N000302
Friday, December 21, 2001 6:42 AM
Crisis Relief Benefits
I am a member of the Italian section of Amnesty International. As you probably know, Amnesty International is a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring that the basic human rights of people are respected without discrimination.
International human rights standards including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights prohibit arbitrary discrimination and the US government is obligated to respect these rights.
Consistently with such international human rights standards, and the general principle of equality, I issue the request that the Justice Department includes among relatives eligible for compensation those who lost their life partners as well as de facto parents or children, without regard to sexual orientation or marital status.
I do believe that Justice Department should follow the positive example of New York state in granting compensation benefits "on a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need.
In my opinion, specifically in such a situation, where different cultures are facing and observing each-other, the occidental world must give strong signals of coherence to its principles. Treating with dignity and equality all families - and all types of families - impacted by the tragedy of September 11, must be one of these signals.
Best Regards,
Individual Comment
Baldissero Tor. (Italy)