N000575
Friday, December 21, 2001 4:02 PM
COMPENSATION FOR ALL VICTIMS OF THE 11 SEP ATTACK
Mr. Wick,
I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights
movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people
without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the Sep
11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims regardless of sexual orientation or
marital status. As you know, the US has committed to uphold international
human rights standards, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and the International Movement on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit
arbitrary discrimination.
As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you
apply basic international human rights standards and the general principle
of equality, by including among relatives eligible for compensation those
who lost their life partners, as well as de facto partners or children,
without regard to sexual orientation or marital status. The State of New
York has already adopted such a policy.
Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the Sep 11 attacks. Since then,
lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had mixed results in
obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the distribution of relief
funds by private and state agencies. An inclusive policy on the part of the
federal government would help establish an important principle for other
such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when
all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights
tragedy of Sep 11 are are treated with dignity and equality.
Thank you for considering my concerns.
Sincerely
Individual Comment