Brussels, 15/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - Three associations for the defence of human rights - International Federation of Human Rights (IFHR/FIDH), the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) - launched a joint appeal to the heads of state and government who attended the official launch of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in Paris on 13 July. They regret that emphasis was placed “only on economic projects”.
This attitude, they say, “shows a serious misunderstanding of the aspirations of the peoples of the region” regarding not only development but also the fundamental liberties that are practically denied to them. The three organisations point a finger of blame at the “presence at the summit of heads of state - mainly from southern and eastern Mediterranean countries - who are universally known for their record of serious human rights violations”. They raise the question of the choice of Hosni Moubarak of Egypt as co-president for a two-year period, and that of a seat (probably in Tunisia) for the secretariat “which could be in total contempt of the political situation prevailing in the countries”, endorsing dictatorial powers and contributing to greater marginalisation of independent civil society representatives who are fighting for the populations' fundamental rights flouted by their governments. (F.B./transl.jl)