(Responses to this message should be sent to Stuart M. Leiderman at
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Dear Readers:
I have two questions: What rights to privacy are implied or guaranteed under
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? And for refugees, what is the
basis, justification and legality permitting governments, employers and other
entities to fingerprint them?
Yesterday, I received from the UN Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs, a news article, below, describing plans for a joint UNHCR-Pakistani project to register Afghan refugees living in Pakistan. According to the
article, this follows a census of refugees conducted in March 2005,
revealing "over three million Afghan individuals comprising more than 55,000
families..." [three million divided by 55,000 is approx. 60!]
The article further states, "In April, the Pakistani government and UNHCR
agreed to carry out a national registration drive, which is mandatory for
every Afghan living in the country. All Afghans aged five and above will be
issued an identity card...NADRA [Pakistan's National Database and Registration
Authority-- 'Largest IT [Information Technology] Organization in Pakistan' --
<http://www.nadra.gov.pk/>] being the implementing agncy, said it would
conduct the exercise using fingerprint biometrics and photos to record
information...According to UNHCR, the registration process will capture a
detailed profile of Afghans living in Pakistan: where they come from, how old
they are and what skills they have."
Now, the configuration of minute skin patterns at the tips of the fingers are
part of a person's body. They, like other constant physiological
characteristics such as blood type, DNA, precise racial heritage and iris
patterns are not readily and publicly discernible, i.e. they are not
distinguishable as unique by one's unaided five senses in the course of normal
human relations. Therefore I consider them to be the most intimate of all
private property, something that normally should be secure and free from
invasion or mandatory takig by governments, employers and other entities. I
believe that at least Articles 2 and 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights give bases to hold these personal characteristics inviolate:
Article 2 states, "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set
forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race,
colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or
social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction
shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international
status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be
independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of
sovereignty.
Article 12 states, "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with
his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour
and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against
such interference or attacks."
Mark Twain's important novel, Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894)
<http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/wilson/pwhompg.html>
is the first book I know to popularly explain the uniqueness of finger
markings and introduce the practice of fingerprinting as a way to catch a
thief. Over time, it's become customary in some countries to fingerprint
someone who has been officially arrested and charged with a crime, for the
purpose of trying to match their prints with those left at a specific crime
scene or on a weapon used for the crime. But this is a far cry from the
growing practice of requiring prints to register or identify refugees and
common citizens who are not charged with crimes.
I believe that the mandatory gathering of fingerprints for any purpose other
than in the course of a specific crime investigation is an arbitrary and
discriminatory practice that violates the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. Further, I believe that the holding of fingerprint records after a
person is cleared of accusation is wrong. Likewise, I believe that the
holding of fingerprint records after a refugee has returned home is wrong.
To my knowledge, no one has proved that information about a person's private
physiological characteristics is essential for identity in normal public human
relations such as work, travel, education and voting. I believe that the push
to invade one's physiological space for the purpose of "registration" is
insupportable; it presumes that innocent people are or may become criminals.
No matter how widespread it has become among governments, employers and
obsessive data-gatherers, I believe this practice is wrong and should be
opposed everywhere.
I would appreciate your opinions on this and support for convening an
international forum to examine, correct and confine the practice of requiring,
gathering and holding such personal "biometric" information.
see Mortensen, "Human Relations" 1932
<http://www.eastman.org/taschen/m198004790024.jpg>
Thank you,
Stuart M. Leiderman
[log in to unmask]
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U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) - 1995-2005 ten years serving
the humanitarian community
[These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
CONTENT:
1 - PAKISTAN: Afghan registration to start in October
KARACHI, 9 June (IRIN) - Pakistan's National Database and Registration
Authority (NADRA) will begin registering Afghans living in the country in
October, officials said on Thursday.
The US $6 million registration programme follows-up the census conducted in
March 2005, which showed that more than three million Afghans were still
living in Pakistan.
"Over three million Afghan individuals comprising more than 55,000 families
will be registered during the 8-11 week drive, which is scheduled to start in
October," Brig Abid Haider Kazmi, director general of NADRA's provincial
chapter of Sindh said in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi.
During the drive, Afghan refugees will be issued ID cards, allowing them to
stay in Pakistan for another three years beyond 2006. The existing agreement,
between the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which regulates
voluntary Afghan repatriation from Pakistan, is set to expire at the end of
December.
In April, the Pakistani government and UNHCR agreed to carry out a national
registration drive, which is mandatory for every Afghan living in the
country.
"All Afghans aged five and above will be issued an identity card while those
under five years of age will be listed on the card of the head of the family,"
Kazmi added.
NADRA, being the implementing agency, said it would conduct the exercise using
fingerprint biometrics and photos to record information.
"This exercise would be done through a combination of fixed and mobile
registration points. To this, we will utilise about 88 registration centres in
all four provinces [of Pakistan] and Pakistani-administered Kashmir along with
our mobile teams," NADRA's official said.
According to UNHCR, the registration process will capture a detailed profile
of Afghans living in Pakistan: where they come from, how old they are and what
skills they have.
"These findings will also tell us the needs of Afghans who have trouble
returning [to Afghanistan], so appropriate solutions can be found for them,"
Vivian Tan, a UNHCR spokeswoman, said in Karachi.
The data collected in the registration will help the Afghan government plan
regional development in potential areas of return. It will also help Kabul
make the best use of the skills returnees have, by identifying key workers
such as teachers and doctors, the UNHCR official said.
More than 76,000 Afghan refugees have returned so far this year. About 2.8
million Afghan refugees have repatriated from Pakistan since the UN refugee
agency started its voluntary repatriation assistance programme for Afghans in
early 2002.
TS/SC [ENDS]
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