May 2007

Media Release

Amnesty International – Abortion

Right to Life condemns the infamous decision of Amnesty International [AI] to reject the sanctity of life ethic and to enter into abortion advocacy. They have now discarded their former policy of neutrality on this important human rights issue.

AI has adopted a new policy calling for all abortions to be allowed calling for abortions to be allowed worldwide when a woman is a victim of rape or her health is threatened by the continued life of her unborn child, it now sees abortion as a human right that should be promoted and protected. AI is now embracing a culture of death.The new policy will promote abortion on demand.There is no human right for a mother to kill her unborn child. AI now proposes to actively fight to deny the human rights of unborn children and their inalienable right to life; in taking this step it is turning its back on human rights.

AI claims that they have changed their policy to prevent violence against women. Abortion is a serious violation of human rights and is itself deplorable violence against vulnerable women and their unborn children, the weakest and most defenceless members of the human family. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights states that our human rights are inalienable and universal, these rights are conferred on us at conception by our creator and may not be taken from us.

AI claims to support the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention states; “The child deserves special care and safeguards including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth.”

We all have a duty to defend life, Right to Life calls upon A I to uphold a culture of life and reconsider the proposed policy change. It should adopt a true human rights policy of working to protect the human rights of unborn children and to oppose abortion as being violence against women.

Amnesty International has a well earned international reputation in protecting freedom and human rights throughout the world. It is a tragedy that Amnesty International has adopted abortion as a “human right’, it now places in jeopardy the wonderful work that it currently performs. .Members and supporters of AI who are genuinely concerned about human rights should withdraw their support from AI which is now fatally compromised.

Ken Orr
Spokesperson,
Right to Life New Zealand Inc,

ENDS

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