Subcommittee on International Human Rights Committee on Oct. 26th, 2010

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

You still have a bit of time left, Mr. Marston. You're done? Okay.

If you'll indulge me, colleagues, I'd like to ask a question just to get a bit of a sense here....

In the initial letter of contact that you sent via Mark Warawa's office, Mr. Ash, you made reference to the fact that killings are as widespread as Swaziland, which is considerably to the south of Tanzania, and as far north and west as Guinea.

That suggests to me, although maybe I'm reading too much in here, that this phenomenon of witchcraft or this belief that the body parts of persons with albinism is kind of a spreading notion, and is getting worse, as opposed to being an atavistic belief that's fading away.

[Peter Ash]

The thing is that we're not sure if it's getting worse or just being more reported. We do know that people with albinism in Africa have been discriminated against, in a variety of countries, for a long time. We have data that discrimination and stigma against albinos have been long-standing across the continent and sub-Saharan Africa. What we are seeing, though, you're right, is more reports of these killings. We're not sure why that is.

There are two theories. One is that there is a transborder trade in parts. So maybe, because of the police presence or the international pressures on Tanzania, the killers are getting the body parts supplied from other countries. Or it could be that witch doctors are sharing the idea across borders. We're not sure why it's going across the continent. We know that it is.

What we do believe...and we do have evidence that a few weeks ago there was a killing in Burundi and the killers fled across the Burundian border to Rwanda. We have a number of documented cases where parts are going back and forth across borders.

I didn't mention this earlier, but one of the things we're asking the Government of Tanzania to do--and perhaps the Government of Canada could raise this in its commentary, in its letter--is that Interpol become involved. Interpol has a role when there is human trafficking of organs across country lines. It might be that if police departments in the affected regions coordinated their efforts...because we believe it's likely that there's an international ring in the supply of these body parts going on.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

All right.

Thank you very much. I think everybody on the committee is very grateful to you for attending, particularly on such short notice. Let me just offer thanks on behalf of everybody on the committee.

[Peter Ash]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Scott Reid]

Committee members, I want to take a moment to deal with some administrative business before we adjourn. I had been requested to prepare a letter—it's being circulated to you—regarding the possibility of the committee becoming a full-status committee. I'd like you to look at that and get back to me with your comments. This includes the edits put in by other members. That's one item.

Second, I've prepared a draft schedule. It is only advisory. I believe that's being circulated to you as well. Please take a look at that and be prepared to come back with comments. You could do that at the next meeting but I suggest if you feel like buttonholing me between now and then, so that we can take your comments under advisement, that would be helpful. I do meet with the clerk in between our meetings, and we could make adjustments based on your comments. The sooner you get them to us the better.

Finally, as a last thought, members have put forward topics they think ought to be discussed. We would be grateful if you could give us the names of proposed witnesses. We can contact those witnesses to have them here either on the dates we've suggested on the draft schedule, or if those dates don't work based on the availability of those witnesses, we will then of course try to change the dates and come back to you with that.

Please keep in mind those items of business.

Finally, very important, we all know that I was sent to the main committee to deal with them looking at our UPR report and our Iran report. I can report back to you that the UPR report was adopted by the main committee with a slight amendment, but not, I think, a serious amendment. The intention of the chair is to report it to the House probably next week, perhaps on November 3. The Iran report is likely to involve some additional hearings. You can speak to your own party members on the parent committee to find out more details, if you so desire.

That said, we are adjourned. Thanks very much, everybody.