbabwean defender Magodonga Mahlangu was arrested after a peaceful protest denied access to a lawyer, food or the bathroom and forced to sleep in a tiny cell on the floor next to a dead animal. Dr. Mudawi described the “ghost houses” of Sudan where prisoners including human rights defenders are imprisoned illegally and tortured. Cambodian defenders Chea Mony told of the brutal assassination of his brother, trade unionist leader Chea Vichea on a crowded Phnom Penh street last year.
The 3rd Dublin platform saw the official release of Front Line’s Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders, which was written and researched by Enrique Eguren of Peace Brigades International. There was also a presentation on “NGO in a Box,” which provides a package of tools and knowledge to assist human rights defenders in realizing and resolving some of the security issues in the digital world.
At the closing session of the Platform, Irish Minister for Development and Human Rights, Conor Lenihan condemned without reservation harassment of human rights defenders. He stressed the common objectives of human rights and development work, predicting that human rights defenders would play an important role in the framework of Ireland’s expanded aid programme.
Finally, Ms Hina Jilani, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Human Rights Defenders spoke of the importance of international efforts to protect human rights defenders and noted:
‘The adoption of the guidelines on Human Rights Defenders by the European Union is a positive action that promises support for them in policies of the member states and in more practical ways for their safety and security”
Front Line organizes a programme of activities every two years called "The Dublin Platform for Human Rights Defenders." The aim is to provide an opportunity for human rights defenders from all parts of the world to come together to exchange experiences and discuss issues related to their security and protection. Each of the first three Dublin Platforms brought together more than 100 human rights defenders from over 70 countries.