I have been a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians for almost five years, and sadly I am coming to the end of my term in May this year. I say sadly, because I strongly believe that the work of the Committee in defending the rights of vulnerable parliamentarians around the world is at the heart of what the IPU is about.
Ms. Ann Clwyd, MP |
As well as promoting better links and working relationships with our fellow Parliamentarians, the IPU is here to support the parliamentary process and to protect the rights of fellow parliamentarians. The IPU does this in a concrete way through the work of the Committee.
I think it might be helpful, if more legislators are to be involved in efforts to defend and promote the human rights of parliamentarians, to briefly explain how the Committee works. Its members, who represent every region of the world, meet for four days at least four times a year to review cases submitted to them. The Committee is supported by a small number of very dedicated staff.
After a complaint submitted to the Committee is deemed admissible, it is dealt with first under a confidential procedure. The Committee asks parliamentary representatives from the country concerned to appear before it to discuss the case. The Committee also takes evidence from other relevant sources. In addition, it can undertake an official in-country mission to visit the parliamentarians in question and senior Government officials, and take further evidence.
The confidential procedure has resulted in a lot of good work being done behind the scenes. The Committee's representations with government delegations have led, or at least contributed, to imprisoned parliamentarians being released, parliamentary mandates being restored, and investigations into disappearances and suspicious deaths of parliamentarians being opened and actively pursued.
The problem is that because of the very nature of the Committee's work "behind closed doors", most of its successes go unreported and unsung. It is only if no progress can be made or it is particularly serious that the Committee decides to go public with a case.
Having said that, there are many cases which are now public and which IPU members could assist the Committee with, by raising the awareness of parliamentarians in their own countries and regions, in order to lobby their Governments, regional organisations, and the Governments involved.
Solidarity is a very powerful tool. For instance, parliamentarians in prison are often strengthened and comforted knowing that fellow parliamentarians all over the world are working to have them released.
I remember going to see Leyla Zana, the former Turkish MP of Kurdish origin, in prison outside Ankara. The Committee pursued her case, and that of her fellow parliamentarians, for years, until her release. She was particularly moved when I gave her a card in Welsh for her birthday, which she happened to be celebrating that day. The prison guards, however, were suspicious, and asked to see the card. I explained that in Britain it was perfectly normal for the Welsh to communicate in their own language and that the card was simply one I had bought in Wales. They grudgingly gave Ms. Zana the card back: somehow I do not think the symbolism was lost on them!
Two other notable successes which the Committee helped to achieve were the release of the former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, and the political reinstatement of Megawati Sukarnoputri, at that time an Indonesian MP being persecuted by Suharto's regime who later became the President of Indonesia. Both of them personally thanked the Committee for its work on their behalf.
With the Committee becoming much better known over the years, its workload has already increased substantially. It may be timely therefore for the IPU to consider how the Committee can be better resourced and strengthened in the near future.
The work I have done as a Member, and more recently as Chair of the Committee during the last five years has been immensely rewarding. It has been a great pleasure to work with the Committee's dedicated secretariat, as well as its members. It has also been a real privilege to serve my fellow parliamentarians. And when I step down in May, it will not be a case of "out of sight, out of mind". I will continue to follow the Committee's work and enlist the assistance of my fellow British parliamentarians to raise awareness of the public cases being pursued.
