Petition: sign the Enforced Disappearance Convention

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, August 13th, 2008 - 12 comments
Categories: activism, human rights, International - Tags:

In December 2006, the United Nations adopted a major new human rights treaty, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance aimed at preventing and punishing ‘enforced disappearance’ – the kidnap and murder of political opponents by governments.

73 countries have signed the convention, 4 have ratified it. 20 ratifications are needed for the Convention to come into force.

New Zealand supported the Convention process didn’t sign it. You can help change this by joining No Right Turn‘s petition. Download the petition, collect as many signatures as you can, and post it back.

12 comments on “Petition: sign the Enforced Disappearance Convention ”

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  1. Crank 1
    13 August 2008 at 10:06 am

    The enforced disappearance of political opponents sounds like a good idea to me.

    We would never have to hear from that corrupt short arse Peters ever again.

    Captcha: Inches matter – I knew my wife was lying.

  2. Better Dead Than Red 2
    13 August 2008 at 12:05 pm

    Why won’t Klark sign it? Let me guess. Frightened of upsetting her Chicom general “free” trade mates. The murdering totalitarian phonies who are parading themselves as civilized human beings at the Olympics.

  3. Rex Widerstrom 3
    13 August 2008 at 12:25 pm

    The link to download the petition seems not to work.

    “Enforced disappearance” eh? I second Crank’s nomination for the first recipient.

    Oh you mean we’re petitioning against it…

    My captcha is “paper lasting”… a coded warning to Luigi, I suspect.

  4. Matthew Pilott 4
    13 August 2008 at 12:51 pm

    BDTR – why don’t you ask your small government and personal freedom mates over in the States? Reckon they won’t for the same reason?

    (It actually seems NZ is concerned that it isn’t consistent with other international law)

  5. Idiot/Savant 5
    13 August 2008 at 1:07 pm

    You can download the petition here. A brief FAQ is here. New Zealand’s excuse for not signing is compatibility with other international law – something which other countries which are strong supporters of international law (the EU, including the netherlands, the home of the international judicial system) don’t seem to view as a serious problem.

    And Crank and Rex, I’m disgusted. This isn’t a joking matter.

  6. Ben R 6
    13 August 2008 at 1:10 pm

    I guess most African nations won’t be signing?

    “according to Amnesty International, Zimbabwe does not figure in the top 10 of African countries for what it calls “horrendous’ human rights abuses; it comes instead towards the top of the second division for unlawful detentions, beatings, torture and executions.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/rod_liddle/article2511946.ece

  7. Robinsod 7
    13 August 2008 at 1:23 pm

    I’m with I/S on this one – I have a friend whose family lived under Pinochet’s rule and I doubt you’d be laughing if you’d had to spend some time in fear for your life…

  8. Alex 8
    13 August 2008 at 1:30 pm

    Sign the petition, because, shit man, thats reallly gonna put the fear of God into every totalitarian regime in the world.

  9. Better Dead Than Red 9
    13 August 2008 at 1:35 pm

    “BDTR – why don’t you ask your small government and personal freedom mates over in the States? Reckon they won’t for the same reason?”

    They’re not “small government personal freedom”. The US is as fucked up with socialism as any western country. With big spending gummints, (no child left behind, universal state health care primed to run, etc) and with communists like Nancy Pelosi in control of the senate, as deep in the dark chasm of Stalinism and totalitarianism as anywhere the left have become socially ascendant.

    The reason the US haven’t signed the petition I could only guess at. I know why I wouldn’t sign it. Most of the people who run the UN are the very criminals who carry out the kind of acts the petition is targeted on. The UN too is dominated by totalitarian leftists, and has no real credibility as a world governmental body. Not with people who value individual rights, property rights and liberty that is. The UN today is just another deceitful political device, a tool of the global socialists. Its worthless.

  10. Idiot/Savant 10
    13 August 2008 at 2:14 pm

    BenR: If you look at the map (here), you’ll note that a fair chunk of Africa – basically the part that used to be French – has signed. South Africa is supposed to be signing soon.

    Obviously, Zimbabwe is not a signatory.

    Alex: the point of signing the petition is to get NZ to sign and ratify the Convention. And the point of NZ signing and ratifying is to strenghten the international norm against forced disappearance, and to shrink the safe space in which those responsible can escape justice. It’s a small step, but still a worthy goal.

  11. Rex Widerstrom 11
    13 August 2008 at 5:03 pm

    I think those of you with clenched sphincters will find that people living under totalitarian regimes find humour to be one of the safer means of subverting the very fear of which you speak.

    Having been dragged from my bed one morning and frog-marched off, not to mention confined in appalling conditions where I was indeed in fear of my life (I saw two attempted murders and countless assaults), isolated from everyone I knew, and all for no good reason, I probably have more idea than I/S or Robinsod of what it’s like. So don’t get precious with me.

    And I have every sympathy for those who endure, or have endured, much worse. That’s why I was looking for the petition link.

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