N001242
Sunday, December 30, 2001 8:37 PM
Compassion Should Not Discriminate-: RE: 9/11 Assistance
December 30, 2001
Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,
As you consider rules for administering the relief fund to victims and
families of victims of the 9/11 attacks, 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 parents or children, without
regard to sexual orientation or marital status.
In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families
- and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of
September 11 are treated with dignity and equality.
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
September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of sexual
orientation or marital status. As you know, the United States has
committed to uphold international human rights standards, including the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination.
The State of New York has already adopted such a policy, 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."
Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th 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. I feel it is important to
repeat, in compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all
families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy
of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality.
Thank you for considering my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you
about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11
attacks have equal access to the relief fund.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Alexandria, VA