tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83544930633669121882024-03-06T12:02:24.643-08:00IN DEFENCE OF CHARLES HECTORIn Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-71297925361343282952012-01-18T11:39:00.000-08:002012-01-18T11:39:35.263-08:00Les dessous de l’externalisation en Malaisie<div id="logo"> <a href="http://webasies.com/"><img alt="logo webasies" src="http://webasies.com/wp-content/themes/webasies/images/logo.png" width="500px" /></a> </div><h2> </h2><h2>Les dessous de l’externalisation en Malaisie</h2><div class="post-6979 post type-post status-publish format-standard hentry category-articles tag-alterasia tag-malaisie" id="post-6979"> <div class="entry-meta"> <h4 class="entry-meta">Publié le 17 janvier 2012</h4></div><div class="entry-content"> <div class="shareaholic-like-buttonset" style="float: none; height: 30px;"><div style="float: left; margin: 0px 5px ! important; padding-top: 0px ! important;"><span></span></div></div>Céline BOILEAU (AlterAsia) | 17.1.12 |<br />
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<img alt="" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6980" height="442" src="http://webasies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/charleshector2-e1326546072481.jpg" title="charleshector2" width="600" /><br />
<h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>En août dernier, le procès de Charles Hector, avocat et défenseur des droits des travailleurs en Malaisie, s’est soldé par une condamnation pour diffamation. Le 15 décembre, une centaine d’organisations manifestent contre l’amendement de “l’Employment Act”. Entre les deux événements, il n’y a apparemment aucun rapport. Et pourtant… ce procès en cachait un autre: celui des sociétés d’externalisation de main d’oeuvre. Un cas plutôt embarrassant pour les entreprises françaises implantées en Malaisie, mais aussi un enjeu politique pour l’actuel gouvernement malaisien.</strong></h3><br />
<div> <div style="text-align: justify;">C’était en février dernier. Pour la première fois en Malaisie, une entreprise privée poursuivait en justice un défenseur des droits de l’homme. Son crime ? Avoir dénoncé les conditions de travail de 31 Birmans, victimes des pratiques d’externalisation de leur employeur.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Charles Hector est un avocat connu des travailleurs migrants. C’est donc naturellement vers lui que la communauté birmane s’est tournée lorsqu’elle a appris le sort de ses ressortissants, employés dans la filiale malaisienne d’Asahi Kosei, une entreprise japonaise d’électronique.</div><blockquote> <div style="text-align: justify;">Car porter plainte contre un employeur n’est pas simple pour les migrants <em>“leur visa n’est accordé qu’à la demande de l’employeur”</em>, explique Lateefah Koya, avocate malaisienne spécialiste de la question des réfugiés.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Et la situation se complique dans le cadre d’une externalisation : <em>“Lorsqu’ils portent plainte, on leur demande le nom de leur employeur. En cas d’externalisation, le nom ne figure pas sur le visa, les douaniers ferment un oeil”</em>.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Une plainte avait pourtant déjà été déposée auprès de la commission nationale des droits de l’homme (Suhakam) et du ministère des Ressources humaines.</div><blockquote> <div style="text-align: justify;">A Charles Hector, les employés déballent : “<em>menaces d’expulsion, non paiement des salaires, des amendes de 50 ringgits (12 euros) par jour d’absence pour un salaire journalier de 20 ringgits, absence de couverture médicale…”</em></div></blockquote><br />
<blockquote> <div style="text-align: justify;">L’avocat demande des éclaircissements à Asahi Kosei : <em>“j’avais prévenu l’entreprise que, sans réponse dans un délais raisonnable, je publierais les témoignages des travailleurs sur mon <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://charleshector.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="Charles Hector">blog</a></span>“</em>, précise-t-il.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Asahi Kosei réagit enfin: sans sommation, elle poursuit l’avocat pour diffamation, lui demandant pas moins de 2,5 millions d’euros.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Les mois suivants, plusieurs dizaines d’organisations des droits de l’homme (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/06/24/lawsuit-against-blogger-threatens-free-speech/" target="_blank">Human Rights Watch</a></span>, la <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.fidh.org/Libel-suits-undermine-the" target="_blank" title="fidh charles hector ">FIDH</a></span>, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://aliran.com/7340.html" target="_blank">Aliran</a></span>…) manifestent leur <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://indefenceofcharleshector.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">soutien à Charles Hector</a></span>, contre ce qui apparaît en premier lieu comme une atteinte à la liberté d’expression d’un blogger. Fin août, la justice tranche: elle condamne Charles Hector à verser 1 ringgit symbolique à l’entreprise et à faire des excuses publiques. Ce faisant, elle rejette le témoignage des 31 victimes… laissant présumer qu’elle cherche à étouffer une affaire gênante pour les intérêts commerciaux de l’entreprise.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em>Lire la suite sur <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.alterasia.org/201112162305/les-dessous-de-lexternalisation-en-malaisie/" target="_blank">AlterAsia, le site de l’information citoyenne en Asie du Sud-Est</a></span></em></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Illustration : DR/Clean Clothes Campaign</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source:-http://webasies.com/les-dessous-de-lexternalisation-en-malaisie/</div><div id="logo"> <a href="http://webasies.com/"><img alt="logo webasies" src="http://webasies.com/wp-content/themes/webasies/images/logo.png" width="500px" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div></div></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-6497233109245902012011-11-02T00:53:00.001-07:002011-11-02T00:53:29.356-07:00Malaysia Must Protect Worker and Union Rights, and withdraw proposed unjust amendments to Employment Act - Labour Suppliers Should Not Be Employers - (115 Groups)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><i><u><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Media Statement – 1/111/2011 (107 Groups), now 115</span></u></i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Malaysia Must Protect Worker and Union Rights, and withdraw </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">proposed unjust amendments to Employment Act </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">- Labour Suppliers Should Not Be Employers - </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We, the undersigned <u>115</u> organizations, groups and networks are disturbed that the Malaysian government has proceeded to table, and get it passed speedily on 6/10/2011 at the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representative) the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2011 despite protests from workers, trade unions and civil society. The proposed changes to the Employment Act would be most detrimental to worker rights, trade unions and the existing just direct 2-party employment relationship between worker and end-user (the principal). Malaysia’s action goes contrary to justice. In many countries employers have been wrongly trying to avoid/disguise employment relationships by way of contracts/agreements and triangular relationships, and Malaysia rather than fighting against this negative trend is now trying to legalize it, hence showing itself to be anti-worker anti-unions. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We note also that the amendments would result in discrimination at the workplace, as many workers at a factory, plantation or any workplace would end up being no longer employees of the owner-operator of the said workplace, also referred to as the principal or end-user, but would remain employees of the supplier of workers, known as ‘contractor for labour’. Workers doing the same work at the factory, would be treated differently in terms of wages, work benefits and even rights by reason of the fact that their employers are different. This will also go against the Malaysian Federal Constitution that guarantees equality of persons. We advocate that all workers working at a factory or workplace are entitled to be treated equally in terms of wages, work benefits, rights, union rights, reliance on collective agreements and other entitlements.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The proposed amendment would also destroy direct employment relationships between owner-operator of workplaces, being the principal, and the workers that work there producing the product or providing the services from which these principals derive their profits. A just employment relationship dictates that all workers should be employees of the owner-operator employer not some other third party labour supplier, whether they be known as ‘contractor for labour’, outsourcing agent or by any other name. The relationship must be a direct relationship, to the exclusion of all third parties, between the employer who needs workers to do the work to produce the goods of their business for profits, and the workers directly who provide the necessary labour as required in exchange for fair wages and other benefits. The availability of short-term employment contracts is another reason why there is no need to legalize triangular or other employment relationships in Malaysia through the creation of the ‘contractor for labour’.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">To fight for decent wages and rights, and to be able to negotiate and get better working conditions and other work benefits, workers at a workplace would generally come together collectively or as a union to be able to negotiate from a stronger position with employers, and this would result in agreements or ‘collective agreements’ between employers and workers (or their unions). If the amendments proposed become law, then many workers at the factory would effectively lose their rights to be able to form or be members of the trade union at the workplace, or the right to directly and effectively negotiate with the principal who effectively controls the work place, working conditions and benefits. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">If the proposed amendment becomes law, effectively it will also weaken existing workers and unions, by reducing their negotiating power for now when a strike or a protest in called, there will be other workers of other third party employers who will continue to work normally thus making worker struggle for better rights almost impossible. This proposed amendment is a ‘union busting’ exercises and allows employers to utilize ‘divide and rule’ tactics to counter legitimate demands of their workers and avoid employer obligations and responsibilities. Another unjustifiable proposed changed is the delay of payment of overtime and work on rest days by a month.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">With regard to sexual harassment, the new provision provides only for inquiry by employer even when the alleged perpetrator is a member of the management, a partner, shareholder and/or director of the employer’s business, and provides no clear right of appeal to the Labour Courts or the High Court. Note that other worker rights violations are currently all dealt with by the definitely more independent Labour Department or Industrial Relations Department. Remedy for the victim of sexual harassment is also absent, save maybe the right to resign without the need to give the required notice when the perpetrator is a sole proprietor. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC), which represents over 800,000 workers of member unions, who is also is the accepted workers representative in Malaysia, picketed calling for the withdrawal of the amendments on 3/10/2011, and apparently despite the Minister assuring them that the amendment will only be tabled at the end of the month, was suddenly rushed and passed at the Lower House of Malaysia’s Parliament on 6/10/2011. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Malaysia has the Private Employment Agencies Act 1971, whereby these agencies rightfully get workers for employers, who then pay them a fee for the service, and once workers are received by the employer, these workers immediately become employees of the said employer. The amendments will creates a new kind of labour supply companies who will continue as employers of the workers even after they start working at the workplace of the principal, and this is unacceptable. All companies in the business of finding workers for companies that need workers to produce their products or for their business must be private employment agencies, and must never assume or retain the role of employers.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">As the said Bill still needs to be passed by the Senate and receive royal assent, before it becomes law, we call on the Malaysian government to act in the best interest of workers and their unions and immediately withdraw this unjust proposed amendments to Employment Act 1955.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We call on Malaysia to immediately discontinue its policy of recognizing outsourcing agents, and act immediately against practices of some employers and outsourcing agents that try to avoid/disguise employment relationships to the detriment of workers and unions.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">We call on countries and regional bodies, companies, ILO, trade unions and persons to do the needful to ensure that worker and union rights, not just of local but also migrant workers, are protected in Malaysia, and that the employment relationship continue to be between owner-operator end user employers who actually need workers to do work and the workers that work there to the exclusion of any third party labour suppliers or ‘contractors for labour’. </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Charles Hector </span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Pranom Somwong</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">For and on behalf of the 115 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Organisations listed below</span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">:-</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Abra Migrant Workers Welfare Association - Hong Kong (AMWWA)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Abra Tinguian Ilocano Society - Hong Kong (ATIS-HK)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">ALIRAN, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">All Women's Action Society (AWAM), Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Asian Migrants Center (AMC), Hong Kong </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC), Hong Kong</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body - Hong Kong (AMCB)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Association for Community Development-ACD, Bangladesh</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Association of Concerned Filipinos in Hong Kong (ACFIL-HK)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Association of Indonesia Migrant Workers in Indonesia (ATKI-Indonesia)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Association of Migrant Child & Family,<span class="yshortcuts"> Bangladesh</span>.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">BAYAN Hong Kong</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Building and Wood Worker's International (BWI) Asia Pacific</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Burma Campaign, Malaysia </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Center for Indonesian Migrant Workers (CIMW)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Coordination of Action Research on Aids and Mobility (CARAM-ASIA)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Committee for Asian Women (CAW)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Community Action Network (CAN), Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA), Hyderabad, India</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Cordillera Alliance Hong Kong (CORALL-HK)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Democratic Party For A New Society (DPNS), Burma</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Dignity International, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Education and Research Association for Consumers Malaysia (ERA Consumer Malaysia)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Filipino Friends Hong Kong (FFHK)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Filipino Migrants Association - Hong Kong (FMA)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Filipino Migrant Workers' Union - Hong Kong (FMWU)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Filipino Women Migrant Workers Association - Hong Kong (FILWOM-HK)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Foundation for Women, Thailand</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Friends of Bethune House (FBH), Hong Kong</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">GABRIELA Hong Kong</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">GABRIELA Philippines</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Good Shepherd Sisters, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Health Equity Initiatives (HEI), Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Housing Rights Task Force, Cambodia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Human Rights & Legal Aid (LHRLA) Pakistan</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Human Security Alliance (HSA)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">IMA Research Foundation, Bangladesh </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">INFID (International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Institute for National and Democratic Studies (INDIES)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, Indonesia </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">JERIT, Malaysia </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Karmojibi Nari , Bangladesh</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kalyanamitra, Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kav La'Oved , Israel </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Kilusang Mayo Uno Labor Center</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Komite Independen Pemantau Pemilu (Independent Committee for Election Monitoring), Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Lawyers for Human Rights & Legal Aid (LHRLA) Pakistan</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Legal Support for Children and Women (LSCW), Cambodia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">LLG Cultural Development Centre, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Malaysians Against Death Penalty and Torture (MADPET)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Malaysian Election Observers Network (MEO-Net)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">MakeItfair</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">MAP Foundation, Thailand</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Maquila Solidarity Network, Canada</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">May 1st Coalition for Worker & Immigrant Rights, NY-USA</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Migrant CARE, Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Migrant Trade Union, Korea (MTU)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Migrante International</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">MTUC (Malaysian Trade Union Congress)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders, Nepal</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Network of Action for Migrants in Malaysia (NAMM)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">National League For Democracy (Liberated Area )[ NLD(LA)], Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Pakistan Rural Workers Social Welfare Organization (PRWSWO)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Peduli Buruh Migran, Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Penang Watch, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">People's Green Coalition</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Pergerakan Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Perkumpulan PRAXIS, Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti, Selangor (EMPOWER)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Persatuan Masyarakat Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan (PERMAS)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Pinatud a Saleng ti Umili (PSU)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Pusat KOMAS, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Quê Me: Action for Democracy in Vietnam</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABM)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Sedane Labour Resource Center/(Lembaga Informasi Perburuhan Sedane), Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Serikat Buruh Migran Indonesia (SBMI)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Shan Women Action Network (SWAN), Thailand</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Solidaritas Perempuan (Women's Solidarity for Human Rights), Indonesia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">SOS(Save Ourselves), Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Suaram, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Tenaganita, Malaysia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Thai Committee for Refugees Foundation (TCR)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: TH; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Filipino Women's Organization in Quebec, Canada</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-74863219522160966562011-11-02T00:41:00.001-07:002011-11-02T00:41:43.041-07:00Don’t legalize discrimination at work place (Free Malaysia Today, 28/10/2011)<h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></h1><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC98fpljygNNMobhQuPX7qLx5_1IZ-14kvg4D1GGQ9MoX3gHBdG-aglTs_ls4SEEirl3VG_tp_QqYzD-Aa8-iQhI6zs7f3wJahVcCwshR7PaM5dzjjZYiLZ8IvklOqASzDFbJ-UrnIh5k/s1600/fmt2-logo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC98fpljygNNMobhQuPX7qLx5_1IZ-14kvg4D1GGQ9MoX3gHBdG-aglTs_ls4SEEirl3VG_tp_QqYzD-Aa8-iQhI6zs7f3wJahVcCwshR7PaM5dzjjZYiLZ8IvklOqASzDFbJ-UrnIh5k/s1600/fmt2-logo.jpg" /></a></div><h1 style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Don’t legalize discrimination at work place</span></h1><div class="meta"><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/author/elsen/" title="Posts by Teoh El Sen">Teoh El Sen</a> | October 28, 2011 </div><div class="storycontent-post" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="summary" style="text-align: justify;">Civil rights groups here and overseas want the Malaysian government to withdraw 'unjust' amendments to the Employment Act 1955</div><div class="summary" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/06/23/less-rights-for-subcontracted-workers/workers-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-37321"><img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-37321" height="269" src="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Workers-300x202.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">PETALING JAYA: More than a 100 civil society groups locally and abroad have called for the government to withdraw ‘unjust’ amendments to the Employment Act 1955, ahead of a nationwide Malaysian Trade Union Congress(MTUC) picket on the same issue next week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a joint press statement 107 civil society groups expressed concern over the government’s actions to “speedily” table and passed the the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2011 on Oct 6 at the Dewan Rakyat, despite protests from various groups against it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The proposed changes to the Employment Act would be most detrimental to worker rights, trade unions and the existing just direct two-party employment relationship between worker and end-user (the principal),” said the group, which included the International Trade Union</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
Confederation (ITUC), representing 175 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has 308 national affiliates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A spokesman for the group Charles Hector said: “Malaysia’s action goes contrary to justice.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“In many countries employers have been wrongly trying to avoid/disguise employment relationships by way of contracts/agreements and triangular relationships, and Malaysia rather than fighting against this negative trend is now trying to legalize it, hence showing itself to be anti-worker anti-unions.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The groups noted that the amendments went against the Federal Constitution, which guaranteed equality of persons, as it would result in “discrimination at the workplace”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Workers doing the same work at the factory, would be treated differently in terms of wages, work benefits and even rights by reason of the fact that their employers are different,” said the statement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The statement stressed that workers in the same workplace should be treated equality— in terms of wages, work benefits, rights, union rights, and so on.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #993366;">‘Destroying’ ties</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The civil groups also said the proposed amendments would also “destroy” direct employment relationships between owner-operator of workplaces.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“A just employment relationship dictates that all workers should be employees of the owner-operator employer not some other third party labour supplier, whether they be known as ‘contractor for labour’, outsourcing agent or by any other name.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It stressed that such a “relationship” must be a direct relationship, and should exclude all third parties.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The availability of short-term employment contracts is another reason why there is no need to legalize triangular or other employment relationships in Malaysia through the creation of the ‘contractor for labour’ (system),” it added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If the amendments become law, then workers would also lose their rights to form or be members of the trade union at the workplace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This will subsequently affect their right to directly and effectively negotiate with the principal who effectively controls the work place, working conditions and benefits.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: #993366;">‘Union busting’ policy</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">This would also weaken existing workers and unions, by reducing their negotiating power, and in turn make workers’ struggle better rights wll become “almost impossible”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This proposed amendment is a ‘union busting’ exercises and allows employers to utilize ‘divide and rule’ tactics to counter legitimate demands of their workers and avoid employer obligations and responsibilities,” said the groups.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The groups also said the amendments further made unjustifiable changes to delay in overtime payment and work on rest days, as well as issues regarding sexual harrassment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“With regard to sexual harassment, the new provision provides only for inquiry by an employer even when the alleged perpetrator is a member of the management, a partner, shareholder and/or director of the employer’s business, and provides no clear right of appeal to the Labour Courts or the High Court.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Remedy for the victim of sexual harassment is also absent, save maybe the right to resign without the need to give the required notice when the perpetrator is a sole proprietor.”<br />
<b><br />
<span style="color: #993366;">Discontinue policy</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Currently, worker rights violations are all dealt with by the “definitely more independent” Labour Department or Industrial Relations Department.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We call on Malaysia to immediately discontinue its policy of recognizing outsourcing agents, and act immediately against practices of some employers and outsourcing agents that try to avoid or disguise employment relationships to the detriment of workers and unions,” said the statement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The proposed Bill still needs to be passed by the Senate and receive royal assent, before it becomes law.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We call on the Malaysian government to act in the best interest of workers and their unions and immediately withdraw this unjust proposed amendments to Employment Act 1955.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It said that the country currently has the Private Employment Agencies Act 1971, whereby these agencies rightfully get workers for employers, who then pay them a fee for the service, and once workers are received by the employer, these workers immediately become employees of the said employer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“The amendments will create a new kind of labour supply company who will continue as employers of the workers even after they start working at the workplace of the principal, and this is unacceptable,” said the statement.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It also explained that all companies in the business of finding workers for companies must never assume or retain the role of employers.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The groups also called on countries and regional bodies, companies, International Labour Organisation (ILO), trade unions and persons to “do the needful to ensure that worker and union rights, not just of local but also migrant workers, are protected in Malaysia” - <a href="http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/10/28/dont-legalize-discrimination-at-work-place/">Free Malaysia Today, 28/10/2011,<span style="font-size: x-small;">Don’t legalize discrimination at work place</span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">** For the full statement see:- </span><a href="http://charleshector.blogspot.com/2011/10/107-groups-malaysia-must-protect-worker.html">107 Groups: Malaysia Must Protect Worker and Union Rights, and withdraw proposed unjust amendments to Employment Act - Labour Suppliers Should Not Be Employers (28/10/2011)</a></div></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-70336992348546340032011-08-30T01:35:00.000-07:002011-11-04T01:40:35.616-07:00Libel suits undermine the legitimate work of human rights defenders (FIDH - 29/8/2011)<div class="chapo crayon article-chapo-10590 "> </div><h1 class="h1 crayon article-titre-10590 "><img alt="Libel suits undermine the legitimate work of human rights defenders - Defamation case against human rights defender Charles Hector Fernandez ended with a settlement " height="125" src="http://www.fidh.org/local/cache-vignettes/L581xH125/30e02c324067392b99844f101527d2f2-9e3ab.png" style="height: 125px; width: 581px;" width="581" /></h1><div id="ladate_article" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">29 August 2011</div><div id="ladate_article" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="chapo crayon article-chapo-10590 " style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Geneva-Paris, August 26, 2011. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), expresses its concern about the outcome of the judicial case against human rights defender Charles Hector Fernandez, who was sued by a company for publishing information regarding the violation of the rights of 31 Burmese migrant workers in Malaysia.</div><div class="chapo crayon article-chapo-10590 " style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><div class="texte_article crayon article-texte-10590 " style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On August 25, 2011, the case against human rights defender </span><strong style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Charles Hector Fernandez</strong><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> before the Shah Alam High Court ended in a settlement between the defender and the company that had sued him for civil “defamation”. According to the settlement, Mr. Charles Hector Fernandez will pay 1 Malaysian Ringgit (less than one USD) in costs and the same amount in damages to the company, and will publish a half-page apology in the Malaysian daily newspapers The Star and Nanyang Siang Pau. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Mr. Charles Hector Fernandez was sued in February 2011 by the Japanese-owned company Asahi Kosei, in Selangor, Malaysia, for publishing information on-line regarding the violation of the rights of 31 Burmese migrant workers by this company management. Asahi Kosei Company was demanding a compensation of USD 3.3 million, in addition to a public apology, with the argument that these 31 Burmese workers have not been under their responsibility, as they were supplied to them by an ‘outsourcing agent’[1]. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Observatory sent an international mission to observe the trial against Mr. Charles Hector Fernandez and to investigate the situation of human rights defenders in Malaysia. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“The case of Charles Hector Fernandez shows how powerful corporate interests are taking on and silencing a human rights defender by his horns. Using exorbitant civil libel claims against human rights defenders reporting alleged corporate abuse sends a dangerous precedent with a chilling effect on the legitimate work of human rights defenders”, said Ms. Sudha Ramalingam, following the observation of the trial. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Observatory is concerned that the human rights defender in this case was left with little choice other than accepting a settlement having the effect of sanctioning his activities as a defender of the rights of migrant workers. For many years, Mr. Charles Hector Fernandez has provided vital legal assistance to workers and migrants seeking justice. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Observatory calls upon the authorities of Malaysia to put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders in the country, including through criminal or civil libel laws, and to ensure full conformity with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and other international and regional instruments ratified by Malaysia. The Observatory also reminds private actors including business enterprises of their responsibility of respecting human rights and exercising due diligence to avoid complicity in abusing human rights in countries where they operate. - </span><a href="http://www.fidh.org/Libel-suits-undermine-the" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Source: FIDH Website</a></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-44695339996892562552011-08-26T05:33:00.001-07:002011-08-26T05:35:09.934-07:00MALAYSIA: Human Rights Defender’s case closes<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>TH</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="yshortcuts"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">MALAYSIA</span></u></b></span><b><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">: Human Rights Defender’s case closes<span> </span></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">On the 25<sup>th</sup> August 2011 after an exhausting, expensive and exasperating six months Charles Hector and Asahi Kosei arrived at a settlement. According to the settlement, Charles Hector will pay RM1 in costs and RM1 in damages to Asahi Kosei. A further condition that Charles Hector has to satisfy is the publication of a half-page advertisement in <i>The Star</i> national daily newspaper and in the <i>Nanyang Siang Pau</i> national daily newspaper .</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">We hope that this<span> </span>court case acts as<span> </span>a wake up call for all stakeholders, including government authorities, international agencies, diplomats ,trade unions, business corporations,<span> </span>to urgently review<span> </span>mechanisms to<span> </span>uphold the rights of migrant workers and human rights defenders. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span> </span><span> </span>Although the court case is over the situation of migrant workers still requires your vigilance and Charles Hector as a human rights defenders still requires your support. He has already incurred considerable debt during this struggle. <span> </span>Now he must find a further USD7000 urgently to pay for the advertisements required by Asahi kosei within the next 21 days.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span> </span>Contribution can be making to:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara<br />
Bank account number: 107 246 109 510.<br />
Malayan Banking Berhad, Green Lane branch, Penang, Malaysia.<br />
(If you are outside Malaysia, please include the “SWIFT” code for our bank: MBBEMYKL)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><br />
Also, email to aliran@streamyx.com after making a donation to advise who it's from and what it’s for and the date of payment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span> </span>We thank each and every one of you for your support and<span> </span>trust we will<span> </span><span> </span>all continue to work in solidarity<span> </span><span> </span>for social justice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In Defence of Charles Hector campaign team </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-21822928620449415592011-08-25T20:34:00.000-07:002011-08-25T20:34:53.986-07:0025/8/2011 - Settlement Reached - Case Ends<div style="text-align: justify;">This morning, parties re-visited the question of settlement, and finally a settlement was reached, and the court recorded the settlement.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">In short, parties shall withdraw the action both in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, Charles Hector to pay RM1 as damages, RM1 as cost and also cause to publish in the The Star and Nanyang Siang Pau, half-page advertisements within 21 days, a statement agreed upon, which is also part of the entered consent judgment. (We shall post the exact wordings of this statement, if and when we get it, at a later date)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>* The cost of half page adverts in a newspaper, with national circulation, is very high - estimated about RM22,000. </b>For Star, it will be about RM12,000 and for Chinese Daily, it is about RM10,000</i>. Help is needed to raise this money, and we hope that you could send the monies urgently to the Defence Fund set up by ALIRAN (details at the top of this Blog page)</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-17057519030892137882011-08-24T18:36:00.000-07:002011-08-25T20:22:45.670-07:0024/8/2011 - Application for the judge to recuse herself made<div style="text-align: justify;">On 24/8/2011 - Christopher Leong (Counsel for Charles Hector) made an application for the Judge to recuse herself on the grounds that the judge had already made certain determinations/findings about the case, which should only made after the full trial, after the court had heard all witnesses, accessed the witnesses and heard submissions. He referred the court to the grounds of Judge's decision that was made on 11/4/2011 when she allowed Asahi Kosei's application for an interim injunction and dismissed Charles Hector's application to set aside the ex-parte order of 17/2/2011. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christopher Leong refered to portions of the judgment, and pointed out, amongst others,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">a) that the judge had made a determination that the information contained in the said postings were "unverified" ;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">b) that Charles Hector do not have a duty to highlight human rights violations through the blog</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">and that these determinations would affect the defences of fair comment on matters of public interest, and also the defence of qualified privilege.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christopher Leong pointed out that these were not mere comments, but findings and determinations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hence, these are not mere 'allegations of bias' based on comments made, etc - but on a fact that determinations have already been made on material points which would result on the inability to get a fair trial, more so in a defamation case, and now at trial the burden placed on the Defendant even before trial commences is so much higher - having to convince the trial judge that she was wrong, and this should not be. In a trial, the judge must be independent, and should not have made any determinations on facts and law until she has had the opportunity to hear and assess the evidence and submissions that is brought to the court's attention during the trial. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The hearing for recusal commenced at about 2.30pm, and after hearing submissions of both parties, the judge adjourned for the day, and said that she would give her decision the following day at 10.00am.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">** Recusal - an application asking the judge to excuse herself and not hear this case. Then another judge would be appointed to hear the case.</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-45109769229484175092011-08-24T01:55:00.000-07:002011-11-04T01:58:25.583-07:00HRW Letter to Japanese Ambassador in US (19/8/2011)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkuFU_aFLP7kdwjjk6zCpRqHVsU0QOv-LPDW8Gz1MlzWCarB0lPXWUPY25h6xHTAIIAickFQx2rfW14zeG80eU24MZBgWuhvUbV-WXzmxqe_YdblZoYhN016MCDtmiqMPQDKyQvic5NHy/s1600/HRW-+CHAKM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZkuFU_aFLP7kdwjjk6zCpRqHVsU0QOv-LPDW8Gz1MlzWCarB0lPXWUPY25h6xHTAIIAickFQx2rfW14zeG80eU24MZBgWuhvUbV-WXzmxqe_YdblZoYhN016MCDtmiqMPQDKyQvic5NHy/s1600/HRW-+CHAKM.jpg" /></a></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-42066827276658749722011-08-23T08:03:00.000-07:002011-08-23T08:03:49.575-07:00Court of Appeal dismisses activist's stay application (The Sun Daily, 23/8/2011)<h1 class="title" id="page-title" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Court of Appeal dismisses activist's stay application</span></h1><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span> <div class="submitted" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Posted on 23 August 2011 - 08:12pm </span><div class="article-byline"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Tan Yi Liang<br />
<a href="mailto:newsdesk@thesundaily.com">newsdesk@thesundaily.com</a><br />
<br />
</strong></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>PUTRAJAYA (Aug 23, 2011)</strong>: The Court of Appeal today dismissed an application filed by human rights activist Charles Hector Fernandez to stay a RM10 million libel suit against him at the Shah Alam High Court, pending the hearing of another application before the appellate court.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The quorum comprising Justices Datuk Zainun Ali, Datuk Zahariah Ibrahim and Anantham Kasinather also ordered Fernandez to pay RM10,000 cost to the plaintiff, Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the ruling, the libel suit is set to proceed today at the Shah Alam High Court before Judge Lim Yee Lan. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The court has set three days for the trial.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In submissions before the quorum, Fernandez's counsel, Francis Pereira said the application was made as hearings were pending in October for an application before the Court of Appeal over entering 31 Myanmar nationals as parties to the libel suit. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The 31 were said to be employees of the plaintiff in the libel suit, Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">"A determining factor would be who is the employer of these workers. Our argument is if the court is going to determine the employer of the workers, the workers must be made parties to the proceedings," said Pereira.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Asahi Kosei, an electronics and automotive parts manufacturer had filed the suit on Feb 14, 2011 seeking RM10 million in damages for six blog posts written by Fernandez related to the treatment of the 31 workers. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In rebuttal, Asahi Kosei counsel John Fam Sin Nin said that the application to make the Myanmar nationals parties to the proceedings was inconsistent with the earlier stand of the defence to call the 31 workers as witnesses.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking to media after proceedings, Pereira said that one of the counter-claims sought was a declaration that Asahi Kosei is the employer of the workers and is responsible for their welfare.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Based on that, we filed an application to add the workers as parties to the proceeding because if the court is going to determine who the employer is, the employees better be there," said Pereira. -<a href="http://www.thesundaily.my/news/121084"> The Sun Daily, 23/8/2011, Court of Appeal dismisses activist's stay application</a></span></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-63978534684348699662011-08-23T03:47:00.000-07:002011-08-23T07:48:27.982-07:00APPELLATE COURT DENIES STAY ORDER TO HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST (Bernama)<div class="yom-mod yom-art-content"><div class="bd"><h1 class="headline" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">APPELLATE COURT DENIES STAY ORDER TO HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST</span></h1><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">PUTRAJAYA, Aug 23 (Bernama) -- A human rights activist failed to obtain an order from the Court of Appeal here to stay the trial of a defamation suit filed against him, which was scheduled tomorrow.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Justices Datuk Zainun Ali, Datuk Zaharah Ibrahim and Anantham Kasinather dismissed Charles Hector Fernandez''s stay application and ordered him to pay RM10,000 in legal costs.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Japanese company, Asahi Kosei Sdn Bhd, sued Fernandez for defamation over his blog posts which highlighted the plight of Myanmar migrant workers working in the factory.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The Shah Alam High Court has set three days, beginning tomorrow, for trial of the suit.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Fernandez, who is also a lawyer, sought for a stay of the trial, pending his appeal to the appelllate court concerning his application to include the 31 migrant workers as defendants in the suit, which was rejected by the High Court.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The appeal is fixed for hearing at the Court of Appeal on Oct 5.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Asahi Kosei sought damages of RM10 million, claiming that six entries published in Fernandez''s blog contained false statements, resulting in the company receiving queries from its clients, demanding explanation over the blog entries.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Fernandez was represented by Francis Pereira and Sharmini Thiruchelvam while John Fam Sin Nin appeared for the company. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">-- BERNAMA [<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1156624805">Bernama, 23/8/2011,</a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://my.news.yahoo.com/appellate-court-denies-stay-order-human-rights-activist-090743758.html">APPELLATE COURT DENIES STAY ORDER TO HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST</a>]</span></div><br />
Also reported in <a href="http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/AppelateCourtdeniesstayordertohumanrightsactivist/Article/">New Straits Times, 23/8/2011, Appelate Court denies stay order to human rights activist</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_483600650"> </a><br />
<div class="shpanel2"></div><div class="shpanel2"><a href="http://www.mysinchew.com/node/62643?tid=4">MySinchew.Com, 23/8/2011, Appellate court denies stay order to activist</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/173907">Malaysiakini, 23/8/2011, Appellate court denies stay order to rights activist</a><br />
</div></div></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-65283411400885426432011-08-23T02:40:00.000-07:002011-08-23T04:16:46.544-07:00<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Mahkamah Rayuan tolak permohonan aktivis tangguh bicara</h3><div> </div><div id="dateline" style="text-align: justify;">23/08/2011 5:04pm</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">PUTRAJAYA 23 Ogos - Seorang aktivis hak asasi manusia gagal mendapatkan perintah daripada Mahkamah Rayuan di sini bagi penangguhan perbicaraan saman fitnah yang difailkan terhadapnya, yang dijadualkan esok.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hakim Datuk Zainun Ali, Hakim Datuk Zaharah Ibrahim dan Hakim Anantham Kasinather menolak permohonan Charles Hector Fernandez bagi penangguhan perbicaraan itu dan memerintahkannya membayar RM10,000 bagi kos undang-undang.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Syarikat Jepun, Kosei Sdn. Bhd., menyaman Fernandez bagi memfitnah berhubung tulisan dalam blognya yang memaparkan masalah pekerja Myanmar di kilang itu.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam menetapkan tiga hari bermula esok bagi perbicaraan saman itu.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fernandez, yang juga seorang peguam, memohon perbicaraan ditangguhkan sementara menunggu keputusan rayuannya di mahkamah rayuan berhubung permohonannya bagi disenaraikan 31 pekerja asing itu sebagai defendan dalam saman itu, yang telah ditolak oleh Mahkamah Tinggi. - Bernama - <a href="http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0823&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=Terkini&pg=bt_30.htm&arc=hive">Utusan Malaysia Online, 23/8/2011, Mahkamah Rayuan tolak permohonan aktivis tangguh bicara</a></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-56394436735726498512011-08-23T02:28:00.000-07:002011-08-23T02:28:32.168-07:00Court of Appeal dismiss stay application, ordered Charles Hector to pay RM10,000 as cost to Asahi Kosei , Full trial is commence from August 24-26 at Shah Alam high court<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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<div align="center" class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="yshortcuts"><b><u>MALAYSIA</u></b></span><b><u>: Human Rights Defender’s Case Update -23/8/2011</u></b></div><div align="center" class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>Asahi Kosei Sdn Bhd –V- Charles Hector Fernandez(</u></b>Case No: 22 NCVC – 173 – 2011) is before Judge Lim Yee Lan at the <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1314089784_1">Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia</span></span> NCVC Court at the <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1314089784_2">Shah Alam</span></span> Court Complex </div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Court of Appeal at <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1314089784_3">Putrajaya</span></span> (Civil Appeal No B-02 (NCVC) 1709-2011)</b></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Charles Hector</i></b> was represented by lawyers Francis Pereira, Sharimini Thiruselvam</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Asahi Kosei Sdn Bhd</i></b> was represented by lawyer John Fam, Freeda Santhiago, and Tan Tai Hwa</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Malaysian Bar</i></b> (Holding a Watching Brief) was represented by Daniel Lo</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;">*<b><i> Charles Hector was also present</i></b></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Court of Appeal (panel of 3 judges) dismissed Charles Hector’s <u>application to stay the proceedings</u> of the High Court until after the Appeal to the Court of Appeal is heard .The relevant appeal at the Court of Appeal was fixed for hearing on 5/10/2011.</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;">The main argument was that if a stay was not granted, and the trial proceeds at the High Court, then the appeal will be rendered nugatory. Why? Even if the appeal is allowed on 5/10/2011, certainly the 31 workers who would be joined as parties, they would be prejudiced because the trial had started. In a stay application, the court of appeal is not supposed to look at the merits of the Appeal fixed for hearing on 5/10/2011, they are not supposed to consider whether that appeal will be successful or not. The only question being whether stay be granted until after the appeal is heard and disposed off. </div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Not only did the Court of Appeal dismiss this application, they also ordered Charles Hector to pay RM10,000 as cost to the Plaintiff (Asahi Kosei). This was exhorbitant considering that even in a full appeal that the court earlier heard, the cost that had to be paid was RM5,000, and this was a simple small application which Charles Hector was forced to make when the Court of Appeal fixed the hearing date of the appeal on 5/10/2011 –</b> Lawyers did try to get this appeal to be heard before 24/8/2011 – but the earliest date that Court of Appeal could give was 5/10/2011, and that is what forced the need to make this stay application. After the hearing, before cost was awarded, the court asked the company’s lawyer how much they wanted, and they asked for RM10,000, and then they asked Charles Hector’s lawyer, who said that reasonably it should not be more than RM2,000 – and then the court made the order that Charles Hector pay RM10,000. One would have expected that the court would have asked the cost be some figure in between – but the Court of Appeal gave the company what they asked for. <i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">(Comment:- If the Court of Appeal was free to hear the Stay Application, it could very well have heard the Appeal on 23/8/2011 instead of fixing it for 5/10/2011)</span></i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;">Now, the trial at the High Court in Shah Alam is expected to proceed on <b><u>24/8/2011, 25/8/2011 and 26/8/2011</u></b>. </div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><u>Notes</u></i> :-</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Appreciation for the solidarity and presence of civil society representatives, members of the Burmese migrant community, a representative of the Finnish embassy who represent European Union (EU) ,and a representative from the Norwegian embassy, who also came on behalf of the European Union on 27/6/2011.Also present was Ms Sudha, from the Observatory on a mission to observe this trial, and also a Human Rights Commissioner.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Media was also present in numbers. </i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><u>Important Past Dates</u></i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>14/2/2011 – Charles Hector receives company’s lawyers letter of demand. </i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><i>14/2/2011 – Company filed court action, and applies for an ex-parte interlocutory injunction </i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>17/2/2011 – Hearing of application & Court grants ex-parte order</i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><i>21/2/2011 – Charles Hector receives order & court documents (becomes aware for the first time that Company had filed suit and applied for an order)</i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><i>4/3/2011 – 1<sup>st</sup> hearing date of Company’s inter-parte application for an interlocutory injunction.</i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">1<sup>st</sup> hearing date for Charles Hector’s application to set aside ex-parte order of 17/2/2011</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;">21/3/2011 – 2<sup>nd</sup> hearing date for both applications</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;">30/3/2011 – 3<sup>rd</sup> hearing date for both applications</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">11/4/2011 – <i>Court allows company’s application for interlocutory injunctions until end of trial, but narrowed it to just the said 31 named migrant workers, and prohibiting Charles Hector from communicating vide blog (<a href="http://charleshector.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1314089784_4">http://charleshector.blogspot.com/</span></span></a>) and twitting, and dismissed Charles Hector’s application to set aside judgment of 17/2/2011, ordering cost to be cost in the cost for the said 2 applications, and also with regard the order of 17/2/2011</i>.</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">25/5/2011 – Hearing of Charles Hector’s application to join the 31 workers as parties in the suit</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">10/6/2011 – Court dismisses Charles Hector’s application to join the 31</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">16/6/2011 – Charles Hector appeals to the Court of Appeal with regard 10/6 decision</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">20/6/2011 – Charles Hector files stay of proceeding pending appeal application</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">24/6/2011 – Court hears the application for stay of proceedings</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">27/6/2011 – High Court dismisses stay application – but then grants adjournment of full trial.</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">9/8/2011 - Court of Appeal fixes appeal to be heard on 5/10/2011 (forcing the need to file an application to stay proceedings at the Court of Appeal)</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;">23/8/2011 – Court of Appeal dismisses stay application and orders Charles Hector to pay cost of RM10,000.</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal"><b><u>Next date</u></b>: Tria<i>l dates are now fixed for – <b>24, 25 and 26 August 2011</b>)</i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u>URGENT NEED</u></b> – <i>We need volunteers who will be able to come and take down notes during the trial, so that we could circulate these so that persons who do not attend will also be know what happened in court</i> .</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Charles Hector, Human Rights Defender, Activist, Lawyer & Blogger is being sued by the company for defamation for raising information of human rights and worker rights violations of workers working in the said company on his Blog. Information circulated came from the 31 migrant workers from <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1314089784_5">Burma</span></span>. Before any posting, an email was sent to Asahi Kosei for their response, which contained also these words, “If there are anything that you would like to correct, kindly revert to me immediately. …An urgent response would be appreciated. Failing to hear from you, I would take it that the allegations of the workers are true.”. The company did not respond, and subsequently commenced a legal suit 6 days later.</i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>The company’s main argument is that these are not their workers, but are workers supplied by an ‘outsourcing agent’. The company says that these workers are not on their ‘direct payroll’ …salaries are paid to the agent, hence they are not responsible for these workers, and for what happened. The company claims no knowledge of any termination or attempted deportation….or any ‘new agreement’.</i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Charles Hector is also of the opinion that once the workers are supplied to the company, then an employment relationship arises…between the workers and the company…A company must be responsible for all workers that work in their factory.</i></div><div class="yiv1848004610msonormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-24895128170214201102011-08-23T00:59:00.000-07:002011-08-23T04:02:32.584-07:00High stakes in Asahi Kosei v Charles Hector case <br />
<div id="content_div-30812"> <div id="dd_ajax_float" style="display: block; margin-left: -80px; position: absolute; top: 368px;"><div class="dd_button_v"><a class="DD_FBSHARE_AJAX_30812" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fanilnetto.com%2Fdemocracy%2Fhuman-rights%2Fhigh-stakes-in-asahi-kosei-v-charles-hector-case%2F&t=High%20stakes%20in%20Asahi%20Kosei%20v%20Charles%20Hector%20case%20%C2%BB%20anilnetto.com&src=sp" name="fb_share" style="text-decoration: none;" type="box_count"><span class="fb_share_size_Small fb_share_count_wrapper"><span></span><span class="fb_share_count_nub_top "></span><span class="fb_share_count fb_share_count_top"><span class="fb_share_count_inner">8</span></span><span class="FBConnectButton FBConnectButton_Small" style="cursor: pointer;"><span class="FBConnectButton_Text">Share</span></span></span></a></div><div class="dd_button_extra_v"><div class="st_email_custom"><span id="dd_email_text">email</span></div></div><div class="dd_button_extra_v"><div id="dd_print_button"><span id="dd_print_text"><a href="">print</a></span></div></div><div id="dd_name"><a href="http://www.diggdigg2u.com/" target="_blank">Digg Digg</a></div></div><div class="dd_content_wrap"><h1 class="posttitle" style="text-align: justify;"><a class="entry-title" href="http://anilnetto.com/democracy/human-rights/high-stakes-in-asahi-kosei-v-charles-hector-case/" rel="bookmark" title="High stakes in Asahi Kosei v Charles Hector case">High stakes in Asahi Kosei v Charles Hector case</a></h1><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>This is a hugely significant case that has not received enough attention and on which hinges the very definition of the employer-employee relationship.</strong> <span id="more-30812"></span></div><div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A Japanese multinational firm based in Malaysia, Asahi Kosei, has slapped a lawsuit on human rights lawyer Charles Hector after he highlighted on his blog the problems faced by 31 Burmese workers at its factory in Malasyia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The company is claiming that the workers are not theirs as they were supplied by an external contractor and that contractor is responsible for the workers’ wages and welfare. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from the definition of employee/worker, the case puts into focus the issue of whether a human rights defender should be protected when sounding the alarm about alleged rights violations. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tomorrow there will be a hearing in the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya at 9.00am on an application to stay proceedings in the High Court.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the In Defence of Charles Hector team:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <blockquote>It will be an open hearing. The actual quorum and court number hearing this application will normally be revealed later, usually on the hearing date – so need to check the notice boards on that day to know which court room the hearing will be.</blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote> If the Court of Appeal allows this stay application, then the trial at the Shah Alam High Court, now fixed for 24-26 August 2011 will be adjourned until after the Appeal that has been filed on the question of whether the 31 affected Burmese migrant workers be joined as parties, which is now fixed for hearing on 5 October 2011 is heard and disposed off. The Court of Appeal normally will make a decision on the same day of the hearing, i.e. on 23 August 2011.</blockquote><br />
<blockquote> If the stay applied for is not granted by the Court of Appeal, then the trial at the High Court in Shah Alam is expected to proceed beginning the following day, i.e. 24-26 August 2011. </blockquote></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, various groups around the world have already approached the Japanese embassies in their respective countries to express concern. See the <a href="http://indefenceofcharleshector.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" title="In Defence of Charles Hector ">In Defence of Charles Hector blog</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source: <a href="http://anilnetto.com/democracy/human-rights/high-stakes-in-asahi-kosei-v-charles-hector-case/">Anil Netto Blog, 22/8/2011 </a></div></div></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-24282642029685026302011-08-17T07:01:00.000-07:002011-08-17T07:01:11.131-07:00ATNC Monitoring Network protested at Hitachi in Hong Kong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo3GpLN2m96UHgCZ9Qk7lC8W_KTXtrHdk1iEaBk3qd-PfxIgf6S0DcZGy430R7wRwEm4AQHY10oCgjltcMyuxBwRTCbIWsFrgJdH5-3wW_K0OajqkxN4t4GFbXXaqr41L092-8uBufz1W/s1600/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSo3GpLN2m96UHgCZ9Qk7lC8W_KTXtrHdk1iEaBk3qd-PfxIgf6S0DcZGy430R7wRwEm4AQHY10oCgjltcMyuxBwRTCbIWsFrgJdH5-3wW_K0OajqkxN4t4GFbXXaqr41L092-8uBufz1W/s400/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">In Hong Kong, the ATNC Monitoring Network, mainly members from Labour and </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313588044_1" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">China</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> and Globalization Monitor, and SACOM went to Hitachi's office for protest this morning. </span><br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <br style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;" /> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> An Assistant Manager at Hitachi reiterated that it was not an issue in </span><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313588044_2" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hong Kong</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> and refused to respond. The group was disappointed that the spokesperson simply denied any responsibility of the Hong Kong Hitachi office. However, he promised that he will send our statement to Hitachi headquarters. A journalist from RTHK came to report the action. Hope that it will be on air. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxzuL7UxiMx13qJQtvgwA_XdgNhXr0sJ8XYMWKs_bSPwwGsCOV9c4i73c9WmIH7efSMyQPQ4F8OfA81m17ichs5o-yUoIFr472Q3FEri8i2xj8JdkfziBTFuI6_SPRVvxsglXmxD5k0MV/s1600/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzxzuL7UxiMx13qJQtvgwA_XdgNhXr0sJ8XYMWKs_bSPwwGsCOV9c4i73c9WmIH7efSMyQPQ4F8OfA81m17ichs5o-yUoIFr472Q3FEri8i2xj8JdkfziBTFuI6_SPRVvxsglXmxD5k0MV/s400/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> DROP THE CASE SAVE YOUR FACE</span></b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjla6ESY7vL04wff1IiJHB5ouL9QW0x6OqSabmbDqiwK4xY6TYmP2ij-AZSz5IATvDSbt64f6NTV1SKgHP5WJD1VKLDy7bl9dTec_V4dXp7XZylUgoaDj1sFR7wREvKT0b0Si8egaiIeOHN/s1600/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjla6ESY7vL04wff1IiJHB5ouL9QW0x6OqSabmbDqiwK4xY6TYmP2ij-AZSz5IATvDSbt64f6NTV1SKgHP5WJD1VKLDy7bl9dTec_V4dXp7XZylUgoaDj1sFR7wREvKT0b0Si8egaiIeOHN/s400/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i><u>Background</u> <br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>* Hitachi is a customer of Asahi Kosei, and Asahi Kosei is in the supply chain of Hitachi. All the workers whose violation of rights were highlighted by Charles Hector work at the Asahi Kosei factory producing the products of Asahi Kosei<br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>* Hitachi has their own Hitachi Group Codes of Conduct - where they also claim that they will select suppliers that respect human rights,....they also subscribe to the UN Global Compact, and also the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct....</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>- this is the reason why the Hong Kong group decided to protest at Hitachi </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGq4v3rtXrEjGyTdNXE4HpMj1gXP0_Y6_z4tgwNLlJipyS-wtMoa6d1b7EogDx4VdT7dYE9ngJld2UEMZTt5v2r2t-UB2oYNbuATxdiDcO-qvKxzox8fqDuferkw3DA3DkOP-m2EQBbIG/s1600/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGq4v3rtXrEjGyTdNXE4HpMj1gXP0_Y6_z4tgwNLlJipyS-wtMoa6d1b7EogDx4VdT7dYE9ngJld2UEMZTt5v2r2t-UB2oYNbuATxdiDcO-qvKxzox8fqDuferkw3DA3DkOP-m2EQBbIG/s320/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+C.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHEjCv-8rV_s12At0nr3EpZUj_BgVvhAmdkVzy0f-ASGDN16bgQgiZ-7P-KOEn2CGbVyltasR8jDCAaIDW91P5BGro_2KHZRox4Q5U4tQHs_i99k5BNhYVlAl5XcVW9u1IgSeiy8rkeGB/s1600/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRHEjCv-8rV_s12At0nr3EpZUj_BgVvhAmdkVzy0f-ASGDN16bgQgiZ-7P-KOEn2CGbVyltasR8jDCAaIDW91P5BGro_2KHZRox4Q5U4tQHs_i99k5BNhYVlAl5XcVW9u1IgSeiy8rkeGB/s320/Action+against+Hitachi+-+17082011+D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-16179131267031058642011-08-17T05:20:00.000-07:002011-08-17T06:14:06.250-07:00Chiangmai HR Defender Meet and Hand letter of concerns to Japanese Consulate - 17/8/2011<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Representatives of Human Rights Defenders went to the Japanese Consulate in Chiangmai on 17/8/2011 to protest the actions of Japanese company, Asahi Kosei in Malaysia, who has commenced a legal suit against Charles Hector, for his highlighting human rights worker rights violations that were happening to 31 Burmese migrant workers in the Asahi Kosei factory. They called on the Japanese government to get this Japanese company to drop the case, and focus its attention in ensuring justice for the migrant workers.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbBQ9HyE8mOWjBgmvstHpCq1WjSFaVpLo7M0CPGjyzNShViKgIGddbQ96UFgcqgq2BGtBCi6N-VRWfMEzZcT3aXpJQdmw_n9l3MSIaTd_Xn-8knQAAvlBiiaqSyS0PLu76BqhkW8fujO5/s1600/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+d+17082001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbBQ9HyE8mOWjBgmvstHpCq1WjSFaVpLo7M0CPGjyzNShViKgIGddbQ96UFgcqgq2BGtBCi6N-VRWfMEzZcT3aXpJQdmw_n9l3MSIaTd_Xn-8knQAAvlBiiaqSyS0PLu76BqhkW8fujO5/s400/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+d+17082001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSmFdQggANVOi8tjak48S5BWRWOIugC69oOqRcHr7ICuDdXYlgd7lGq3BCWP3iNcZl3HfiXI-YpKFsW_DQS9sqPM40gItAySfRqqPlRwTBs8zaFem6fgZIPswREjpj82YVr1n010GzriQ/s1600/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate-B+17082001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSmFdQggANVOi8tjak48S5BWRWOIugC69oOqRcHr7ICuDdXYlgd7lGq3BCWP3iNcZl3HfiXI-YpKFsW_DQS9sqPM40gItAySfRqqPlRwTBs8zaFem6fgZIPswREjpj82YVr1n010GzriQ/s400/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate-B+17082001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLf7ldXc_k30F0rNqjrAvDpNgdwAfAj7g5uTOgFz8NL3w4Y9St4LPBf1-DcdCe0909Bh6YocUXarM_rzbFC4WVWZEj4jXHCh7EPPbxBswX_gJAubL763g1Sm9ZoZqPXyZkow3axdIOBjYj/s1600/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+17082001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLf7ldXc_k30F0rNqjrAvDpNgdwAfAj7g5uTOgFz8NL3w4Y9St4LPBf1-DcdCe0909Bh6YocUXarM_rzbFC4WVWZEj4jXHCh7EPPbxBswX_gJAubL763g1Sm9ZoZqPXyZkow3axdIOBjYj/s400/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+17082001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><b>The letter that was handed over is as follows:-</b> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Mr Kazuo Shibata, Consul-General</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Consulate of Japan</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Unit 104 – 107</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Airport Business Park</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">90 Mahidol Rd PO Box 7</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">T. Haiya Chiang Mai University</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">A. Muang Chiang Mai 50100</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Chiang Mai 50100 Thailand</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> Tel: 66860904118</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">RE: Asahi Kosei USD 3.2 million legal suited against Malaysian Human Rights Defender, Charles Hector</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Attachments: 1. Background to the Case</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> 2. Statement Released by ITUC </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Dear Mr Consul General Kazuo Shibata,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We, organizations and individuals who work to protect and promote the rights of workers, migrants, women and refugees, write to express our deep and continuing concerns about the USD 3.2 million libel suited files by Asahi Kosei</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> (M) Sdn Bhd</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"> in Malaysia against Mr. Charles Hector, human rights activists, lawyer and bloggers by reason of his highlighting of complaints of 31 Burmese workers who were working at Asahi Kosei concerning human rights and worker rights violations.</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The Japanese government is not a party to this civil suit, but we are concerned over the 'silence' and ‘inaction’ on the part of the Japanese government, being also a member of OECD, as this will be perceived as implied consent and support of this attack by a Japanese company against human rights defenders, in this case Charles Hector for highlighting human rights violations.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We would also like to reiterate the Malaysian Bar’s call made on February 21 2011 </span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8354493063366912188&postID=1617913126703105864#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 16pt;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">, being the “call on Japanese authorities to launch immediate investigations into the authenticity of the allegations that Charles Hector has brought to light, and to act immediately to prevent the committing or continuation of any human rights abuses against migrant workers.”.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">We also call on the Japanese Government</span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">to support and uphold the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, commonly known as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 9 Dec 1998. In particular, we urge the Government to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of these human rights defenders from any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of their legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the Declaration.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">The next trial date is August 24-26 . The matter is therefore of great urgency. We, labour rights and human rights activists, sincerely request you to respond to this issue immediately and protect the right of Charles Hector and migrant workers to expose exploitative working conditions and to end the shifting of responsibility by Japanese companies that outsource.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Yours sincerely,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Jacqueline Pollock, Migrant Assistance Program, Chiang Mai, Thailand</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">(signed on behalf of the following organization and individuals):</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Burma Relief Centre</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Estelle Cohenny</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Foundation for Education and Development (FED)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Geoff Thant</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Hall Andy, I</span>PSR, Mahidol University<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Htoo Chit, Director, Foundation for the Health and Knowledge of Ethnic Labour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Khin Ohmar, Coordinator, Burma Partnership</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> Lanna Action for Burma (LAB)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Omsin Boonlert</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Moe Swe, Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association (YCWOA)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Naing Aung, Secretary General, Forum for Democracy in Burma</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Reena Arora<br />
Sai Myint Thu, Secretary, Network for Democracy and Development</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Studio Xang Art for Migrant Children</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div id="ftn1"><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8354493063366912188&postID=1617913126703105864#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8pt;">http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/press_statements/press_release_defend_human_rights_defenders_and_safeguard_migrant_workers.html</span></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD-nhiQcItEH1lTbHtiBwZUJwIi8L5dmTLmfRoVPODeOpGL185YdKBPHmEdgqIFWsYwkmae89r3eH5-_TRBRkYXKn9BJYeNUSxa79wO4eE9LHsT28FSMiACxaAs6AchBMVJXJ7LmX2otg/s1600/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+B+17082001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGD-nhiQcItEH1lTbHtiBwZUJwIi8L5dmTLmfRoVPODeOpGL185YdKBPHmEdgqIFWsYwkmae89r3eH5-_TRBRkYXKn9BJYeNUSxa79wO4eE9LHsT28FSMiACxaAs6AchBMVJXJ7LmX2otg/s400/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+B+17082001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy2zcXVg_YaA_rYHIdiQDEZE_zN3OvzyC1Ph6cNSS43_ZG-5QBGnYLhrbLZh3juvt-XVQWZ3xPgdYdkQ0UQC2kh-e-3tIlAs9H6is9gffRgnRz1JHRBsSjR5Y2XUAV-XMalqx_i16nFDw/s1600/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate++e+17082001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy2zcXVg_YaA_rYHIdiQDEZE_zN3OvzyC1Ph6cNSS43_ZG-5QBGnYLhrbLZh3juvt-XVQWZ3xPgdYdkQ0UQC2kh-e-3tIlAs9H6is9gffRgnRz1JHRBsSjR5Y2XUAV-XMalqx_i16nFDw/s400/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate++e+17082001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><i><b><u><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8pt;">Report of the Delegation of HR Defenders from Chiangmai about the meeting:-</span></u></b></i></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"></div><div class="yiv921922473MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><u><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313584232_1" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">Chiang Mai</span> Activists Meet Vice Consul of Consulate of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313584232_2" style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">Japan</span>, Chiang Mai </u></b></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="yiv921922473MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This morning, 17<sup>th</sup> August, a delegation representing labour and human rights activists working with workers, migrants, women, refugees and children met with <span lang="EN-AU">Vice Consul, Mr. Takashi Kohama </span>of the Consulate of Japan in Chiang Mai. We presented a letter calling for the Japanese government to investigate the details of the<span style="color: red;"> </span>USD 3.2 million defamation case brought against human rights lawyer and blogger, Charles Hector by a Japanese company Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd for posting information about exploitative working conditions for Burmese workers in the factory in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313584232_3" style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">Malaysia</span>. The letter requested that action was taken to protect the right of Charles Hector and migrant workers to expose exploitative working conditions and to end the shifting of responsibility by Japanese companies that outsource. </div><div class="yiv921922473MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span lang="EN-AU">Vice Consul Mr. Takashi Kohama </span>expressed his concern regarding the situation. He said that in cases where Thai workers have been dissatisfied with working conditions of Japanese companies in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313584232_4" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">Thailand</span>, they have protested outside the Japanese<span style="color: red;"> </span>embassy in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313584232_5" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;">Bangkok</span>. Although these are cases between private companies and private workers, the embassy has tried to help a peaceful outcome to such situations. He asked for details regarding the contact made in Malaysia with the Japanese embassy and it was reported that the Bar Council of Malaysia was at that time in a meeting with the embassy. <span lang="EN-AU">Vice Consul Mr. Takashi Kohama </span>asked to be kept updated on the progress of the situation.</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="yiv921922473MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
Jackie Pollock, Director<br />
MAP Foundation <br />
PO Box 7<br />
Chiang Mai University, Thailand<br />
Tel: <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313584232_6">66860904118</span> <a href="http://www.mapfoundationcm.org/" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1313584232_7">www.mapfoundationcm.org</span></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4bz0XFjeUUuBNYAeZoJ1sIpng7wN6UW3lriliZeVCh1FGuarvTOOA3BiLcpmPyxznXOpS__MPLPPDqLTkndPCnRxcPeUTRP8dU_3CdPOHkqTz0Mhxkt8aYwSRRCxkLbgCpqIW6rzStxN/s1600/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+c+17082001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4bz0XFjeUUuBNYAeZoJ1sIpng7wN6UW3lriliZeVCh1FGuarvTOOA3BiLcpmPyxznXOpS__MPLPPDqLTkndPCnRxcPeUTRP8dU_3CdPOHkqTz0Mhxkt8aYwSRRCxkLbgCpqIW6rzStxN/s400/Chiangmai+Activist+Meet+Japanese+Consulate+c+17082001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8pt;"></span></div></div></div></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-63310742273242638312011-08-17T04:52:00.000-07:002011-08-18T02:57:06.223-07:00Thai Labour Activist Protest in Front of Japanese Embassy in Bangkok -17/8/2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/r63rGaWEewY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":1}" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}">More than 20 of Thai activist and unionist read statement and submitted letter of concerns on Asahi Kosei USD 3.2 million legal suited against Malaysian Human Rights Defender, Charles Hector to Mr.Yukihiko Kaneko, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Thailand, Even through the Japanese government is not a party to this civil suit, but we are concerned over the 'silence' and ‘inaction’ on the part of the Japanese government, being also a member of OECD, as this will be perceived as implied consent and support of this attack by a Japanese company against human rights defenders, in this case Charles Hector for highlighting human rights violations.<br />
(Japanese embassy Bangkok 17/08/2011 )</span></span></h6>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-37031539677673259302011-08-17T04:48:00.000-07:002011-08-17T04:48:16.629-07:00ITUC calls on Asahi Kosei To Drop Defamation Charges Against Human Rights Defender<h1 class="entry-title">Malaysia: Japanese Firm Must Drop Defamation Charges Against Human Rights Defender</h1><h2 class="soustitre">and Respect the Rights of Migrant Workers</h2><div class="image"></div><div class="image"><img alt="Malaysia: Japanese Firm Must Drop Defamation Charges Against Human Rights Defender" class="spip_logos" height="258" src="http://www.ituc-csi.org/local/cache-vignettes/L600xH258/arton9564-e519e.jpg" style="height: 258px; width: 600px;" width="600" /></div><div class="surlignable" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="chapo" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="date"> </span></b></div><div class="chapo" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span class="date">16 August 2011: </span>On February 14, 2011, the Malaysian subsidiary of Japanese electronics firm Asahi Kosei filed a $3.2 million defamation suit against human rights defender Charles Hector after he posted on his blog reports he received from Burmese migrant workers detailing violations of their labour and human rights at the company.</b></div><div class="chapo" style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div> </div><div class="texte entry-content" style="text-align: justify;"><b style="color: red;">The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) calls on the company to drop the charges, which appear to have no purpose other than to silence critics by threat of financial ruin. Further, the lawsuit has the potential to chill the speech of other workers and worker advocates who would otherwise speak out against violations of fundamental rights committed by other domestic and multinational corporations in Malaysia. </b> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">The ITUC also calls upon Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd to hire its workers directly, rather than through an outsourcing agency, and to respect Malaysian and international standards on both labour and migration.</span></span><br />
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Thirty-one Burmese migrants working at Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd alleged being paid wages lower than what was promised when they agreed to migrate to Malaysia; numerous illegal (and large) wage deductions; loss of cooking utensils, electricity and even accommodation for raising employment-related grievances; and being threatened with termination and deportation of workers when they lodged complaints about these violations. Hearing this, Mr. Hector intervened on the workers’ behalf, seeking additional information and a reply to the workers’ allegations from the company. Hearing no reply, Mr. Hector posted the allegations to his blog on 8 February to pressure the company to address workers’ complaints. The company filed suit against him six days later.<br />
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One argument that the company has put forward is that it is not responsible for the workers, as they are actually supplied to the company through a third-party. Although Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd does not pay the workers directly, the workers at the factory are under their direct control and supervision, and use the tools and equipment of the factory. There is little question that Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd is, under an objective assessment of the arrangement, the employer – regardless of the contract. Indeed, ILO Recommendation 198, which sets forth criteria for ascertaining the existence of an employment relationship, suggests that an employment relationship does exist in this case. Further, we understand that the outsourcing company through which Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn Bhd procured the migrant workers was not legally registered in Malaysia under the law regulating private employment agencies.<br />
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The court dates for Mr. Hector have been set for 23-26 August. <span style="font-size: large;"><b>The ITUC adds its voice to urge that the company immediately drop its defamation claim against Mr. Hector. The ITUC also calls upon the company to respect the rights of workers, regardless of their contractual status, and strongly encourages it to hire workers directly. </b></span> Further, the ITUC calls upon the Malaysian authorities to investigate the labour violations alleged and to take action accordingly. - <a href="http://www.ituc-csi.org/malaysia-japanese-firm-must-drop.html?lang=en">International Trade Union Confederation Website</a><br />
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<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>** The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 151 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates</i></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Also reported by <a href="http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid=%7B376d7d55-578a-4380-bdb4-3831883339ac%7D">Middle East North Africa Financial Network</a></i></div><br />
</div></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-32630566377126139192011-08-16T00:08:00.000-07:002011-08-16T00:12:20.623-07:00Charles Hector legal‘s case update & Important dates for hearing<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">MALAYSIA: Human Rights Defender’s Case Update - 16/8/2011</span></u></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
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</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Asahi Kosei Sdn Bhd –V- Charles Hector Fernandez(</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Case No: 22 NCVC – 173 – 2011) is before Judge Lim Yee Lan at the Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia NCVC Court at the Shah Alam Court Complex </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Court of Appeal at Putrajaya (Civil Appeal No B-02 (NCVC) 1709-2011)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Hearing of Charles Hector’s <u>application to stay the proceedings</u> of the High Court until after the Appeal to the Court of Appeal is heard and disposed of is now fixed for <b><u>9.00am, 23/8/2011</u></b>. It will be an open hearing. The actual quorum and court number hearing this application will normally be revealed later, usually on the hearing date – so need to check the notice boards on that day to know which court room the hearing will be. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If the Court of Appeal allows this stay application, then the trial at the Shah Alam High Court, now fixed for 24,25 and 26 August 2011 will be adjourned until after the Appeal that have been filed on the question of whether the 31 affected Burmese migrant workers be joined as parties, which is now fixed for hearing on <b><u>5/10/2011</u></b> is heard and disposed off. The Court of Appeal normally will make a decision on the same day of the hearing, i.e. on 23/8/2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If the stay applied for is not granted by the Court of Appeal, then the trial at the High Court in Shah Alam is expected to proceed on the following day, i.e. <b><u>24/8/2011, 25/8/2011 and 26/8/2011</u></b>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Notes</span></u></i></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We truly appreciate the continued support that have been shown, including through physical attendance and monitoring at all hearings, by members of the public, civil society groups, European Union and the Belgium, Norwegian and Danish embassies, and look forward to your continued support. We appreciate that the Malaysian Bar is holding a watching brief in this case.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Important Past Dates</span></u></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></u></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">14/2/2011 – Charles Hector receives company’s lawyers letter of demand. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">14/2/2011 – Company filed court action, and applies for an ex-parte interlocutory injunction </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">17/2/2011 – Hearing of application & Court grants ex-parte order</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">21/2/2011 – Charles Hector receives order & court documents (becomes aware for the first time that Company had filed suit and applied for an order)</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4/3/2011 – 1<sup>st</sup> hearing date of Company’s inter-parte application for an interlocutory injunction.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> 1<sup>st</sup> hearing date for Charles Hector’s application to set aside ex- parte order of 17/2/2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">21/3/2011 – 2<sup>nd</sup> hearing date for both applications</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">30/3/2011 – 3<sup>rd</sup> hearing date for both applications</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">11/4/2011 – <i>Court allows company’s application for interlocutory injunctions until end of trial, but narrowed it to just the said 31 named migrant workers, and prohibiting Charles Hector from communicating vide blog (<a href="http://charleshector.blogspot.com/">http://charleshector.blogspot.com/</a>) and twitting, and dismissed Charles Hector’s application to set aside judgment of 17/2/2011, ordering cost to be cost in the cost for the said 2 applications, and also with regard the order of 17/2/2011</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">25/5/2011 – Hearing of Charles Hector’s application to join the 31 workers as parties in the suit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">10/6/2011 – Court dismisses Charles Hector’s application to join the 31</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">16/6/2011 – Charles Hector appeals to the Court of Appeal with regard 10/6 decision <i>[Civil Appeal No B-02 (NCVC) 1709-2011]</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">20/6/2011 – Charles Hector files stay of proceeding pending appeal application</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">24/6/2011 – Court hears the application for stay of proceedings</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">27/6/2011 – High Court dismisses stay application – but then grants adjournment of full trial. New trial dates fixed on 24, 25 & 26 August.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9/8/2011- Court of Appeal fixes the hearing date of <i>Civil Appeal No B-02 (NCVC) 1709-2011 </i>on 5/10/2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">23/8/2011- Court of Appeal to hear application for stay of High Court proceedings until after the full appeal is heard and disposed off on 5/10/2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Next date</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Court of Appeal (Putrajaya) – <b>23/8/2011 (Hearing of stay application)</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Trial dates at Shah Alam High Court <i> – <b>24, 25 and 26 August 2011</b></i></span></div><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Court of Appeal – <b>5/10/2011 </b>(Hearing of the Appeal filed on 16/6/2011)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif";">Charles Hector, Human Rights Defender, Activist, Lawyer & Blogger is being sued by the company for defamation for highlighting information of human rights and worker rights violations of workers working in Asahi Kosei’s factory on his Blog. Information came from the 31 migrant workers from Burma. Before any posting, an email was sent to Asahi Kosei for their response, which contained also these words, “If there are anything that you would like to correct, kindly revert to me immediately. …An urgent response would be appreciated. Failing to hear from you, I would take it that the allegations of the workers are true.”. The company did not respond, and subsequently commenced a legal suit 6 days later.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif";">The company’s main argument is that these are not their workers, but are workers supplied by an ‘outsourcing agent’. The company says that these workers are not on their ‘direct payroll’ …salaries are paid to the agent, hence they are not responsible for these workers, and for what happened. The company claims no knowledge of any termination or attempted deportation….or any ‘new agreement’.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif";">Charles Hector is also of the opinion that once the workers are supplied to the company, then an employment relationship arises…between the workers and the company…and A company must be responsible for all workers that work in their factory.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-7566319081234482232011-08-15T20:28:00.000-07:002011-08-15T23:10:42.981-07:00Please attend the hearing to support Charles Hector and 31 workers<m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow; color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">*** The next hearing will be on August 23 (morning) at</span></b><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24pt;"> the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya</span></b><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow; color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">… time 9 am </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% yellow; color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 24pt;">The full trial schedule on August 24-26 in Sha Alam high court ****</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-9892104324878332352011-08-11T00:00:00.000-07:002011-08-11T00:00:34.585-07:00MALAYSIA: Human Rights Defender’s Case Update - 9/8/2011<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>TH</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Asahi Kosei Sdn Bhd –V- Charles Hector Fernandez(</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Case No: 22 NCVC – 173 – 2011) is before Judge Lim Yee Lan at the Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia NCVC Court at the Shah Alam Court Complex </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As you are aware, an appeal has been filed at the Court of Appeal with regard the dismissal of the Charles Hector’s application by the High Court Judge to join the 31 affected Burmese migrant Workers. This application was dismissed on 10/6/2011, and the appeal to the Court of Appeal was filed on 16/6/2011. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Thereafter, an application was made to the High Court to stay proceedings at the High Court until after the appeal was heard and disposed off by the Court of Appeal. This application was also dismissed by the High Court on 27/6/2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The trial then was supposed to commence on 28 and 29 June 2011, but the court allowed an application for adjournment by Charles Hector, and fixed the trial for 24, 25 and 26 August 2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We had hoped the Court of Appeal would have been able to deal with the appeal by then. Delay was also caused by the High Court in not furnishing the Grounds of Decision and the Notes of Evidence, which were material documents needed to be included in the Record of Appeal, before the Appeal was heard. At the end of July, finally these documents were available, and the Court of Appeal fixed 9/8/2011, as a case management date to fix the hearing date of the appeal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Mr Francis Pereira attended this appointment before the Registrar of the Court of Appeal, with several dates before the trial suitable for both parties, but unfortunately the Court of Appeal fixed the hearing date of the appeal on 5/10/2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Given the fact that the trial dates are fixed for 24, 25 and 26 August, it has now forced us to make an urgent application to the Court of Appeal for an order staying the trial at the High Court until after the appeal is heard and disposed off. We had hoped to avoid this application, but now there is no choice. The lawyers of Charles Hector are now rushing to file this application in court, and hope for a quick hearing date before the 24/8/2011.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span> </span>It is important for these workers, after being joined as parties, would also have the right put in claims who is the real employer, and the obligations that Asahi Kosei has towards these workers against Asahi Kosei. One of the key issues that the court will have decide on is the question of</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Appeal at the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, had been given the following number, Civil Appeal No B-02 (NCVC) 1709-2011</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Charles Hector</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> was represented by lawyers Francis Pereira, who also mentioned on behalf of Asahi Kosei’s lawyers at the appointment before the Registrar on 9/8/2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Notes</span></u></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> :-</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Appreciation for the solidarity and presence of civil society representatives and a representative of the Danish embassy, who also came on behalf of the European Union on 27/6/2011.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Appreciation also to the potential witnesses, who had made time and were ready to be in court as potential witnesses for Charles Hector on 28 and 29 June. Sorry for all inconvenience caused.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Important Past Dates</span></u></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">14/2/2011 – Charles Hector receives company’s lawyers letter of demand. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">14/2/2011 – Company filed court action, and applies for an ex-parte interlocutory injunction </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">17/2/2011 – Hearing of application & Court grants ex-parte order</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">21/2/2011 – Charles Hector receives order & court documents (becomes aware for the first time that Company had filed suit and applied for an order)</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">4/3/2011 – 1<sup>st</sup> hearing date of Company’s inter-parte application for an interlocutory injunction.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1<sup>st</sup> hearing date for Charles Hector’s application to set aside ex-parte order of 17/2/2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">21/3/2011 – 2<sup>nd</sup> hearing date for both applications</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">30/3/2011 – 3<sup>rd</sup> hearing date for both applications</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">11/4/2011 – <i>Court allows company’s application for interlocutory injunctions until end of trial, but narrowed it to just the said 31 named migrant workers, and prohibiting Charles Hector from communicating vide blog (<a href="http://charleshector.blogspot.com/">http://charleshector.blogspot.com/</a>) and twitting, and dismissed Charles Hector’s application to set aside judgment of 17/2/2011, ordering cost to be cost in the cost for the said 2 applications, and also with regard the order of 17/2/2011</i>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">25/5/2011 – Hearing of Charles Hector’s application to join the 31 workers as parties in the suit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">10/6/2011 – Court dismisses Charles Hector’s application to join the 31</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">16/6/2011 – Charles Hector appeals to the Court of Appeal with regard 10/6 decision <i>[Civil Appeal No B-02 (NCVC) 1709-2011]</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">20/6/2011 – Charles Hector files stay of proceeding pending appeal application</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">24/6/2011 – Court hears the application for stay of proceedings</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">27/6/2011 – Court dismisses stay application – but then grants adjournment of full trial. New trial dates fixed on 24, 25 & 26 August.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">9/8/2011<span> </span>- Court of Appeal fixes the hearing date of <i>Civil Appeal No B-02 (NCVC) 1709-2011 </i>on 5/10/2011.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Next date</span></u></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">: Tria<i>l dates are now fixed for – <b>24, 25 and 26 August 2011</b>)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif";">Charles Hector, Human Rights Defender, Activist, Lawyer & Blogger is being sued by the company for defamation for highlighting information of human rights and worker rights violations of workers working in Asahi Kosei’s factory on his Blog. Information came from the 31 migrant workers from Burma. Before any posting, an email was sent to Asahi Kosei for their response, which contained also these words, “If there are anything that you would like to correct, kindly revert to me immediately. …An urgent response would be appreciated. Failing to hear from you, I would take it that the allegations of the workers are true.”. The company did not respond, and subsequently commenced a legal suit 6 days later.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif";">The company’s main argument is that these are not their workers, but are workers supplied by an ‘outsourcing agent’. The company says that these workers are not on their ‘direct payroll’ …salaries are paid to the agent, hence they are not responsible for these workers, and for what happened. The company claims no knowledge of any termination or attempted deportation….or any ‘new agreement’.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif";">Charles Hector is also of the opinion that once the workers are supplied to the company, then an employment relationship arises…between the workers and the company…and A company must be responsible for all workers that work in their factory.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-20204375927297685792011-08-04T17:59:00.000-07:002011-08-04T02:51:34.840-07:00Asahi Kosei libel suit against Malaysian labour activist Charles Hector<div class="component roundedElement" id="content-header"> <h2 id="page-title"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Asahi Kosei libel suit against Malaysian labour activist Charles Hector - June 2011</span></h2></div><div class="component document"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">In February 2011 the Malaysian subsidiary of Japanese machine parts manufacturer, Asahi Kosei, sued Malaysian labour activist Charles Hector for defamation for statements the activist had posted on his blog and Twitter page regarding the plight of Burmese workers at the company's factory. The trial has been set for 28-29 June. In the intervening period a number of NGOs criticised the company calling upon it to drop the lawsuit and address the concerns that Hector raises. <br />
<br />
On 23 June <b><u>Human Rights Watch</u></b> issued a statement about the case, which was reported by the Associated Press. That article states that Asahi Kosei was invited to comment, but declined: </div><ul style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/06/23/general-as-malaysia-defamation-trial_8530618.html" style="font-weight: bold;"><strong>"Company chastised for suing Malaysia rights lawyer"</strong></a>, Sean Yoong, AP, 23 Jun 2011 </span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></ul><blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">"...The Malaysian subsidiary of Japanese machine components maker Asahi Kosei has sued Charles Hector for defamation and is demanding...$3.3 million...in damages. Hector alleged on his blog in February that 31 Myanmarese factory workers for the company had experienced unlawful salary deductions and were threatened with deportation...Human Rights Watch complained about the large sum the company is seeking, saying it could 'intimidate labor and human rights defenders all over Malaysia.'...Asahi Kosei's representatives in Malaysia declined to comment, saying they want to wait for the High Court in Malaysia's central Selangor state to hear the case. The company contends it was not responsible for the workers because they were supplied by an employment agency and were not under the company's direct payroll at its factory on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. The company also said in its lawsuit that it was not aware of any attempted deportation of the workers..."</span></i></b></div></blockquote></blockquote><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">On 27 June, the eve of the opening of the trial, the <b><u>NGO Article XIX</u></b> made this plea to the Malaysian Court to consider Hector's rights to freedom of expression:</div><ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><strong><a href="http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2011/06/28/malaysia-blogger-defamation-case-cause-for-concern/">"Malaysian Blogger Defamation Case: Cause for Concern</a>", </strong>Agnes Callamard, Article XIX, 27 Jun 2011 </div>
</ul><blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">"Ahead of Malaysia human right defender and blogger - Charles Hector’s defamation trial on 28-29 June 2011, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Malaysian Court to consider the case in line with international freedom of expression standards. Given the fundamental importance of the right to freedom of expression, and its recognition in Article 10 of the Malaysian Constitution, ARTICLE 19 urges the Court to ensure that Malaysian defamation law is interpreted, to the extent possible, in a manner that respects Hector’s freedom of expression..."</div></blockquote></blockquote><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The following is a selection of earlier NGO criticism of the company:</span><br />
<ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://goodelectronics.org/news-en/international-campaign-for-responsible-technology/" style="font-weight: bold;">"International Campaign for Responsible Technology concerned by Asahi Kosei"</a>, Ted Smith, Coordinator, International Campaign for Responsible Electronics, 24 Mar 2011</div>
</ul><blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">"To: Asahi Kosei Japan Co. Ltd... I am writing to you regarding the flagrant human rights violations undertaken by Asahi Kosei against Malaysian labor activist Charles Hector...Before any posting [by Hector regarding the situation of the Burmese workers], an email was sent to the company for clarification/verification, which contained also these words, “If there is anything that you would like to correct, kindly revert to me immediately. An urgent response would be appreciated. Failing to hear from you, I would take it that the allegations of the workers are true.” The company did not respond, and subsequently commenced a legal suit six days later. The punitive lawsuit...accentuates the harsh reality of Burmese migrant workers in Malaysia...It is a matter of public interest to ensure the grievances of any persons whose human rights have been violated are heard. Without it, there is no access to justice...I would appreciate a reply acknowledging receipt of this letter...Sincerely, Ted Smith..."</div></blockquote></blockquote><ul></ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><strong>"<a href="http://aliran.com/5088.html">Malaysian Bar unanimously supports rights defender sued by Asahi Kosei</a>"</strong>, Aliran, 19 Apr 2011</div><ul></ul><blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"> “...the Malaysian Bar unanimously carried a motion in support of human rights defender Charles Hector....In the motion, the Malaysian Bar refers to... the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders...The Bar also references Malaysian law...The motion states that public interest places an obligation on any person that knows of any human rights violations to not just stand by but to take the necessary steps to see that such violations end, and to ensure that the victims do get justice. The Bar declares that ‘...it is best that the company does not continue to go after the ‘whistle blower’ but rather to commence the necessary investigations and...ensure that all rights of workers that work in the company are not violated, and justice is upheld’... [Includes full text of the motion]</div></blockquote></blockquote><ul style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.forum-asia.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2701&Itemid=42" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><strong>"Stop legal action against Malaysian human rights lawyer and blogger"</strong>,</a><u style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b> FORUM-Asia</b></u><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">, 27 Apr 2011</span></ul><blockquote><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) received information regarding a law suit being filed against Mr. Charles Hector Fernandez, a Malaysian human rights lawyer, activist and blogger over defamation...FORUM-ASIA believes that Mr. Charles Hector merely highlighted on his blog complaints of the 31 Burmese migrant workers and the allegation that they were paid far less than what was promised. Mr. Hector acted on behalf of the workers who are not familiar with their rights in Malaysia and helped them in lodging a complaint with SUHAKAM, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia...The defamation charges and the lawsuit filed against Charles Hector hinder him in his work as a human rights defender, advocating the rights of the 31 Burmese migrant workers. Rather than investigating and ensuring that workers’ rights are protected, Asahi Kosei (M) Sdn. Bhd. chose to sue the person who highlighted these violations..." </div></blockquote></blockquote><ul></ul></div>Source: <a href="http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/asahikoseilibelsuit">Business & Human Rights Resource Centre</a><br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><u>http://www.business-humanrights.org/Documents/asahikoseilibelsuit</u></div><br />
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<b>NON OF COMPANY INVOLVED HAS DONE THE RIGHTS THINGS PLEASE TAKE ACTION BY <a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/ford-chrysler-and-sony-dont-buy-from-factories-that-fight-against-human-rights">SIGNING THE PETITION HERE</a> :</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><u>https://www.change.org/petitions/ford-chrysler-and-sony-dont-buy-from-factories-that-fight-against-human-rights</u></div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><br />
<b><a href="http://www.thepetitionsite.com/319/--if-gte-mso-9xml-wworddocument-wviewnormalwview-wzoom0wzoom-wtrackmoves-wtrackformatting/">AND HERE:</a></b><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue; text-align: justify;"><u>http://www.thepetitionsite.com/319/--if-gte-mso-9xml-wworddocument-wviewnormalwview-wzoom0wzoom-wtrackmoves-wtrackformatting/</u></div><br />
<br />
<a href="http://http//www.thepetitionsite.com/319/--if-gte-mso-9xml-wworddocument-wviewnormalwview-wzoom0wzoom-wtrackmoves-wtrackformatting/"></a><br />
<br />
<b>The full trial is now fixed for August 24-26 2011</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisP1otsoOLIknuu48O77T6KrrZtzaflxbVm29hKFSxcrO3Y18_u50Dw94gAet2NhsC_Gkc4MVmXvhWOIAlmnzzaFSodhJtHWut8PKR34WPwoasfY8-FZFjQ3hs_4WXPcfX6keDKdtDF-35/s1600/05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisP1otsoOLIknuu48O77T6KrrZtzaflxbVm29hKFSxcrO3Y18_u50Dw94gAet2NhsC_Gkc4MVmXvhWOIAlmnzzaFSodhJtHWut8PKR34WPwoasfY8-FZFjQ3hs_4WXPcfX6keDKdtDF-35/s320/05.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-31601030991464515342011-08-04T02:25:00.000-07:002011-08-04T02:25:33.421-07:00El inquietante caso por difamación a un bloguero en Malasia (Global Voices - Espanol)<div class="entry" id="single"><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Esta es una publicación de la bloguera invitada, doctora Agnès Callamard, de <a href="http://www.article19.org/">ARTÍCULO 19</a> </strong></em>[en].</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Antes del juicio por difamación al bloguero y defensor de derechos humanos - <a href="http://charleshector.blogspot.com/">Charles Hector</a> [en] el 28 y 29 de junio de 2011, ARTÍCULO 19 reclamó a la Corte Malasia considerar el caso siguiendo los lineamientos de los parámetros internacionales de libertad de expresión.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Dada la importancia fundamental del derecho a la libertad de expresión y su reconocimiento en el artículo 10 de la Constitución de Malasia, ARTÍCULO 19 instó a la Corte a garantizar que la ley de difamación de Malasia sea interpretada, hasta donde sea posible, de forma que respete la libertad de expresión de Hector.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Charles Hector ha sido demandado por difamación ante la Corte Superior de Malasia en Shah Alam por la subsidiaria malasia de Asahi Kosei Japan Co. Ltd, una compañía electrónica japonesa. El caso de difamación está centrado en artículos que Hector publicó en su blog en los que manifiesta su preocupación sobre el tratamiento que la compañía da a 31 trabajadores migrantes de Myanmar. Sus hallazgos estaban basados en averiguaciones que realizó. La compañía, que ha obtenido ya una orden de interdicción contra los <em>posts </em>del blog de Hector, demanda perjuicios por 10 millones de RM (ringgit, aprox. US$ 3.2 millones).</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Aunque Malasia no ha firmado ni ratificado el Convenio Internacional de Derechos Civiles y Políticos y los parámetros internacionales sobre difamación no son formalmente obligatorios para el país, ARTÍCULO 19 considera que la garantía constitucional del derecho a la libre expresión en Malasia permite un amplio ámbito de interpretación.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">En particular, ARTÍCULO 19 instó a la Corte a reconocer que la carga de la prueba con respecto a la falsedad de las afirmaciones en el blog debe pesar en la parte demandante. Además bajo estándares internacionales aunque se haya demostrado que la afirmación de un hecho es falsa, los acusados en un proceso por difamación deben tener el beneficio de la defensa de una “publicación razonable”, conocida también como defensa de “diligencia debida” o “buena fe”. Por lo tanto, argumenta ARTÍCULO 19, Hector no debería ser hecho responsable si se establece que tenía la convicción de buena fe de la verdad de sus publicaciones.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">ARTÍCULO 19 considera también que dada la naturaleza de su blog, Hector debería beneficiarse del privilegio de publicación razonable garantizado en el Acta de Difamación de Malasia. Finalmente, de rechazar la Corte las defensas y hallar difamatorias las afirmaciones, el monto de los perjuicios debe evaluarse con criterio de proporcionalidad.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">ARTÍCULO 19 advierte que la compensación en la cuantía que la compañía busca habrá de generar un efecto coactivo sustancial en el futuro ejercicio del derecho a la libertad de expresión no sólo de parte de Hector sino también de otros medios y defensores de derechos humanos en Malasia.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Source: </span><a href="http://es.globalvoicesonline.org/2011/07/13/el-inquietante-caso-por-difamacion-a-un-bloguero-en-malasia/" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Global Voices, Espanol </a></div></div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-10420325187670859922011-08-04T00:56:00.000-07:002011-08-04T00:56:54.573-07:00IMF Calls on Asahi Kosei to Drop Lawsuit against Charles Hector (14/7/2011)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a 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xLBryVgWGyAIunz5cm5u7sKrGRsbk5GR+eWXX7q6utra2n755Ze9e/dWVFR0dnby8/P//PPP5ubmiYmJbLkNAACGh4cznjyxsbYWP3MGg0afEBE5c+pU7L17AADMOwUEQQ8SEjQ1NOYm0hQWFirIy8/LvYEHT01Nxd67d1ZCQkhA4KSoqIyUlJuLS05Ozvj4+HJeyqqqKmUlpXlUUMLj3755w+AoCIJynz07+bmR+9jRo/FxcWyJ6GSdDRAEJSYmrlix4vfff4cDUuYBlgF//vmnkpKSiIhIU1NTY2Pjb7/99ssvv9TU1Czjmv/vAsbHx5/n5zvY28vLyZkYGT1ISCh9+dLK0lJPV/fDnFy8uWhqalJAoysrK+d+CYJgaEiIibExvVe/p6fH3dUVg0ZHRUVFRUTo6+oqyMu7ubq+fv16UcGOBKOjo06OjsJCQrBR0svTc3x8nOlREAQ9TE4WOXZsnoRIfPBg+UsG62woLy/fsmXLunXrnjx5Qm9MV1fXoUOHTpw40draWllZuX///oMHDy5fhwRBsKOjIzwsTF1VVYdAiI+La29vB0HwTWWlEg4XeOkSvZ+VTCZbWlhcv3ZtoUyamJjQVFdPefiQwUkzMzKwCgo3b9wYGxv72NR0OzxcRUlJW0srPi7uU28vC3KOTCZHRUTgcbjs7GzkLzcAANFRUfOiJY4LC6c8fLhMWcsiG9rb2w8ePMjJyRkcHMx45IcPH37++WdRUdHdu3cfPnx4mXHJEAQ1NjT4+/risFhXF5eysjJ4BwpQKKmPH2PQ6JSHDxlY9zIzMtTV1ODMi4WorKhAy8n1MrQFffz40fjcOTtbWziqampqquD5c2tLS2U8/vq1awvXGqaAl7mlHjU7O3vJ33+eyipy7Njz/PylTjUXrLBhcnISg8FwcHDo6OjMFa1ZWVmLpp6Vl5fv3r17/fr1bxguikzR0d5+0ccHi8EE+Ps3NDTQBOPMzMzt8HC8ouLC6Ka5GBsbw6DRRUVFDMZc8PLyuXCB8Rs2PDzs4+2to61NW4xmZ2er3r497+mJVVC4Ghra39+/xDtjBUQi0cLcfN7O46ykJOOdB2OwwoaPHz/u2rULhULJyMjQ8gLKysq2bt0qLS296CEvX748ePBgVVUVa1cJh0LJy8r6XrzY0tIyV6gSiUR/X18dAqGpqYnxJOFhYXa2towFck93tyIGU83sOmdmZqIiIxXQ6LkjAQB4//69k6MjDouNi4ubW2PkC2Ggvx+LwcwjBF5RkeV0UFbYAEFQVVXV/v37OTg4xMTERkdHW1pafvnll40bN5aXl9M7amJigoVVDQTBFy9eqCorW5iZ1dbUzHuW09PTbi4uRoaGjMU7lUrt7OyUl5VtpLO1pAGCoMiICDtbW6aaJAAAaampMlJSRX/H4cEgk8nlZWW62toELS2mrFo+qqqqTp88OY8QFmZmrAV4Lo0Nc3et7e3tgoKCKBTqjz/+OHLkyIoVKxISEthrKx0dHfVwd0fLyT3NzFz4eKanpy3MzU2MjOjtA2iAICgkOPi8pyeSXffQ0JCKklJZaSnTkRAE5ebkyMnIlBQXz7vxmZmZ+/fvS0lKBl+58kXDcyAIio+PPyoo+JkVS0DgamgoCzrnEthAIpGMjY0rKipov+nw8LCUlBQc02ZoaMhG5ywAAEWFhRg02lBff1G5NzExYWdjY29nh+S3bmlpUcRg2traEJ494f59CzMzhCbIgufPMWh06cuXC9+Erq4uM1NTLU3NN5WVbLQYzsPMzIyDnd1C72h+Xt5Sp1oCG0JCQri4uNasWePm5kZzKIyPj+vo6KxYseK7777LzMxki2yYmJi4fv06FoNxdXHBKCgYGxklJSV1d3XR2DY+Pu7i5GRna4tEHkIQFBQY6O/nh/xdGRocVFFSoqX6M53/2bNniljsqwWrJJFIrKioUMRgzpw6dS8m5gsZ4KlUamdnJ1pObv6OUkJiqZl9S2CDk5MTLAY4ODj+85//ZGRkwL/v9PS0s7MzLy8vHL2yzJegu6vLytLS1NgYNksMDg5mZmRYWlgo4XAuzs5FhYU9PT2e7u5WlpYI7dm9vb3KSkr19fVLuoyYu3etLC0REgiCoMzMTKyCwrt376hUKplMbmluvnvnjoG+vjIefykgIOvpUx0Cwd3NbWRkZEmXgRxpqamwIWvux9bGZkmm9CWwYXp6Go/Ho1AoLi6ulStXrl692sjICFa7Z2dnr127tnbt2lWrVoWGhrJszK+tqVFVVg68dGnek6ZQKM3NzdFRUQRNTbScnPiZM9lZWQvz+RcCgqCYO3ecHB2XuooNDg4qoNH0DJqLnuh+fLwSDvcgIcHKwkIZj3dydMzPy6NF9A8MDDg7ORno6cEBYGwHmUy2trJa6BdN/rwiFmMsbRc5Pj4uJCTEycl54sSJv/76i4OD4+eff05KSqJQKAAAJCcnb968mYeHx9vbm4UtTOGLF/JycgkJCQzIFB4WhkGjvS9cUFVW1tLQiIyIaGhoYHCuqakpZTx+oQxHgquhoV7nzyMZOTo6mpeX5+ToKHLs2HFh4ejIyO7u7oVXRSKRrl69qozHv/ncLs4ufPz4caHHXPrsWeTG3yVrmJ2dnfv37+fj4/Pz87tw4QIvLy8PD4+ysnJraysEQcXFxTt27Lh48eKSNhAQBKWnpyvIyz/Lzmaw0LwoKJCRkqqvrwdBcGRk5Hl+vouTk6y0NEFL6+6dO42NjQtPmpOTo6OtzZqs6urqkjp7lsHSOzQ0lJWV5eLsLC8rq6ejcyc6urWlxdXFxdnJiZ7colAoDx48UMRgaFmB7MW1q1cX+kXtbG0RblmYs2HhT1xTUwPns2ZkZFRUVMBC4vvvv4+MjKRQKH19fUuK2YIg6PGjR2g5ubLSUgYcamxslJWWLikunvslCIJjY2P5eXnubm4yUlJ4RcXAgIDioiKag/GcoWF6ejryi5kHFyenqDkVJEEQJJFI76qrIyMiDA0MTp88aaCvf/fOndbWVhrhRkdHCZqat8PCGES2Pc3MlJGSKvzcUMEWvCovn6dtwutFBn1f0lwwYcPY2BgWi718+XJDQ8PcDfzz5883b968adOm6upqIpHo6uoK59e6ubkt6epBEExPS8MqKDD2avb396upqMTeu8dgzOzsbGVFRUhwsJaGhqS4uIG+vo+396kTJ+rfv5+cnJxdekEuCoVSVlqKQaNr3r3Lzsq6cvmykaGhlKSkEg53wcvrWXY2vSy/jx8/KsjLvygoYDB5SXGxjJTUS7ZKiKq3byXExBYNm5CXle1DoF8wYQOcDAPvHA8dOuTg4FBSUjI4OAiC4P3799esWfPrr7/CrpoXL16cOXNmSU4p+C3BoNGM/RckEsnVxcXT3R2hwIcg6NOnTwXPn6upqKDl5NBycspKSibGxuc9PCIjIjIzMspKS+vq6jo/R2tra2VFRUlxcXpaWnRUlL+fn52NjY62tsixYxJiYhbm5teuXs159qyzsxOJ0pSVlYXDYhlbiAtfvJCXlV3UULFUgCBYUlIidvo0vagqQX7+8Dm1lemBCRvgrAeYEDw8PJycnJycnPv27dPR0UlOTnZ3d+fi4jpz5gysOC11315cVCQnI8O4kAUEQfFxcToEwlJDJsfHxxXk5T80No6Pjzc0NLwoKIiPjb0cFGRvZ6dDIKirqirhcHM/yni8tpaWgb6+s5PTpYCAO9HRz7Kz31RW3g4Pd7C3X+qmGACAoMBAGysrxotmbk6Ogrw8rJeyDAAAsp4+XWifnmuaNDI0nFsDiR6YsAGCoOfPnx87doyDg2PdunUEAkFNTW3v3r2w4QHOkYITKZfqpKl5904Rg3k2p0bHonj37p2CvDwL7q7c3Fx9XV167/HMzMzE55icnFz0He3u7lbC4VhwVY+Pj2tpajLOxgdBMD42Vl1VleUatgAAPExOPnXiBD0qHBUUtLW2Rpi6TpcNcD0N+N/Dw8NeXl7r16/n4+MzNDSsqqp68uSJnp7evn37YLGxY8eOJfnNuru61NXUYu/dYywkp6enNTU04uPilipLIQhysLdnS10ECoXi7Oj4ICGBhWOrq6rQcnJNDHMCyGRySHDwOUNDFqIcQBCMioxkEIctJCDg6uLC1I9DA102nD9/3srKipYIC4JgWVkZLCT279//6NEjCoUyNDSUnZ2tq6sbGhqK/IFNT0/bWlv7+/kxVT2CL1+2NDdnQT/s7u5WxGDYlcOUl5trYmyMxNg1DxAE3bp509bamvGdTk1N2dnYXDh/fknrEQiC169do1cvBv442NktyZm5OBvgrCkODo6tW7devHiRRi4SieTp6bl69eqVK1eqq6vDSxEIgshvAwTBWzdvGujrMyVsxevX0mfPsvZEn6SnW1tasiszor+/XwmPZ82GOD4+rqGmxlTL7e/vV8bjGcThzcPs7GyAv/9CU/Tcj7Oj41KXb7qyYWxszNfXd+vWrTAnAgICaDb26urqY8eOwWVa7zGT9vPw8uVLORkZpsvkxMSElqYm8l9nLgAAsLW2TmVr5Uev8+ejWG1dUVxUpITDMQ2IqqutlRATQ1LnZWJi4ryHB4PMLUF+fksLCxZCHJjsIj99+mRhYbF582bYCB0VFQUHoBKJRH9//02bNomIiCB/BUdGRjAKCpnMLCEQBEXcvm1maspa5mFPT4+KklI3W8vBFxUWGujrk1m6HgqF4u7mdjUkhKlqGhMTo0MgLBqAPhc5z54tNDHN/egQCKw12kBki2xoaNDX11+/fj0Khfrrr79iY2Nhr9Lbt2+R+wYBAPDx9nZ3c2P6ozR//KiIwcztNrMkPMvONmN3lbWBgQEFefnOjg7WDm9qasIoKDQz8xeQyWQzE5OwW7cY/0Tw6kOPCqdOnGA5NBKpnwIAgFevXqmqqvLw8HBxcQkJCT1+/HhJDvuiwkJFDGaQmdmATCZ7uLlduXyZtXQREAQ9PTziYmNZOJYxHB0cWK40Cwdfubm6Mh3Z9OEDDoutYWaByMzIoLd/PHXiBNPD6WFpXisAAJ49eyYpKbly5UoeHh7kPcFGR0c11NQyEYx//fq1Mh6PxFSyKCYnJlSVlb9E+Zz09HQLc3OWD+/r65OXla1//57xMBAE70RHm5mYMC5LTiQStTQ16YmHwEuXWIsymc+GjIyMmJgYxhWWpqen09PTZWVlERZigiAoKjLy2NGjQYGBjIumgiB4ztBwOXaC2tpaNRWVLxGv3NvTc1ZCYjm142/dvOlob894zMDAwHlPT2EhofS0NMYjMzMy6O0e5GRkWIvin8+G06dPc3Fxffvtt+rq6pmLxabSAJduRHKOjo4OHBab+vjxeQ8PKUlJTw+PhoaGRY8tKixUxuMnmW2jGCDi9m1/X1+WD2cACIIImprznKhLwsjIiPTZs+/piAcQBDOePFGQl3d1cUlISFDG4xkr4bOzs0o4HD3xkDSnWwdyfMaGiYkJuNwCDE5Ozm3bttna2r5+/ZrlwiIgCAb4+/v7+UEQBEFQT09P8OXLMlJSZqamxUVFc6elUChampoIfa+LAoIgo3PncnNyWJ6BMcJu3rw8p8Y9C7h29aqHu/u8NwEEgKqqKgM9PSU8Hg6/BgDAxto6+u/KivTwJD2dHhsIWlosCMj5suH169dHjhzh5ORcsWLFwYMHv/32W05OTg4OjsOHD/v5+X38+HGpJp2PTU1oefnWz32bIyMj9+PjlfF4NRWVhPv3+/v7AQDIy81VxuOXYzKanp4+KyHxidU9B1NUVlSoq6oux+XY1dWFlpOjmVsACqWhvt7VxQWDRkdHRc3dlb+rrpY+e3aEobmaSCTKycjQIwQLde0X2UUODQ1ZWlquWrVqy5YtAQEBN27cEBcX37hxIwcHBy8vr7y8fEJCAkJtAoKgC15elwMDF/0riUTKy821srTEYbE+3t5qKiqJy2sP8aq8XENNbTkzMMb09LSMtPRyLBkAAHidPx8WFjY7O1tXV3fe0xODRocEB/d0dy8c7Ghvf6HkOMQAACAASURBVOvmTcYTRkRE0LVFOjktlbiL6xQUCiUhIWHPnj3c3NwEAqGrq6u2ttbPz++vv/7i5eX94YcfEFbQ7+7ulpWWZuwABACgvr4eDiokaGnFxca2t7ezpl6G3bpFj3lsAQiCxkZGy8x8fVlSoiAvb2VpiVdUDA0JYfDjvH//Xl5OjrEdqaOjg54vW/T48aXWW2WkYTY1NcnKynJwcAgJCZWVlUEQNDk5WVJSEh0djVCBuRoaegFBoCkIgq4uLjeuX8/Py7OztcUrKtra2GRmZCxVzzQ3NWUhpWRJuHnjRvCVK6wd29XVFRcbS9DUFD1+3NvLa1F5MBcQBJmbmTHWsCgUio21NT3xEL7EssVM7A2Tk5OXLl3asGHDt99+e/Xq1SX58cbGxuRkZJAY3ltbW3GKil2dnVQqlUKhdHZ2JiUmGp07h5aTc3RwePbsGRL3PJFIlJKU/NLVh0uKi/V1dZckusbGxvJycx0dHBTk5e1sbZ/n50fcvu3s5IRkkuKiIk11dcYeh8yMDHpswCooTLPgwxwYGDh37pySkpKtra2Tk9PVq1ejo6NTUlJKSkrKy8vv3bu3a9cubm5uaWZify7SUlONjYyQLF1RkZEe7u7zfh0SidTa2hpz9+45AwMZKSlrK6vk5ORu+u/T+/fvFbHYL118dKC/H6eoiIRzcPium4uLvKysro5OzN27XZ2dsL28tbUVr6iIxCQwNTVF0NRkHD7Z0dEhKS5OY4D4mTMa6uq2NjaXAgLi4+JG//Y1Dg0NRUVGMn6v/suGnJwcbm7uubolFxcXXP5zxYoVsDUa/pO6ujrTe6BSqSAAGBkaIlEXJycnCVpapS9f0htAoVC6u7uTEhOtLS3Fz5xRV1MLDQkpLyubmpqau2Clpaba2doiubblYHp6Wkdbe9HYNRAEyWRyQ0NDzJ07piYmZ06f1tPRiY6Kamlpmec0AUHQ1Ng4LTUVyRmjIyPd3dwYsJxMJj99+jQvL6+2tnZ4eHhmZoZMJi9cyiEIwmIwkuLiocHBfX19i074XzYkJCR8++238CPn5OT8448/bG1tQ0NDL1++7ObmZmVlpaqqisViBQUFb9++jeQe6uvrsQoKSAoZVVRUqKuqIkxknp6eLioqCgoKUlNRkZKUNDp37vq1ay8KCvr6+vz9/KKYKejLBwRBHu7uj1JSqFQqAADT09ODAwMvX768Ex1tZ2MjLysLN0J9kp7OWH4kJibaWFsj2X61t7XhsFi2RO74+vj815dx8mSAv39HR8e8C/i/fUN/f/+dO3fExMRgZZKbm5ufnz8oKKipqYkF01NUZKT3hQtM7xaCID9f35s3bix1fhAEOzs78/PyggIDdbS10fLyoseP6+noREVGFhQUtLS0DAwMzBMeywEEQSQSaXR09FNvb2hwsJmp6a2bN50cHQlaWgry8poaGhd9fNJSUz98+IDwt2pvb5eVlmbqvKZSqWQy2crCYjlGORqePn06z7/l4+PT9OEDTXTN30WCIFhTU+Pr68vPzw+3pdu4caOcnFx8fHx3dzfCVZlEJOrq6BS+eMF05PT0tBIOx7LzmnbNLS0tcjIy92JifC9ePGdoqKKsrK6qqqOtDS+fd6OjMzIySl++rKura25ubmtt7e7u7p+Hvr62tra21taWlpa62tq3b97k5+U9Skm5Ex19KSDA3s7OUF9fS1NTVVkZi8GInTkT4O//+NGjN2/e9Pf3s8A5EAR1dXQYlx2iISkpyc7Wdvk++u7u7oUxMqdPnvS7eBH2v9DVKSYmJoqLi01NTfft28fBwcHBwbF7926ESexNTU2qyspDCBSByspKdVXV5YestbS0qKuqwntvOAGrrbW1qqoqKysrOirqUkCAna2tkaGhDoFA0NTU1tLS1NDQ0tSc+9HU0CBoaWlraRE0NQmamrra2hZmZq4uLpcCAu7euZOelvaqvLyhoaG3t7ehoUFTXZ2FoNZ5CLt1C6Gdu7WlBa+oyFoAy1zMzMwoyMsv4gQ/ebKjo4NKY8PQ0FBhYWF+fv5C43ZfX19qaqqysvL333+P0OiUlJjo7OSE5I0JvnIlhFlVOSQoLyszMTZmLKXJZPL09PTw8PDQ0FBvb2/XAgwODg4NDQ0PD09NTRGJRHqCcGRkRFNdvWPpMfXzUFlRoaqigmQkAAD6enovEMhaxgBB0NHeflFdFBbkKCqV+urVq3379vHx8fHy8tJiQUkkUlpa2q1bt9LT04lEIoVCQSgSQQBwsLN7/OgRkutTV1NjLYF6HhIfPLjg5bX8eZCATCYb6usjFJMMQCQSz0pKMq1YBSM8LOxSQMAyz0ilUqOjohZlA2wCR5FIpFOnTq1cuRKHwzk7O8PiqK+v7/Tp07DOyc3N/Z///Af5zY+NjqqrqSFpLNDb23tWQoItsQiXAwP/AYWCBk8PD9ZcxvNgoKfHOF2ThvKyMoKm5vI3xcVFRYuywcHeHgRBVHd3NxcXl7KyMs34QyaTCQQCCoUSERG5e/euiYkJLy/vvn37EAZQNDY0qCorIwnYhStDL+vm/oadjU3Os2dsmQoJoiIj2bLAhYaEhN26hWTkyMjIWQmJ5ZeG6e3tnVe3HP7gsNipqSlUdXU1CoVydnamHZCfn8/Ly3vo0CHYbgWCoIuLCwqFYlBBeC6Sk5Jc58zGAAH+/kxd+EgwMzOjQyCwHAzIAp5mZjo6OCz/Tc3JybFF/D7o6+oiUdMYY2xsDIfFLmSDyLFjw8PDqJGRkc2bNwsLC8P2jc7OzsOHD/Py8s6NeczJyUGhUBEREUxPBkGQ94UL8XFxSEZqaWiwZdMwMjKioa7+TzYmr6yoMDQwYCH7ah5amptxWCzCeYKvXAlHJkgYgEwmmxobL7pYvHv3DgWCoL29PWx/VFNT+/nnnzk4OAgEAu0SIQjy8fFBoVBIIoYpFIqhgQGSZzw8PCwnI4PE/MIUXV1dmurqX7rvzVx8+PBBU0OD5erzNExNTWHQaIQprE8zM+3Z0Rv4gpfXomxIT0tDUanUkZERHR0dXl5eFAq1YsUKBQUFuLxNW1vb06dPnZ2dN23atHHjRiTlg2ZmZjBoNJLKjO/evdNQU2NLclxTU5O2lhZbiIUQcJ055Nmu9DAzM6Ono/OuuhrJ4Pd1dXhFxWWekUqlRkVGLsqGG9ev/9feQCKR6uvrnz9/XlNTQ9vk29nZrVixAoVCrVy5MiAgAIkHtrenR15WFomakPX0qRM7ll4qlVpVVWWgr8+ufkNIMDY2hlVQWH4HdwAA7Gxt6TWrmYfJyUnxM2fGl03BzMzMRdng6uLCKL4hISHBzs7OycmpoKAAoVm04vVrbQIByciwsLCroaFIRjJFQUGBlaUlW6ZCCAiC1FRUGpZYg3JR+Pv5Ma5gNBcYBQXG+f9IUFFRsSgbDPX1UT4+Pm5ublevXr1//35+fv779+/hfpVEInFmZoZCoSwpYiAtLc3NxQXJSHc3N9gTuHw8Skk57+HBlqmQQ19Xl3EDBISIjopCrqwanzv3kr7rHyEaGxvntb4R/DsLA3X06NF169bx8vJycHDQ4hvWrFmze/fuI0eOyMjIEAgEa2vramRrG3JF3FBfn0FMw5LwICEhwN+fLVMhh7WV1TIDJGGkpaYiyciD4eLs/GQZJe5gtLa2LlohSlhICNXf319dXV1QUJCYmBgaGuro6KilpQV3Of7pp5+2bt26bt06bm7uR8gszZcCApDkQJJIJDVVVXa1xb154waSElfsxXlPT4S/CWMUFBSYmZggHHzl8uWYu3eXeca+T5/oxd3T3TcAADAyMvLx48fKysq8vDyEDjSEv9HY6KgyHr/Umtj0cDU09E50NFumQg5/Pz+Wk3Tn4vXr14b6+ggHh4eFMY2pZ4r+vj55WdnF2XDt2rX4+Hja0MHBwbm1MJcKa0vLgufPmQ7r7e3VUFMbXraLFgZb3pilwt/P7z476ko1NDRoaWoiNEAlJSZe9PFZ5hkZsQGFQv3++++0odHR0Tt37mQhTQeGlYUFEutpT08PG9ng7ua2nIKxrCHi9u3r164tf56Ojg41FRWEdVgePnzo4+29zDMugQ1hYWF8fHwsV0FGyIaPHz/qamuzy17k6uKSmZnJlqmQ4050dGhIyPLnWcgGEASHBgfnh2b198Ohil+WDd9+++08NnBzc2czK+NIDxZmZidERE6fPMn4c1JU9KigINNhCD/Hjh4VPX6cXbMh/MDl5pc/z6kTJxb+FKdOnFh0sOjx41+WDT/++OOBAwdmZ2dnZ2eJROLVq1dRKNTDhw9nZ2enpqYm/wbCfBIrC4v0tLRFeT0X5eXlWhoara2tTEcigZ2NTUJCAlumQo7rV6/6+fouf56qt2+V8Pi2trZ53y/6gy9npYAgiEgkwt1f6JWYRP34449r1qyRlJSUlJQUERHZs2cPCoU6fPiwpKTkX3/9dfBvINxJIFwpmpubtbW0kMTXI4GriwvyKjPsArtWisbGRk0NDYRZzktlA4lE6u/vr62tfZic7H3hgjaBIEq/1KggPz9qz549q1atWvc5tmzZsv1zIFyYrSwsEOoUmurq7NpFBl669CUKPTFG8JUrMTExy59nSRpmUmIiYzbMkEidnZ1v37xJTkryvnDBUF9fWkqKcS3Bz9jw9u3bysrK6s/R0NDQ/jkQbno9PTyQ2Bs+ffqkpqKCJKgaCf6n7Q0Fz59bWlggHBweFnbj+nUGA+Lj4s5KSjKuH8iIDcu/n7lAaIscHxvD43Asl/qah7Bbt5Zvk1kq2GWLfJSS4onYycLYsgJBkKeHBwskED1+XEVZ2d7Ojs1suB0ejsQzSaFQNDU02FW57UFCgr+fH1umQg52+Skibt9G7st1c3VlkL0JgqCRoSFCBoidPm1uano7PLyoqKi3pwdWFBjVoB8aGmpra1tSdnpaWhpCH4yZqSmSHQYSwFGKbJkKOXQIhMplNyuDa98gr2hjbGTEwBQEAgAGjWbAgOPCwsbnzsXcuVNXWzs1NbUwSuH/2ACnGMONCJ4/fw5Xf0KhUJs2bQoODkZoqy4vK9PT0UEy0sfbmy2WXSqVWlpaampiArC1eCxjzM7OKuPxLcvuZUihUMzNzJDb+nBYLIN6GGQymXEdcqaVVVBUKnVmZiYpKUlTU1NGRkZHR+f+/ftbt25du3btyZMnZWRk1q5dy8fH9wxZfHpvT4+8nBySzNS7d+4EsakqT0NDg7aWFmt9xFnD8PAwVkFh+fHsJBJJXVUVYXVmEonEOPaprbWV8epwm1mpFxSVSo2MjFyxYgUfH98PP/zAy8sLF2+IjY2Fa/olJSWtWLFibsIFA8zMzKDl5JCEL+fl5lqYmbFW32keOjo6CJqay09TRI729nYNdfXlW9ZHR0bQcnIIUzobGxowaDSDASXFxYzZwDTRGzUzMyMqKrpjx47MzMy2trYHDx7w8PB8//33tCp2k5OT/Pz8u3fvRuKAplAoBvr6r1+9Yjqy6cMHFSUl1qq6z8PQ4KCGmhqDsi9sx7t37/T19JbfF/v169ea6uoIo8uys7IYJyMlPnjAmA1MG0KhxsbGtm/frqOjA1/T7OzsyZMnN27c2DBnfbKysuLi4mLcmQ4GvC1Ckk8xNTUlJyPDlhAHIpFI0NRkWsKZjSgoKLC2slp+Cn1cbKz3hQsIBwdfucJYkb4UEMCYDUyXNtTo6Oh3332nq6tL+8rBwYGbmzshISEtLS0wMFBbW/unn35CoVBzwyAY4EFCgjuyrpgmxsZsUdKoVKqVpeWXKyG7EHFxcWzRaV2cnZF3ZDlnYPCcoRZmbmbGgArysrJMVQHUxMTEvn37hISEnj59eu3aNRMTk4MHD6JQKF5e3rmVoFauXHmdoRWMhvd1deqqqkik6K2bN69cvoxkTqa4HBR0984dtkyFBAiNbEyhIC9Pr+z0PExMTEhJSjKO2UfLyTFgg5mpKdNdGmp2dlZcXByFQsFRslxcXLy8vOvXrz948KCSkpKnp+ejR48aGhqQ1xgfGRlRU1FBon2VlZURNDWRzMkUSYmJnh4eX7ogHAwAAIzOnVt+SmRLc7OcjAxC1f1NZaW6qiqD9JPenp6ToqIM2HDt6lWmZ0FRqVRPT8/Dhw+rqan5+PgkJydXVVXN09YmJiYqKipSU1ORJMMAAGBrY4MktHdiYkJSXJwtFR5fv35tdO4cy6XRl4TR0dHldLCkITk5GbnRLCoy0vfiRQYDXr58ybj/HZKVFEWlUuk946mpqcrKSnd39yNHjnBzc+/duxehTvUgIQHhm2puZpaVlYVkTsZobW1VU1GhV1gOruFFnJ4eHR0dmoO+vr7+/n7afxmXdKGhs7NTU0Nj+YlW9nZ2CDcNIACYMKtonJKSclxYmB4VRI4dQ5LtuYhlmkgklpaWuru7CwsLw8mZa9euPX78eFBQEMJgzsbGRjUVFcb102HExca6I84mYICpqSmsgsL79+872ttra2sLCwtTUlIiIyL8fH0d7O0tzMz0dHRoRZ9oH1UVFXVVVdp/CVpacLkndze34CtX4uPjn+fn19bUdHZ2TkxM0Fjy6tUrA339Zcqh0dFReVlZhIVdOjs6cFgsY/6RSKSiwkITI6NFOaGEwyFJ2fs/NgAAUFNTExgYKCQktHr1anjnePTo0YsXL759+3ZJFViIRKKujk45gkztzs5ODBrNmlFvcnKyqamp8MWL6KgoD3f3UydOoOXkNNXVtQkEE2NjF2fnoMDAuNjY1NTUvNzct2/f1tXWNjU1tdLH+7q6mnfv8nJzHyYnh9265XX+vIWZma62toaamqqysqmxceClSxlPngRfuXLh/Pll7lEKCgp0tLURGt+epKfb2tggUWhJJFJZWZm1peW8VUP0+HEXJ6cGZlWeUVQqFQCA+/fvi4uLf/PNN3CatrCwsL+//9u3b4eHhz99+vTp06eOjo7q6uqqqiqEu56wW7cC/PyY7jPgGkrI61v19vYWFRaGh4WZm5pi0Gj4IcEuDwc7Ox9v74GBgYmJCXZtICgUyuTERH9/f1NTU05Ozs0bN+xsbMTPnDlz+rSBvn5IcHDB8+c9PT0s5BZ7eXoizAiCM3eX5D2fmZmprKx0sLef57YQO336UkAAAzMdikqlQhCkrq5OUyY3bNiwe/fub7/9duvWrVu2bPnmm2+++eabDRs2rFmzZs2aNcXIWvnU1dYq4XBI9hkxd+8ytk+QSKTy8vJroaEETU1JcXEdbe3LQUEZT560NDfDDx5+TZma6tiCyclJXR2dvLy8vNzckODgcwYGUpKS6qqqQYGBRUVFCCXo8PCwEg73sakJyeDOzk4lPH5JbcphkMnkmpoaJweHuZwQEhA4KyFx48aNRR/Nf1eKmJgYPj6+VatWrVq1auPGjfv/xqlTp8TFxY8ePbpy5UoUCsXHx4ew3g+FQtHX1UVSiwnuejWPsAAADA8PZ2ZkONjbS4qLKyspXQ4KKnzxYnx8nJ50bfrwAS0n96WVzKHBQZyiIi1OBwTBycnJstLSqyEhmurq4mJiVhYWSYmJPd3dDAR7fn6+AWLDduy9ewgL1i8KEAQ/NDZ6enjMLfckJCAgJSkZe+/evGv4LxtmZmYW5TUEQa9evYJ7ah84cKC0tBT5dTxKSTEzNWX6eCgUip2NTXJSEny6kZGR7OxsO1tbWWlpPV3dxAcPWltbkYji2dlZWWnpL13vp7S0VJf+et/V1ZWclGRjZSUjJaWvq3v3zp22trZ5W28QAJwcHJAY76l/FzkvKixc/pUv2mFXCY/PzMigrf6MYp8mJib8/f3XrFnDw8Ojp6cHGwYgCEKoWQwNDclKSyNJvc3LyzPQ06usqAjw98cpKurp6MTFxnZ1di71RbeytHz6hdNsIiMiAi9dYjpsaGgo59kzdzc3LAZjbGQEN+SBf/SOjg4lHK4DWdvdsrIyNRUVtqQh3YuJWVT5lJSQoF3M4myAIKi2tlZcXJyDg2PHjh13796dmZnp6el58uSJrq6uL+IWg5eDgvyYDZ4YH095+PCkqKistHRQYOC7d+9YzgKNioxkS4lNegBBcKmEGxgYyM7KsrO1VcLj4TKGt27ccEEm+SEIsrWxuceOyGwIgsxMTBZlg662NiPZQCKRbt26tX37dk5OTmlp6by8vPv372tqau7Zs4eDg4OHh2eui4sxOjo65GRkuuhI7/Hx8aSkJE11dV1tbTtbW4RKFAMsvycdY8DRGy2f9+9DAgAAOjs7HyQk6BAIx4WFHezta2trmd7sx48f5eXk2FLdrLenR0JMbFE2zA3Cns+GlpYWDAazcuVKTk5OAQEBMTGx7du3c3FxcXJy/vrrr7a2tmVlZcgFF1ww8OYCd9fU1NSjlBQ1FZVzhoaFL15MTk729PQoyMsjqUDLAHAzI7a0clgUdXV1iljsciJ0nmZmKisp+V68iFdUNDYyysvNZRCydd7Tk12x4NlZWYuG1YseP145J2/qMzZUVVVt374d1jM5ODjguMidO3eam5sXFhaOjY3B0VDV1dUREREIf5SPTU0YBQVad3q476WaioqOtnZ+Xt7crWtoSIgHMlc4PcDdUfPZ5CVfiLjYWC8ETdsYQE9X92FyMgiCg4ODSUlJWpqaeBwuOipqYeDW+/fvZaSkll/pnkqlQhDk7Oi4qGBQxGBm5qgVn7GhtbUV1iQ5OTm3bt2qr6+fm5tLIpFg2QsAQGlpqby8/MqVKzdv3tyMLEYUAIDznp6Xg4JAEGxtbbU0N1fEYp88ebJwK/qpt/eshETb8rxBN2/c+HJVfyzMzLKePmX58KqqKkUMZq4wmJ2dLSsttbOxkZaS8vfz6+jogH9qEASdHB2ReB2RoKe7W0ZKalE2XPm8JcL8lUJGRgaHwyUnJ9Pah0MQNDo6mpSUJCIiAvfQ/c9//hMdHY08Dqy1tRWjoODn63tWQuImHbsHjCuXL5/39ISWUTbw7Zs3murqbClDOQ8TExNnJSRYzggCQdDa0pJebkxTU1OAv/9ZSUlXF5fq6urioiK8ouLo6Ogyrvf/kPHkyaJUOCooWP15bNx8Nsx9xiAIdnV1+fv7//rrr3BpMDExscePHy+1oi4EQTeuX5cQE2NaSmygv19ORmY5FaPHx8eV8Xh2VZSai9KXLzWRdXhbFK/Ky7EKCoy3XL29vTeuX1dAo8VOn2ZLjXvq342QFmUDHoej29dq3hSVlZUWFhbbtm3j4ODYtm2bvr5+cXExyxuogYEBVRWVXGZlMiEIioqMtLOxYdnRAACAo709wu4YS0JoSAjLdefJs7PmZmYIy2/fDg/X19ND2PaNKVpbW8+cOrUoGxb2cFiEDR8/flRWVl6/fj0Khfrtt98uXrzY3Ny8fLXtWXa2Eg7HNEt/eHhYU0Mjbxktbx8mJzs7OrKrvxkMMpmsqa7OcoeSFwUFaioqSCQ/bJuqWHYrFBgQBEXTqSMscuzYQs1/ETa8e/du7dq1QkJCd+/eZazsFhYWxiIOD6RQKE4ODr4XLzJ9ThlPnugQCCznrrS2tKgqKy8/GmUuPnz4oIjBTLJkE5ycnDTQ10fS/ZJMJttYWwdfucIuKhOJRBVl5UXZsGjM9yJsmJ2dLS8vZ7zC9ff3m5qarl27dsuWLcij4Af6+9Fyckw1QCKRaG1pGXn7NmsCCY6uWJJLhSkeJCS4uriw9pBSHj7U19VFIvkfJidrqKmxa/NIpVJLiovpFW9Y9CksOUcbAIBHjx7Bdskffvjh6dOnS/qN8vPysBgMUwNRXV2dvKwsQp/vQty6eTMIgTcBIUAQtDQ3R+i8nYeBgQEcFluCIAygsbFR+uxZ9vZcsaXTcF1FSWnRJXtpbOju7lZWVobj6w0MDGBpDEEQ8k0fAACXAwPNzcyYpk1G3L6tp6PD2r61qqpKQ02NXTXnOjs6lPF4FqJ5QRD09/Nb2CJ8IeCGK8jLjyNBR0cHPcEQQafhMVI2EInEe/fu/fjjjxwcHL///nt6evrs7GxfX19mZua5c+dUVFSQF3Gampw0NjIKDQlhbKgnEok6BELsvXssrBcTExPKeHzV27dLPXBRpKel2bHkQ6murmbgpqGBSCS6u7o6OTgsP3lrLmh9kud9zkpI0PP7M2cDBEENDQ04HI6bm3vNmjWmpqbFxcURERE4HO7777+HzdhcXFxLqt/Z1tamoqSU8vAh4yfd2NAgIyXFWifdoMDA4CtX5n05Ozs7PjY2ODDQ1dXV+Tm6u7oGBwcnJyfnPRIKhWJna8uCyjo1NUXQ1ExMSGA8jEKh3A4P1yEQ2Lvt7e3pkRQXX5QNF7y86P3sTNhA82fCq8Pp06dFRETg8EkeHp7ffvtt1apVKBRKQEAAocOehoqKCrScHNP6+vdiYgz09FjoEvOmslJVRaW3t/fdu3eZGRk3b9xwdnQ00NfXVFcnaGpqaWjAPXFpHw11dfgfRufOeXp4REZE5OXmvn///n1dHQ6LXerdQRB06+ZNU2YNWyEISn38WAmPZ1CVgTbyVXl5V1cXEkkJQdDV0NBFl4lTJ04w2JowYYOjo+Pc/DsUCrV69eoTJ054eXm9fPny8uXLK1euPHDgQGNjI5VKpYUoIkTOs2doOTnGyb4kEsnG2jooMBChsRmCoE+fPhUVFl4KCDguLKyEw2lpaNhYW4eGhKQ8fFhaWtrY0NDe3t7X1zfwOXp7e9vb2urfvy988SLh/v1L/v6W5uYaampoeXmx06eDr1wpLCxEGPBOpVJflZej5eSYunJyc3MVMZgyBOpPcXHxSVFRGSkpdze34qIixruu1tbWsxISiwoGG2trBpsYJmyoqKhYu3YtCoX65ptvpKWlb9261djYCLsw0tLS1q9f/8MPP8ClJCsqKs6cOROHLMALBgRB8fHxOCy2maEhuaO9XUVJKTMzkwHVQBBsa21NfPDAzMREXlbWQF8/+MoVJ0dHV2dnBqGUjEGhUAYHUO+GRgAAFG9JREFUB3W0tS/5+18OCjLU10fLyenr6UVFRlZXVzNY4wcGBrQ0NR8mJzN+N8rLys5KSOTm5DB9hT59+oRXVKQ90ePCwsp4fNitW4uyDQCAixcvLkqFY0ePVjKs+8mEDRAEPXr0KCkpqa+vb+7bWVZW9t133/Hx8RUXF09MTLi4uMC2S8sldhQCAODunTtKOBzj+iZFRUUYNBqWQPMwNDj4MDlZT1dXUlzc3s4u9fHjT58+wVmjDQ0NcjIyy6n50t3dLSstPTg4CMf/DQwMPMvOvuDlpSAvj8NigwIDa2pq5inYZDLZ+8IFVxcXxt6ckuLisxISGU+eMKXCzMyMs6MjPbFvZmqanZU19x6rq6tPnTixKBtMjY0ZmwNYqQnX3Nz8008/8fHxPXr0KC8v78CBAxwcHNu3b09OTgYAYGZmZkleBgAAoqOiFOTl6xiWiLt3966KkhLNMkOenX316pWLk5OkuLi5mdmT9HQ4/GLeUQQtreVk8oeHhS0MaIA16orXry8HBcnJyKgoKUVFRnZ1dQEAAO8DVJSU+un3FYYg6GVJiay0dGpqKlMqQBAUFxfHuPynkICA78WLsKwiEokG+vr0hjEWDFQW2DAwMCAgIMDDw+Pq6mpsbMzNzc3Ly6umpgYH/NfW1h49etTZ2XlJGwgIgpISE9FycmVlZfQOpFAoF7y8rCwsuru67sfHa2lq4hQVI27fZlzS5cGDB/a2tqzZNAEKBY/DMfZNkEikwhcvHB0dZaWlHezskpOS5GRkXtEvbQMAQMaTJ3IyMkwdeDDKy8ro1YSmfbS1tGhBMUlJSfSoY2VpyTxjH8k10UAkEhUUFFAo1N69e3ft2oVCoX766af79+9TKBQymZyYmLh169YNGzbcuHFjqUs1BEGZGRmy0tLpaWmLLskUCqW6qurMqVMnRUXNTEzycnNpERgMMNDfj0GjW5ceyUilUl+WlCgrKSG0AXR3d18OChIWEpKTkXmckrJozNLs7OzdO3ewCgrFRUVICNpNP0qF9pGXlZ0bPtjZ2ZmclGRrba0gLz+XRidFRWtrapiecQlsoFAo9vb2NOWCl5eXQCDAdoyJiQknJyc+Pr5du3ax3M2ASqWWl5XhFRVvXL8+dyEkEonl5eWuLi54RcULXl5qKipRkZEIHxIAAB7u7pF0TG8MAEGQg7098njl8fFxM1PTiz4+2VlZxkZGGurq9+7dm2tCGBsb875wQUNNDWHfxNHRUX09PcZUOCkqWlxUtOjhI8PD7969e/To0UUfH0N9/RvXriF5P5fAhrS0NB4eHpgKv/76a1JSEryv7OzsxGKxXFxcx48fnxfmykIMUvPHj+cMDOzt7Lq6uoaGhh6lpBjq66urqkaEh7e3t8N7Q7yiYnp6OkL/yOtXrzTU1JbaVLSttRUtJ4fQGj09Pe11/ryFuTlMYiKRWFJcbGlhoaaikpqaOj019aGx0UBf39rSEqGHb3p62tXZmfF24aig4ANmpi0YsORGMnIJbOjs7Ny2bRsvL6+VlRUtLfDt27d//PEHNze3jo7OvK1TXl4eFotFIs/nYWho6KKPjyIGg0GjzUxNMzMyRkZGaKIVgqDysjJFLDYHgW5GpVKnp6b09fSWupe8dfOmp4cHEsKRyeSbN27oEAjzbp9EIr0oKNAmENRVVbEKCmE3byLUbmZnZ0OCg5lWDg+8dIntAX9L2zekpKSUlpbSZM7jx483bdrEx8cXGBg4N4QOgqD79+9v3LiRg4ODtYKxFAolMzPzrKSkv5/fQg8IBEFlpaUyUlIIk7sfPnxoYW6OPIBveHhYRUmpmlk9PSqVCgBAZESEuqpq+2KtwwcHB22srDAKCiWIw8YoFMrN69cZl4QV5Oe3sbJiV3DUXLBYdZxIJJ4/f56Xl3fr1q3Z2dlz31EymRwcHMzHx7dixYoLFy4sJ3DjU2+vlaWlMh7/sqRk4a+ZmZEhdvo0kt6xg4ODynh8HWJ/x8PkZDNTU6bsgSDoTnS0Eg63kAoUCiXr6VN5Wdnznp5LKmtKoVDcXF0ZU0GLHZVlFgUrbOjt7ZWTk+Pk5Dx8+PC8jQKJRLK3t+fk5Fy/fn1kZOTy4+cAAEhPS8Og0W6uri0LAvJycnJkpaVLSkqYnujWzZsuzs5IXtDJyUldbe18ZqF4FAol5u5dRQym7XMqAABQV1trYW6uoqz8oqCA6ekWoq2tTfrsWXpUkD57dvklp+iBFTa8fv1648aNysrK81g/Njamra2NQqG+//77eaaV7Ozshw8fsiwn+vr6ggIDFdDo0JCQ7u7uuTPn5+UpyMs/y85mPDmcy9XR3s70XDk5OdoEAmM5TCKRrl29isNi52bhgSDY0tJy0ccHg0bfDg9nwdNGw72YGHr7Bllp6S9XNZcVNlAolMLCwqmpqZycHJpi3d3dLSMjw8HBsW/fvqLP1Z7y8vLt27dv2rSJaaUZxnj//r2riwsOi71x/XpnZyf8+CEIysvNxeNwKSkpjAkRGhLCtLUoiURiGsM4Pj5+0dtbh0CgcQsAgObm5qDAQKyCgp+v7/Lf3cnJSX1dXXri4Qr7AifngfVuJaWlpRs2bFBVVZ2amqqvrxcWFkahUIcOHZrncXj37t2ePXt4eHgCAgKWH80BAEB1VZWLs7MSDhfg719XVwfbg8tKS/E4XGREBINt9qfeXhlpacYesvy8PE11dQbRsL29vXY2Nhbm5j3d3VQqFTZRe7i7w7aQD42N7MoJrqiooGeFlBAT+xIJI9TlsGF8fFxMTIyTk1NLSwtOvxETE5tXkKarq+vPP//k4uKytbVlozpEJpPr6+uDAgMVMRhTE5P0tLSBgYGGhgY1FRV/X18ifZ02+MoVN1dXeg9sdnZWXU2NQUJ+XW2tupqaj7f36OhoT09PclKSnq6uipLSzevXW1tb2VJPnwYIggLo142+cP48e08HY1mdjNrb23fs2AHnbaqpqc3bRgwODgoICHBychoZGS2ppBxCQBDU39//MDnZ2MhIVlraydExLjYWr6hoYWZGLz9uaGiIQURFSkqKrrb2oqoEAACPUlKkz569HBT0MDnZ2spKTkbGysIi59mzRb1lbMHY2Bi9Nqaix4/XILA0LxXL7WtVUlKyatWq1atX53xu3hkbG5OVleXg4JCTk1v0942Pj0fYpYMpyGRyS0tLzN27+np6x4WFhQQEsBjM8/z86enpec8JgqC42FgTI6OFSaT9/f3ysrLziALnpA/093u4ux87elTk+PEzp06Zm5omJSb29fWxN4xxUeTl5dETD5bm5mwXD2zocnbnzh0eHp5ffvmFFns5OTmJw+FQKJSkpORCWyQEQampqWvWrDl06BDbawEPDAw8zcy84OWlhMNJiInpaGtf8PKKi40tLCxs+vBhdHS0v79fXU3tfnz87Ows5W/MzMz4eHvb29lNTk4ODw/X19fn5+VFR0W5urioqaiInT6tpqoaFBj4/Pnz5WgKLIBMJjMwP9BzUrAMNrCBQqG4urry8PD4+flRqdTp6WlTU1NOTs4jR44MDQ2BIJiXlzc3rrCqqur777/n4eFZUqAUC+jp6Xn58iXcA8JQXx+joCArLa2irCwnI3NWQuKcgYGNlZWNlZW1lZWutvaZU6cwaDQeh5ORklLEYEyMjf18fR8kJLx+9eoLmXoQAq6PsygbENb6Rw72dECcmJh49OgRkUikUCjOzs6cnJz8/PxwnFZzc/OmTZuOHDny5s0bOGgR7p9mb28/d18JQRC7GinTA5lMHhoaamlpqXn37u2bN0WFhfl5efDn5cuXb9+8eV9X19bWNjI8/A8sAUtCXGzsoh6so4KCD5OT2XgiNvfDDAwMXLFixb59+2h7nImJCWdnZz4+vh9//DE5ORmDwaBQKHFx8XkRAHV1dadOnUJYmvT/KczOzl708aHnz8QqKDCIs1oq2MwGKyurnTt3lpWVzf2STCZHR0dv2bIFDrffu3fvPDMUmUzW0dFBoVAJyFy0/++AQqHcuHGDQasBYSEhNpYnYDMbiERiU1MTlUptamqam9ADgmBoaCgXF9fq1asXtiB48eLF6tWrRUREiEQiCIL37t2Lj4//Evr0/xzCbt1iQAUhAQF/Pz8WYgbogc1sgDE6OiosLPzLL7+8+zuRo6WlZe/evSgUytfXd57WNz09febMGR4enoKCAgiC7t69y8fHt3LlylQEKe5fG0AQfJadHR8Xt3wLBAiCocyiHIICA9m7xfkibCCTyb6+vqtWrVq3bt2TJ0+Gh4fPnDmDQqGwWOxCA3t8fDwHB4eGhsbMzExUVBSczLNy5Uq4Xd/o6OjXLyQAABgaGkpOSlJVVhYSEDguLIwkNJ4BRkZGHOztGcQ+HRcWjoqIYLu34ouwAUZSUtK2bdv4+PiOHTuGQqH+/PPPhYFlY2NjP/3009atW6urq0NCQri5uVetWsXNzb1///7BwUEymSwgIGBvb/91EgIAgMGBgdycHBdn53nVdMTPnGHafHJR/H/dXWtMU2cY/s6plpvEUi6xRauCRhOJENHQCZQpadBxOeAoaAM4GQEMa1kQJaJUQVGDSAxEGQOJbhMykykqmWGTjipLnNPRMEm7mULFWKFQkw5Kq5z2248Tm47CEfS0lD05v5r2XPI+Pe/3vZfntVgsSoUiKyOD5JUQu20bITNI+RM5kA0QQrlcHhYWBgAICAiYsrQkUFFRgaJocXFxbW2tu7s7i8U6f/48iqJ79uwxm80NDQ0AAKFQSLDBaDQqFAqVSjVXGTJqYTQaB/r7b7a1HSou5sfGzmSzdIFgeI5N/m9ev25ra5upaS7ibUa7s7PTQbFwx7IBQvj8+fPdu3c3NjbaP4BKpfL19eVwOKWlpV5eXiwW6/79+7W1tQCA+vr6oaGhoKAgHx8fokdboVBgGObp6enn54dhmEwmc1BWlwQWi6X91q3cnJyZdLVsIwHpAsGcYoVarbaivJy8Bi49Lc0R6QkrHM4GCKHJZLJPYJrN5qysLARBVq9e7ebmtmzZss7OThzHk5OTvby8Hj58ePjwYQRBDh48CCEcHBzcuHEjAGD9+vUbNmyg0WhMJvP9XsUfiHfOo42Jjv6ysPDu3buzF+zBcfzevXvpaWnkZ96fn+840WQCzmDDtOjq6lqyZAlRj79y5UqpVGqxWN68eRMQELB27VqZTObv789isXQ63eTk5P79+wEAe/fu1Wq1Op2usrKSRqMdOXIEQmixWMrLy4uLi50TP645d24ma0VHRp47e1apVM7JkY2OjJw5fZq8oSryo4/OnD7thBTJ/LBhfHyc2GUAAAIDA63dbb29vQCA5ORkoVAIALhw4QKEsKenx9vbe82aNdagm0qlYrFYeXl5EEK9Xh8aGspkMgemq1qmHHW1tTPZjBcVNdcFjbSz89OUFPK+iY95PGvriqMxP2y4c+eOh4cHAIDD4fxu0ypaV1cHAEhNTfXw8Ni8efP4+LjZbC4oKAAA1NgItSiVSj8/P6IfXKFQ0On0mJiYKZaoqakJDQ29R3WW7+p335FYbpYpWYvFotFoDpeUvLNpIk0g6O3tdc4MYDhfbCCE5fh8/pSS69TUVBqN5u3tTafT29vbIYQ6nY7NZgcGBtpmQdva2gAAdXV1EMKLFy8CACrsJtVnZWUBAJzMhpezUKEe++ef1paWONKNA+EdjpaWOjmBPm/rBnvgOL5ixQrCfezatYv4r9++fRsAkJmZadtrlZeXh6KoTCbDcRzDMDc3N9l/Jz+ZzWYul4uiKOWLCXI2TNtjY8Xk5ORvDx7s++wzch5EbNnyyY4d13/4wflRFhdiQ19fH+E+GAyGtem9qKho8eLFN2/etH5taGgoODiYw+EMDw+PjY35+vquW7duSkZ0eHg4KCiIw+FQnpsmZ8MfpCp0f/b25ufmfpqSErtt20xrha1cbqFI9PdffznNO9jChdhw5coVFEURBBGJRNZYAp/PX758uW0HQWtrK4Ig2dnZOI53dXUBADIyMqacSi6XL126ND4+nvKYxI3r10nY8GC6CJstzGbz6Ojo06dPf+3u/vabb45LJLk5OckYRow73hkXd+377w0fIEbzgXAhNgwMDCQlJbHZbLVND0xkZCSXy7Ua1WQyRUREuLu7E7LkJSUlKIpevnwZQlhdXS0UCqurqzs6OpqamhAEOXDgAOU3effnn0nY8OPcZ5mYTKaRkRGVStX1yy/O2RaRwIXYACE0Go1T9H54PF54eLj1hd/Y2IggSEJCArGq2LRpE4PBIKoltm/fTqw56HQ6UUjR3NxM+R2Ss+GWjUdbiHAtNthDLBbT6fSysrIXL14QKnQ+Pj7EplStVnt6eoaHhxMu9uXLlzdu3Dh69GhcXBwxFf7Ro0eU3w85G5rtJj4sLLg6G549exYSEoIgiFVQ5uLbMXDEOqO0tHTKTwwGA5fLZTAYFJaIWUHOhq/q6ym/ojPh6myAEGq12hMnTsTExCQmJtqWwGRmZtJoNHtl/cHBQTabHRYW5giFA3I2nKqspPyKzsQCYMO0GBsbCw4OZjKZExMTRHeNTqcjXIZcLl+0aJFAIKBwQ4HjuEajkUqlM02cJY5jEglVV5wXLFQ26PV6iURSVFQEIVQqlatWrQoJCcEw7OTJk4cOHQIA2HuQucJgMPT393d3d3/d0PBFQUFCfDx5QiFiy5YvxWIqHm7esFDZQIDYa6jVarFYzOPx/P39rZJ1165dm+VJTCbT6MjIQH+/vKdHKpW2trRUV1UVikRpAkEcn//OVIL1wBIT30N8zqWwsNlgi4mJCY1GI5PJqqqq0tPT/7abe9PX19dy9eqpysrjEolYJMrPy/t8374UDEtKSNi5Ywc/NjYmOnr2treGkAvF4ktNTY8fP3716pXzC3Coxf+HDbYgRB2mfEhoRev1+idPnrS3t39VXy8pK8vJzk7BMF5U1DsNH7V1a1JCQn5u7jGJpPnSpZ86OtRqtcFgcLXGrA/Bv6YvbEj+8NJjAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC" 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" style="background-color: cyan;" /></a></div><div style="background-color: cyan;"><i> IMF IMB FIOM FITIM FISM<br />
INTERNATIONAL METALWORKERS' FEDERATION<br />
INTERNATIONALER METALLGEWERKSCHAFTSBUND<br />
FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES ORGANISATIONS DE TRAVAILLEURS DE LA METALLURGIE<br />
INTERNATIONELLA METALLFEDERATIONEN </i></div><div style="background-color: cyan;"><i>FEDERACION INTERNACIONAL DE TRABAJADORES DE LAS INDUSTRIAS METALURGICAS<br />
FEDERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE DEI SINDACATI METALMECCANICI</i></div><div style="background-color: cyan;"><i><br />
54 bis, route des Acacias<br />
Case Postale 1516<br />
CH-1227 Geneva<br />
Switzerland</i></div><div style="background-color: cyan;"><i><br />
Telephone: ++ 41 22 308 50 50<br />
Telefax: ++ 41 22 308 50 55<br />
E-mail: info@imfmetal.org<br />
Website: http://www.imfmetal.org<br />
</i></div><div style="background-color: cyan;"><i>President: Berthold Huber<br />
General Secretary: Jyrki Raina</i></div><br />
<br />
Geneva, 14th July 2011<br />
<br />
Mr Takeshi Nishitsuji<br />
President<br />
Asahi Kosei (M) SDN. BHD.<br />
Lot 3377, Jalan Perusahaan Utama,<br />
Taman Industri Selesa Jaya,<br />
43300 Balakong, Selangor Darul Ehsan<br />
MALAYSIA<br />
Sent by email to asahi@po.jaring.my<br />
<br />
<b>IMF Calls on Asahi Kosei to Drop Lawsuit against Charles Hector</b><br />
<br />
Dear Mr. Nishitsuji,<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I write to you on behalf of the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF), which represents the collective interests of 25 million metalworkers from more than 200 unions in 100 countries, to call on Asahi Kosei to drop its defamation lawsuit, including its astronomical compensation claim, against human rights defender Charles Hector.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The IMF strongly believes that human rights defender Charles Hector should not be punished for making use of his legitimate right to freedom of expression. Charles Hector, acting in good faith, has highlighted in the public domain the plight of 31 Burmese migrant workers in your factory.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) calls on Asahi Kosei to act in accordance with Article 10 of the Malaysian Constitution as well as Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the right to freedom of expression. Furthermore, we urge Asahi Kosei to ensure their migrant workers be granted the full protection of the law in conformity with international labor standards and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Therefore, <u><b>we urge Asahi Kosei not only to desist in pursuing any legal actions against Charles Hector but to also look into the working conditions of migrant workers in your company and immediately address the serious concerns raised by human rights and labor rights defenders, including Charles Hector, over violations of their basic human and labor rights.</b></u></div><br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
Jyrki Raina<br />
IMF General SecretaryIn Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-62058926196143487702011-07-10T18:31:00.000-07:002011-08-04T02:38:32.551-07:00ARTICLE 19 : Charles Hector Defamation Case Cause for Concern<div id="leftcol"> </div><div id="maincol"> <div id="contentMain"> <h4>Press release</h4><h1>Malaysia: Charles Hector Defamation Case Cause for Concern</h1><div id="contentAuthor"> <img alt="staff image" src="http://www.article19.org/img.php?f=/data/images/Staff/staff_photo_replacement_logo_small.gif&p=toWidth&o=jpg&a[width]=90" /> <h4>ARTICLE 19 </h4><div class="tagDate">27 Jun 2011</div></div><img alt="image" class="mainresourceimage" src="http://www.article19.org/img.php?f=/data/images/other/Malaysia256.jpg&p=toWidth&o=jpg&a[width]=512" /> </div><div id="contentMain"> <strong></strong><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><strong>Kuala Lumpur, 27.06.11: Ahead of Malaysia human right defender and blogger - Charles Hector’s defamation trial on 28-29 June 2011, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Malaysian Court to consider the case </strong><strong>in line with international freedom of expression standards. Given the fundamental importance of the right to freedom of expression, and its recognition in Article 10 of the Malaysian Constitution, ARTICLE 19 urges the Court to ensure that Malaysian defamation law is interpreted, to the extent possible, in a manner that respects Hector’s freedom of expression.</strong></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Charles Hector is being sued for defamation at the<strong> </strong>High Court of Malaya in Shah Alam by the Malaysian subsidiary of Asahi Kosei Japan Co. Ltd, a Japanese electronics company. The defamation case centres around articles Hector posted on his blog in which he raises his concerns about the companies’ treatment of 31 Myanmar migrant workers. His findings were based on research he carried out. The company, which has already obtained an injunction against Hector’s blog posts, is demanding damages of RM10 million (app. US$ 3.2 million).</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><em>“</em><em>International standards on defamation provide protection and defences to certain statements in order to provide for free flow of information and open public debate</em>,” said Dr Agnès Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director. <em>“Under these standards and in many countries around the world, a case like this would be rejected</em><em>,” </em>continued Dr Callamard.<em> </em><em> </em></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Although Malaysia neither signed nor ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and international standards on defamation are not formally binding on the country, ARTICLE 19 believes the constitutional guarantee of the right to free speech in Malaysia allows wide scope for interpretation.</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">In particular, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Court to recognise that the burden of proof regarding the falsity of the blog statements should lie with the plaintiff. Furthermore, under international standards, even if a statement of fact on a matter of public concern has been proven to be false, defendants in a defamation law suit should benefit from a defence of ‘reasonable publication‘, also known defence of ‘due diligence’ or ‘good faith’. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Hence, ARTICLE 19 argues that Hector should not be held liable if it is established that he held a <em>good-faith belief in the truth</em> of his posts.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;">ARTICLE 19 also believes that given the nature of his blog, Hector should benefit from the privilege of reasonable publication granted in the Defamation Act of Malaysia. Finally, should the Court reject defences and find the statements defamatory, the amount of damages must be assessed in the view of the proportionality.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">ARTICLE 19 warns that the award in amount sought by the company could be expected to have a substantial chilling effect on the future exercise of the right to freedom of expression, not only for Hector but for other human rights defenders and media in Malaysia. </span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">NOTES TO EDITORS:</span></b></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">• To arrange a media interviews, please contact the ARTICLE 19 Press Office, Mona Samari, Senior Press Officer on </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">mona@article19.org </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">or call + 44 (207) 324 2510.</span></i><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">For more information please contact Barbora Bukovska, Senior Director for Law, at<a href="mailto:Barbora@article19.org"><span style="color: black;"> </span>Barbora@article19.org</a></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">• For ARTICLE 19 standards on defamation, see Defining Defamation: Principles on</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> Freedom of Expression and Protection of Reputation</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">, available at:<span style="color: black;"> </span>http://www.article19.org/pdfs/standards/definingdefamation.pdf</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">; or Defamation ABC, available at: </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">http://www.article19.org/pdfs/tools/defamation-abc.pdf</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;">• ARTICLE 19 is an independent human rights organisation that works around the world to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees free speech. For more information on ARTICLE 19 please visit www.article19.org or follow article19org on Twitter.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://www.article19.org/pdfs/press/malaysia-charles-hector-defamation-case-cause-for-concern.pdf">http://www.article19.org/pdfs/press/malaysia-charles-hector-defamation-case-cause-for-concern.pdf</a></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtCX9rN0VE0ATkcmbbAUhzlw_fS8s1SF0Y3VTiEvCzkAtEZlUAC4AEVgsd2bPZl91rDwGEFv2lYfMZfIBuKF0hTplyF9HUdhejU3AsBhqQexX7My5CsFtF24_OW7DRoJDSzc_cDez0div/s1600/07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtCX9rN0VE0ATkcmbbAUhzlw_fS8s1SF0Y3VTiEvCzkAtEZlUAC4AEVgsd2bPZl91rDwGEFv2lYfMZfIBuKF0hTplyF9HUdhejU3AsBhqQexX7My5CsFtF24_OW7DRoJDSzc_cDez0div/s400/07.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drawing by Liz Hilton </td></tr>
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</div>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8354493063366912188.post-87360029881405682902011-07-03T19:30:00.000-07:002011-07-03T19:30:19.434-07:00The China Post : Malaysia defamation case spotlights migrant rights<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:DoNotShowComments/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>TH</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--> <m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni;">Updated Friday, June 24, 2011 11:09 am TWN, AP</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni;">Malaysia defamation case spotlights migrant rights</span></b><b><span style="color: #002060;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni; line-height: 115%;">KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- An international rights group has criticized the Malaysian subsidiary of a Japanese manufacturing firm for suing a lawyer who wrote about the alleged mistreatment of migrant workers from Myanmar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 11pt;">Machine components maker Asahi Kosei's Malaysian arm has sued for defamation and demanded 10 million ringgit (US$3.3 million) in damages from rights lawyer Charles Hector. </span><br />
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 11pt;">Hearings are scheduled to begin June 28.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 11pt;">Hector alleged on his blog in February that Myanmarese workers for the company had been mistreated and threatened with deportation.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 11pt;">New York-based Human Rights Watch said Thursday that the large sum sought by the company could “intimidate labor and human rights defenders all over Malaysia.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #002060; font-family: Aharoni; font-size: 11pt;">Company representatives in Malaysia declined to comment.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/malaysia/2011/06/24/307375/Malaysia-defamation.htm">http://www.chinapost.com.tw/asia/malaysia/2011/06/24/307375/Malaysia-defamation.htm</a>In Defence of Charles Hectorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00524342937266717053noreply@blogger.com0