Rights meet to focus on SEZs in Asia

Special economic zones (SEZ) will be the focus of a high-profile meeting on human rights being organised by Amnesty International as a prelude to the 14th SAARC summit conference here next week.

Interestingly, the contentious issue is being discussed under the banner of "Business and Human Rights.''

"The title is a deliberate attempt to avoid stereotyping of the campaign against SEZs that has been going on the country after its violent fallout in Nandigram in West Bengal,'' said a senior Delhi based-functionary of Amnesty International.

Nearly 30 activists from India and abroad are taking part in the meet in spite of the government denying visas to some key non-Indian speakers, according to the organisers. The one-day meet will be held on April 1.

The session on business and human rights would deal with the violation of human rights in relation to the SEZs in south Asia.

"We will deal with issues like to whom should the corporations be accountable and the need to follow the good human rights practices of the Dutch corporations, and try to find out what are the best ways to do business while honouring universal human rights norms'' an Amnesty official said.

Sources say Amnesty International is likely to release a detailed report on SEZs in India with focus on Orissa. Indian government has always ignored Amnesty's reports and its researchers are not allowed to go to trouble spots like Kashmir and the North-east.

The human rights watchdog also plans to release reports on China's anti-freedom laws. Another report it plans to release pertains to Guantanamo Bay and is likely to chronicle the repression under the US regime.

"These reports are being released on the eve of the SAARC summit since China and the US will be present at the summit as observers,'' an Amnesty official told Business Standard.