[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 6


COUNCIL OF EUROPE:

CoE on abolition of death penalty ---- "EU at risk of duplicating Council
of Europe work:" Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe


The Council of Europe is making an all-out effort to abolish the death
penalty from the face of the planet and uphold the human rights of every
man and woman even in facing justice. Speaking to Tejinder Singh in
Strasbourg, Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe,
warned against risks of duplication of works in European institutions.

You took office in September 2004, 3 years down the road, how do you feel
the pace of progress?

We have come a long way in last 3 years. There have been reformative
changes in the administration of the Council of Europe. We have already
done a lot of reforms in resources with much more rigorous in our approach
to financial matters and we have been running some very successful
campaigns such as campaign against discrimination, campaign against
trafficking in human beings and campaign against domestic violence. We are
on a course, a process of becoming a campaigning organisation.

Death penalty: You are committed to its abolition and you commented
against Texas in strong words. What are your efforts to abolish the same?

I am personally against the death penalty. I voted against the death
penalty in the United Kingdom when I was a member of Parliament. At the
Council of Europe, we are united to oppose the death penalty. All our 47
countries have views against death penalty. In the USA, lets remember that
some states do not have it and when some states do execute.

I do comment on US executions as I do with Japan because they are observer
countries of the Council of Europe. Canada and Mexico are observer
countries as well but both Canada and Mexico have abolished death penalty.
Its still being used in Japan and some parts of US. Since its an agreed
policy of Council of Europe, I am authorised to comment when people are
executed in Texas.

You are cooperating with OSCE, UN and EU but it seems there is some
duplication in EU projects with regard to Council of Europe work. Will you
like to comment?

Our mandate is human rights, democracy and rule of law. We have activities
which support these and activities in education, in culture, in youth, in
sports and in social cohesion. These are what we call enabling factors and
its true we are very active in these fields. For example, sports, some
people are surprised at our activities in the area of sports. There is an
international organisation against doping and there is a doping agreement.

The Council of Europe organises the representation of Europe in that body
and it can not be done by the European Union because they only have 27
countries while we have 47. There is a great risk of duplication, I agree
and I am strongly opposed to duplication. Of course, there are some cases
where its not duplication but partnership.

There are many examples where we work in partnership but I will agree
there is a tendency, there is a risk of the European Union duplicating
what we do. Its against the interests of Europe, particularly against the
interests of taxpayers who will finally be paying twice for same work
being done.

You recently spoke of Commons Heritage of Europe. During a recent visit to
the Balkans especially Serbia, I found that Wahhabism, a fundamental form
of Islam that is exported out of Saudi Arabia, is spreading very fast
replacing centuries-old Turkish moderate form. Do you feel the threat of
terrorism taking roots in these areas and what will you like to suggest as
a remedy?

Terrorism comes not only from Islam or extreme fundamental form of it.
Lets be clear that terrorism comes from other sources also like the IRA or
some of the Basque people. We believe in intercultural dialogue. The
majority of Muslims are opposed to violence, opposed to terrorism. They
want to attract people to their faith, not impose it on them. Christians
share that point of view.

We need to have much more understanding at the local level, certainly to
encourage intercultural and inter-religious dialogues at national levels
but also at local levels. The fact is that a lot can be done by local
religious leaders, local priest, local rabbi and the local mullah working
together can lead the people who follow their faith to a greater
understanding of each other and to concentrate on real social evils.

You now mentioned intercultural dialogue. Will you like to comment that
some states like France are not allowing Sikhs to wear turbans?

As far as the wearing of turbans is concerned, we have the European
Convention of Human Rights and from time to time, people apply to European
Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, complaining that the human
rights are not being protected by the authorities in one of the member
countries. Some of these decision do affect the wearing of turbans. I will
not comment on a case that is going on before the court.

You have been invited to join Global Rapid Reaction Force. What are its
goals and what will you contribute to it?

It's a programme organised by Jorge Sampaio, the former President of
Portugal and now representative of the UN Secretary General to put into
practice Alliance of Civilisations. We are going to comment quickly and
take rapid reaction to events which take place and are damaging to people.
For example, the recent march in Brussels Against Islamisation of Europe.
Also some authorities try to ban gay pride marches. I am against all
discrimination. My personal motto here is "All Different, All Equal!"

(source: New Europe)