Page 23 - DIVA_2_2008_No.33

Tlien, of corirse, tlie i'iglits to Tliei'i thcre are corinti'y
food and access to safe situations. We attended the
drinlciiig water and sanitation special sessions on Myanmar,
are veiy impoitant as they Darfur, Lebanon and the

are essential to liealtli arid Palestinian Tei'ritories. We
11
well being. As we liave been liave hrimanitarian activities
workiiig a great deal in these ii'i all of tliose areas, wl'iicli
fields, we are interested iii mean tl'iat we follow tliese
tliese subjects too. Tlie debates as well.
Human Riglits of Migi'ants is Sometin'ies I take tlie floor in
another subject we follow, an inter-active dialogue on a
especially in liglit of a recent- specific stl>ject or inake a sta-

ly concluded a co-operation tement in tlie general debate,
agreei'i'ient with IOM. Then dependiiig on wliat is inost
comes tlie elimination of
tlie Magistral Villa on tlie protection and defence of approliriate.
violence against women. We
Aventiite Hill. luunan dignity, so this is tlie

liave a number of projects iii Q: Are you active only in
link to luunan i'iglits. If we
tlie Democratic Repriblic of developing countries
Q: Would you say that it paiticipate in tlie work of tlie
is mainly a humanitarian Hriman Rights Corincil, it is Congo wl'iere we liroyide help where there are human
to woinen victims of rape and rights issues?
organization? because tliere are a number of
aggi'essioi'i who are suffering
subjects tliat directly iiifluen-
fi'oin tlie terrible conseqrien- No, we are active in more
It remains a lay/religious cc orir work. We l'iave a long
ces of sexual violence. tlian 120 coruth'ies arorind the

order as it always was-tliat list of tl"ien'i since tlie Cormcil
world. For instaiice, we have
lias not clianged. We liave fii'iislied just last week. For
We are also concei'ned aborit a. lot of prqjects iit Gei'inany

botli lay and religious mem- instance, anytliing to do witli
the riglits of intemally wliere we nu'i liospitals,
bers in tlie Ordei'. Tlie original healtli is veiy iii'ipoitant for

displaced persons, becarise homes for tlie elderly, etc. Our
inission is cxactly tlie saine: ris. So yori liave a Special
TUITIO FIDEJ ET OBS- Rappoiterir on the Riglit of we liave joiiit prolects based biggest national associations
on agreements with UNHCR are to be found iii Eirope and
EQUIUM PAUPERUM - everyoi'ie to tlie enjoyment of
for tlie benefit of refugees and tlie United States.
defence of tlie faith and assis- tl'ie liigliest attainable
internal)y displaced
tance to tlie poor, tlie sidc and standard of pliysical and
persons. We worked qriite Q: How does the
tlie suffering-tliis has not inental care wliidi ii'icludes
actively with tlieii'i in tlie organization work?
clianged over 900 years. Wbal tlie riglit to public healtli,
Great Lakes Regioi'i ofAfi'ica,
lias changed over tlie centu- n'iedical care and social

iii the Balkans and also in We have a small goven'unent
ties is tliat tlie Order l'ias adap- sei'vices. In tlic same area, we
Asia, wliere tlie rigl'its of wliidi is based in Roi'iqe. Tlie
ted itself and contii'iues to do, l'iavc for a long tin'ie been
intemally displaced persons liead of the Order is the Grand
but Clbistian values and tlie involved in tlie fight against
arc veiy sh'ongly involved. Master. He is elected ainong
luunanitarian principles of malaria and hibercrilosis
the religioris members of tlie
iinpaitiality and independen- througl'i on-going huinanita-
As tlie figlit agaii'ist poveity is Order-for life, jrist like tlie
ce remain the foruidation of t'ian lirogran'unes in Afi'ica

at the lieart of the Order's mis- Pope.
its work. The Order today still and Asia. Leprosy also
sion, we are concerned by
lias liospitals, medical centres belongs to orir main areas of
luunan riglits aiid extreme There are four main
and is involved in helpiiig the interest-tl'ie eradication of
poverty. Furtl"iei'n'iore, tlie era- miiiistries in orir govei'nment:
poor in many counti'ies and in leprosy lias been on tlie WHO
dication of poveily is one of the Grand Chancellor, whose
providing einergency assis agenda for some time ai'id we
tlie eigl'it Millennirun office iiicludes those of tlie
tai'ice-all of wliid'i tliey have beeii concemed by tliis
Developinent Goals, so we nunistries of tl'ie Tntei-ior and
perforined in earlier ages, but matter for many cenhiries
are iiwolved in conti-ibutiiig to of Foreign Affairs w'tli the
on a different scale and in a already. It lias now also been
acliieving this goal. Tlien, of diplomatic service; the Grand
differei'it enviroi'unent. broright up at tlie Hun'ian
corirse, freedom of Hospitaller is in fact orir
Riglits Council because of tlie
opinion and expression and Minister of Health, Social
Q: The Order of Malt disci'imination against people
the elimination of all fonns of Affairs, Huinanitarian Action
has permanent observer witli )eprosy and their
intolerance based on and Inteniational Co-
status in the United families. Japan is tlie corinhy
religion or belief are subjects operation and Development;
Nations. Does this imply tliat is mainly beliii'id tl-iis

we follow closely, not least tl'ie Receiver of the Coininon
that you are also initiative. People who are
becarise we are a i'eligioris Treasure is tlie Minister of
involved in human rights affected by lel:irosy are arito-

order. We sti'ongly believe Finance; and tlie Grand
and other activities? matically discriminated
that eveiybody l'ias tl'ie riglit to Coi'i'unander is in cliargc of
against as tliey are
practice fi'eely tlieir own reli- religious aspects.
Chir basic i'nission is to considered as contagioris and

gion, inclriding tlie riglit to
guarantee people's liriinan ruiable to worlc anyinore. It is
change one's religion-a Tlie Order's organizations
dignity. Hriinan rigl'its are a in tliis liglit tliat tlie I-hunan
view tliat is not sliared by all worldwide are responsible for
necessai'y ineans for tlie Rights Corincil will lOOk iiito
n'ien'ibers of the Corincil! cariying orit its activities. We
tlie inatter.
2 2008 Diva 21
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