dojA004298.xml

dojA004298.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-12-20

Thursday, December 20, 2001 12:21 PM
Basic Human Rights in Compensation Administration

c/o Kenneth L. Zwick, Director
Office of Management Programs
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20530
Fax (301) 519-5956
E-mail victimcomp.comments@usdoj.gov

Dear Department of Justice Officials,

In the upcoming administration of the September 11th funds disbursement, I
am writing to ask you to ensure that the basic human rights of people are
respected without discrimination.

International human rights standards including the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights prohibit arbitrary discrimination and the US government
is obligated to respect these rights.

I would like to request that the Justice Department, consistent with such
international human rights standards, and the general principle of
equality, include 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.
Please follow the positive example of New York
state in 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."

Real justice is only served when all families and all types of families
impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with
dignity and equality.

Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Los Angeles, CA

2001-12-20