Firstly, many heartfelt thanks to all those who lobbied members of the House of Lords against assisted suicide, resulting in last night's victory for the right to life and for the vulnerable.Secondly, pro-life leaders active in Latin America urgently request pro-life supporters worldwide to lobby in support of a bill (the Muwaji Law) to stop the practice of infanticide among indigenous people in Brazil. This bill will be considered today (8 July). Please email a brief message to the representatives of Brazil's Human Rights Commission listed below, urging them to support the Muwaji Law. You might like to draw upon and add to the following points:
- Infanticide, in common with every intentional killing of an innocent human being, is contrary both to ethics and to international human rights law.
- This norm is legally binding, and applicable regardless of race, nation, class, sex or religion.
- If certain cultural traditions threaten life - a basic right for every human being, regardless of race - then culture must yield.
- Muwaji's Law does not threaten native cultures; it simply promotes the idea of educating the tribes about options for the family other than infanticide.
- This is an effort called for and supported by hundreds of indigenous families all over Brazil.
- Permission for infanticide would mark a regression in society to the low ethical standards of the ancient world, in which human life was regarded as disposable and the weak treated with contempt.
- Allowing infanticide in one case will result in intolerable pressure for it to be allowed in other cases, possibly extending to the euthanasia of older children and disabled adults.
Mr. Dom Dimas Lara Barbosa
President of CNBB
secgeral@cnbb.org.br
Congressman Luiz Couto
President of the Human Rights Commission
dep.luizcouto@camara.gov.br
Congressman Chico Alencar
Representative from Rio de Janeiro
dep.chicoalencar@camara.gov.br
Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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