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RATIONALIST INTERNATIONAL www.rationalistinternational.net Bulletin # 57 (7 December, 2000)
IN THIS ISSUE:
A YARDSTICK OF CIVILIZATION Sanal Edamaruku It has been one of the most moving speeches I have ever heard. In 1992, during the World Humanist Congress in Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to listen to Pieter Admiraal, a Dutch anesthetist and pioneer in the field of voluntary euthanasia. He described the last months of one of his favorite patients, an elderly man suffering with cancer, whom he helped to die. He told us about the last evening his patient spent with his family, the farewell, and finally his peaceful death. And after ending his speech, he revealed to his moved audience that he had told us the story of his own father. People like Pieter Admiraal, who courageously and out of deeply felt humane considerations advocated for the right of a self-determined 'good death,' have created a unique climate of acceptance in the Netherlands. Though euthanasia was legally not permitted, no physician during the last two decades has been punished for assisting his patients to die. There have been more than 2000 cases of assisted death every year. The example of the Netherlands has influenced other countries, and slowly one of the strongest taboos started melting down. Now the Netherlands has done the last and decisive step. The Lower Chamber of the Dutch Parliament voted 104 to 40 and approved a bill allowing doctors under strict conditions to help their patients to die. After approval by the Upper Chamber of the Parliament in the beginning of the next year, which is seen as a mere formality, the Netherlands will be worldwide the first country to legalize euthanasia. Under the new law, people above the age of 16 who suffer from acute and unremitting pain can ask doctors to end their lives under precise medical and legal guidelines. Various Christian groups and the Roman Catholic church have opposed the new legislation. But opinion polls in all major countries of the European Union show that it has wide public support, not only in the Netherlands. It is to be expected that in near future other countries may follow this example. All over the world, Right-to-Die advocates are fighting for a similar law. In 1996 Australia's Northern Territory became the first testing ground for legalization of euthanasia. But obviously the senate was shocked of its own courage and repealed the law the very next year. In 1997, the US Supreme Court ruled against the constitutional right of US citizens to die with medical assistance. Mercy killing is tolerated in Belgium, Switzerland and Columbia. The US state of Oregon passed recently a referendum, but it may be nullified by the Congress. In Germany and Spain, 'passive euthanasia' by turning off the life-support system for people in permanent coma is silently tolerated. The Voluntary Euthanasia Society of Britain has recently conducted an opinion poll and found that 75% of the population would support the legalization of euthanasia. Self-determination in the field of euthanasia and abortion are important yardsticks measuring the level of a society's civilization. If the fear from a long and painful end and the fear from a life ruined by an unwanted pregnancy are taken away, human life will be more meaningful and dignified. THE CASE OF DR SHAIKH: LAWYER APPOINTED We are pleased to inform that the brother and relatives of Dr Younus Shaikh have engaged a prominent lawyer for him who has agreed to process the bail application and to handle the whole case. Trusted contacts in Pakistan inform that some Human Rights activists in Islamabad have formed a group to monitor the case of Dr Shaikh and to assist him in any way they can. It was decided that a petition might be sent to the Chief Executive of Pakistan signed by selected NGOs demanding fair investigation of the case and fair trial of Dr Shaikh. The petition is meanwhile sent. Excerpts from the report of a Human rights activist who went to the court when Dr Shaikh was brought to appear before the judge, on expiry of the judicial remand: "…Clerics were monitoring his visitors… I then went to see Dr Shaikh's lawyer Mr… (name withheld by us for security reasons). He has been engaged by Dr Younus's relatives. It was my third meeting with him, but in this meeting he shared a lot more information with me. He said he had already received Rs. 26,000 as fee for processing the bail application and would be paid another Rs. 100,000 for handling the whole case. He also briefed me about the legal aspects of the case and his strategy……" The money for the legal defense of Dr Shaikh has been raised from family sources. Dr Shaikh's case is already well known in Pakistan. Here is a headline from the Urdu daily Khabrain: "It is sin to hold court for blasphemer of the Prophet. The accused must be hanged immediately." There are reports of critical statements against Dr Shaikh by Khatibs of the mosque of Islamabad/ Rawalpindi. Another reporter writes that under the auspices of International organization of Ahl e-Sunnat wal Jamaat that resolutions were passed in several mosques demanding severe punishment for the blasphemer. Responding to the call of Rationalist International hundreds of letters were sent from around the world to the Chief Executive of Pakistan requesting for the release of Dr Shaikh. If you have not yet written a letter, we request you to send one as early as possible, with copy to us. BARBARA SMOKER AND PROF. MIKE ARCHER NOW HONORARY ASSOCIATES Barbara Smoker and Professor Mike Archer have joined Rationalist International as new Honorary Associates. Barbara Smoker is a strong advocate of the atheist viewpoint in print, radio and TV and was president of Britain's National Secular Society (founded by Charles Bradlaugh in 1866) from 1971 to 1996. Prof. Mike Archer is one of Australia's leading paleontologists. He is Professor of Biological Science at the University of NSW and the Director of the Australian Museum in Sydney. For more details about Barbara Smoker and Prof. Mike Archer, as well as about other Honorary Associates (updating of their biographical notes is in progress), please visit the "Honorary Associates" page at our web site www.rationalistinternational.net PAKISTAN: TICKET PUNCHING IMMORAL! Suddenly everybody speaks about buses. The new Shandaar Metro Bus Service, shuttling between the far-off suburb Landhi and Karachi's central business district Sadar, has created a sensation: the fleet of twelve new luxury buses is "manned" by women. Having started their work this month, the first-ever female bus conductors in Pakistan have unleashed a controversy. While most passengers appreciate the new bus service with the friendly face, fundamentalists condemn ticket-punching women as immoral and unacceptable as against the teachings of Islam. Women fundamentalists join the tirade: Abida Nasrulla, leader of the women wing of the right extremist Jamaat-e-Islami, argues that women conductors are being used to attract male customers. The right wing Shab-e-Milli party has threatened to throng the new buses and bring down the women indulging in "immoral activities". The government of Sindh, which has launched the new service in cooperation with private transporters, has good reasons for the courageous step to employ women conductors. They want to create a more women-friendly atmosphere in the buses, making travelling for thousands of female passengers easier, and they want to create jobs for women, who are the worst sufferers of the unemployment in Pakistan.
VATICAN: BEWARE OF BARBIE AND MICKEY MOUSE! Avvenire, the newspaper of the Italian Bishops' Conference, and the Vatican paper Ossavatore Romano together have released a book that helps modern Catholics to maneuver through today's morally complex and rapidly changing world. It is an update of the old commandments and answers everything that you want to know about catholic etiquette but never dared to ask. There are do's and don'ts. Catholics have to keep away from certain things like Bigmac, Mickey Mouse, Barbie doll, Halloween parties, Ferrari fans and in Reality TV, because they pose great dangers for their spiritual welfare. Fast food, for example, is deeply un-catholic. It may be in order for a Protestant who according to his ethics maintains a personal and single relationship with his God, to lonely chew a Burger. But Catholics have to break bread together and share a divine meal. As for Barbie and Ken, Mickey and Minnie and GI Joe and his trusty Thompson gun: they all have a tendency to detract the Catholic from real life and become objects of his worship. Halloween parties demean Catholic remembrances of the dead, while Big Brother, Survivor and other Reality TV programs, putting daily human life on TV display, are incompatible with Catholic faith -- especially so, when sexual scenes are shown, which could give a bad example to young people. The warning against Ferrari fans is mainly addressed to the people of Maranello, home of Ferrari sports cars, where it has become a local ritual to ring the church bells, whenever Ferrari wins a race. No need to say that this comes very near to blasphemy! The book has also some positive advises in store: Thou shalt surf the Internet! is one of them. The Vatican itself is trying to beef up its Internet presence and tries to conquer the cyber space. Thou shalt speak foreign languages! is not very new. Thou shalt commit sport! does not only aim at the benefit of the layman but is also meant to bring priests and bishops in shape. The Pope who has allegedly been an athlete in his younger times has personally urged bishops and cardinals to get sweaty in the playing fields and pitches. The recipients of Rationalist International Bulletin # 57 may publish, post, forward or reproduce articles and reports from this bulletin, acknowledging the source, Rationalist International Bulletin # 57. If you wish to invite your rationalist friends to receive Rationalist International Bulletin (it’s free), please ask them to send a blank message from their address to Rationalist-subscribe@egroups.com or you may send their email address to HQ@rationalistinternational.net How to contact Rationalist International? Postal address: Rationalist International, P O Box 9110, New Delhi 110091, India. Phone: +91-11-2253255, Fax: +91-11-914456201 (please note the change in fax number), Web Site: www.rationalistinternational.net Email: info@rationalistinternational.net Honorary Associates: (alphabetically) Prof. Mike Archer (Australia), Katsuaki Asai (Japan), Prof. Colin Blakemore (UK), Prof. Vern Bullough (USA), Dr Bill Cooke (New Zealand), Helena Cronin (UK), Prof. Richard Dawkins (UK), Joseph Edamaruku (India), Jim Herrick (UK), Christopher Hitchens (USA), Lavanam (India), Prof. Paul Kurtz (USA), Dr. Henry Morgentaler (Canada), Taslima Nasreen (Bangladesh), Steinar Nilsen (Norway), Prof. Jean-Claude Pecker (France), James Randi (USA), Dr G N Jyoti Shankar (meanwhile deceased) (USA), Barbara Smoker (UK), Prof. Harry Stopes-Roe (UK), Prof. Rob Tielman (The Netherlands), Jane Wynne Willson (UK), Prof. Lewis Wolpert (UK). Sanal Edamaruku, President of Rationalist International, can be contacted at Edamaruku@rationalistinternational.net |