Letter to PW
CINPROS
COM1S10N IWT*RNAaONAL DE LOS PROFHSIO.JALE5 DE LA SALUD pan It MJud y Un Daracbw <$ai Hombn
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CINPROS
COMMISSION IKTHHNAT10NALE DES PROFESSIONALS DE LA SANTfi pour U SABU «1 It* Drolu da ]'Homxx»
I C H P
INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS for HeaJih and H u m u Righu
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The President of the Republic of South Africa
P.W. Botha Union Building
Pretoria
Republic of South Africa
June 18, 1986 Your Excellency,
At the international semi on June 16/17, 1986 in Geneva, Professionals Ethical Problems Rights are Violated", members participants considered the cu
in South Africa in the light c and the declaration of the nat and they expressed their belie by government or i t s agents ar any circumstances, whether in c i v i l unrest.
nar organized by ICHP/CINPROS Switzerland entitled "Health
in Situations where Human of our commission and other
rrent trends of human rights f the system of apartheid
ionwide state of emergency, f that abuses of human rights e never justifiable under
peacetime, or in response to
Our cc of increasi custody, in We oelieve
age these a forces and attention i African cou we consider Also, we wi under crimi
judiciary k
amission -has been greatly concerned by evidence ng violence and torture, whether in police
detention, in public places, or in the home.
that certain features of the legal system encour- buses of human rights by the South African police other law enforcement agencies. We wish to draw n particular to the acceptance by the South
r t s of evidence obtained under torture, which to be a breach of the principles of fair t r i a l , sh to protest against the abuse of prosecution nal proceedures or c i v i l law in cases of extra-
i l l i n g or maiming.
The work of health professionals has been obstructed and distorted by interference with normal medical practices
such as has happened recently in the c l i n i c of Alexandra
and Crossroads, or by harassment as in the case of Dr. Wendy Orr and the nurses of Bharagvanath hospital. This violates
' u M i , . ! Or. A r a l M«r«f-LI* (Sw«4«a). V k t * r * & l * * a u : Dr. R a b i n B u i f t * n B t a ( C b h a i ) , D r . C h k o t V M (India). M m b t n of ! » • Eiacittr** C o n m l i u i : H I M M u j o r t t D«*||iwd ( S w i t i a r u a d ) , Dr ftkhartf GoMMala ( U S A ) , Dr. N c t x r to )|aack> LlwtkJ ( A f t f t f i M ) . Dr. M i l l Fai do fl« T i v a n (FhlHpalMi).
O i h . f «o»a>fcuk>B n«aib»r>: Dr. S k i * AJ-AU»|T (Kuwait), D t . RoitlU J . i itU ( C , r ^ i ) . Dr. ZafraUab Cbo—Shurj (B»i.«iMU»kJ. D i . U » i m G u i o l t
• ( M « » k e ) . Of. Enrtoi* GahUbarg ( M i a k o ) . M I M Y*o«a« Hiatatb ( S w t n . » u * « ) . Dr. I r a * H k o u (Jaaaa). Dr. Oaaamaa KaMa ( C » l a * a ) . Dr. Hrloiaa Lorufo M u i u o ( B i u U ) . Dr. F i u r PoUaroki (ChOa), Dr. I r k * * » ( l i f l u j . Dr * u "-Oka (Cblfca), Dr. Mofcuaaad SaaaUa ( E J T * 0 . Dr. AAthoay Ston (iinK.o K U i a o a r ) . ftof C a o / f t * * * * ( U S A ) , S*<m**y Gaaaral: D r . Fiato Pmm (Brail!). t i a e a U n J i c n l a r y : Df. Charter Gnvm ( U S A ) .
86
Letter to PW
2 .
both the r i g h t s of t h e p a t i e n t s and of the h e a l t h w o r k e r s . We c a l l on you t o end t h e n a t i o n a l s t a t e of oppression and t o guarantee h e a l t h p r o f e s s i o n a l s t h e freedom to work
in accordance with e t h i c a l g u i d e l i n e s e s t a b l i s h e d by i n t e r - n a t i o n a l medical, d e n t a l and n u r s i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n s which a r e based, in t u r n , on t h e United Nations D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s , the UN Standard Rules for t h e Treatment of P r i s o n e r s , and t h e UN P r i n c i p l e s of Medical E t h i c s (see annex appended).
We s h a l l c o n t i n u e to support a l l those h e a l t h p r o f e s - s i o n a l s and o r g a n i z a t i o n s in South Africa who courageously maintain t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a n d a r d s and e t h i c s based on t h e human r i g h t s of t h e i r p a t i e n t s .
We condemn those h e a l t h p r o f e s s i o n a l s and o r g a n i z a t i o n s who p a r t i c i p a t e in t o r t u r e , whether under o r d e r s of t h e
government or n o t , or who condone or camouflage i t s p r a c t i c e for any r e a s o n .
•
We urgently request that the health professionals presently in detention be released. We would particularly request information about the wherabouts and well-being of
Dr. Vijay Ramlakan (Durban) Dr. Dhlomo (Durban)
Dr. M.M. Motala (Durban) Dr. V. chitty (Durban)
Ms. Oomie Jhetham (medical student Dr. R.A.M. Saloojee (Johannesburg) Dr. Francis Hlahla (Mahwelereng) Dr. Fabien Ribeiro (Pretoria)
Dr. Abobaker Asvat (Johannesburg)
Mr. Saths Cooper (clinical psychologist. Durban)
University of Natal)
We are looking forward to a reply at your earlist convenience.
With respects.
Yours sincerely.
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