On 27 November 1998, the ceremony for the 5th Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders was held in the Conference Hall in Geneva.  The recipient of the award was Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj, the first Arab to earn this prestigious award.  A large number of human rights activists, high court judges, parliamentarians, members of the British House of Lords, members of Amnesty International, and members of the International Commission of Jurists attended the ceremony.

Ms. Simia Ahmadi started the ceremony by giving a short introduction about the award.  He paid tribute to Martin Ennals, a founding member and first Secretary-General of Amnesty International and founder of other human rights organizations such as the International Association for the Prevention of Torture and Article 19.
Simia Ahmadi speech at the ceremony

Mr. Adama Dieng then announced the recipients of the 1998 Martin Ennals award for human
rights defenders, Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj. Mr. Dieng mentioned that the award was presented to Dr. El-Sarraj in recognition of his courageous and innovative human rights work and of the international voice that he has given to Palestinian’s human rights and pro-democracy movement.
Mr. Adama Dieng speech at the ceremony

Mr. Kofi Kumado followed Mr. Adama Dieng by introducing Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj.  Mr. Kumado said numerous things made Dr. El-Sarraj the first candidate to receive the award this year.
After the introduction, Mr. Kumado presented Dr. El-Sarraj with the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, which consisted of a trophy and a financial grant.
Mr. Kofi Kumado speech at the ceremony

After receiving the award, Dr. El-Sarraj gave his acceptance speech in which he expressed his pride in accepting the award.
Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj speech at the ceremony
 

I never met Martin Ennals in person. Well, neither did I personally know Mozart or Ghandi, but it does not prevent me from being inspired by them, for they have left a legacy behind. And so has Ennals.

I first heard about Martin from Hans Thoolen in 1992 who mentioned that he wanted to pursue the idea to create an award in the name of Martin, not only to commemorate him, but to encourage human rights defenders. I asked to see the files on the award proposal so that I could begin to learn about Martin. My curiosity about this giant HRD had certainly been sparked. Who exactly was Martin? What was his background? How did he help to create this vast movement of human rights NGOs? And most important:  how did he inspire so many others?

Martin Ennals devoted his whole life to human rights and nothing else. His dynamic dedication may have taken different forms, and may have been channeled through a variety of human rights organisations - whatever the vehicle used, there was always a single orientation: human rights. As a colleague noted: “He moved mountains, doing and creating impossible things. Martin was always ten years ahead of his time”. The enormous creativity of Martin, the pursuing of ideas ahead of his times made me think of Mark Twain’s words: “A crank is a man with an idea..... until it catches on.” He was behind the creation or growth of at least ten organisations which span the full spectrum of human rights, each specialising in their own mandates, be it the development of a big machinery for protecting the rights of individuals through AI, the prevention and solution of conflicts through International Alert, freedom of expression through Article 19, the use of appropriate information technology through HURIDOCS, or general standard setting within the UN.

When Martin became Secretary General of AI in 1968, AI was an organisation with 7 staff and an annual budget of £17'000.  Twelve years later, the staff had grown to 150 with an annual budget of £2 million.  Martin represented an era where AI became a human rights organisation of global concern, and an international player in the human rights field.  It is no coincidence, then, that AI was awarded the Erasmus Prize in 1976, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977, and the UN Human Rights Award in 1978. But Martin, known for his modesty, had others accept the prizes on behalf of AI.

Martin was convinced of the need for AI to become a strong campaign organisation, not just an organisation that documents human rights violations.  Under his leadership, the first campaign on torture took place in 1973 as well as the first campaign against the death penalty in 1977. Martin cited his reasons for leaving AI in 1980: “I thought that no organisation should become identified with one person and that no individual gives his best after a certain period of time in one post.” Martin retained close contact with AI during his whole life.

In 1982, at the birth of the HURIDOCS network, Martin wrote:  “The rapid increase of interest in human rights coincides with the rapid development of information technology. Unless a common and universal system of communication is evolved, valuable information will be wasted, existing international machinery will not function, and implementation not monitored.” This is how he married information technology and human rights protection. Hence it should come as no surprise that HURIDOCS is proud to be the home of the MEA for Human Rights Defenders. With human rights treaties being available on internet, with many human rights organisations now having a “home page” on the “web”, it is perhaps good to recall that the words just quoted were probably typed by Martin on his old, battered portable typewriter which he carried around the globe, with the same dedication as his flask of whiskey.

He was active in the creation of both SOS Torture and Defence for Children International.  From there, he moved to establish Article 19, and his last creation, International Alert.  He himself remarked that it was fitting to go full circle from AI to IA, from on organisation focusing on the individual, to one that emphasised events.

According to colleagues and family, Martin Ennals not only had devotion to human rights work, but he also had a strong love of life, of people, of fun. Martin was always able to tell the woods from the trees, always willing to see the individual distinct from the movement or the cause. He had the ability to put everything human rights defenders are doing in a meaningful global context. This made Martin the quintessential NGO networker. Martin  died on 5 October  1991 in Saskatoon Canada where he was serving a human rights fellowship with special emphasis on the right to self-determination.  He left behind a world filled with many more - and more vigorous - human rights organtisations than had been found 64 years earlier, although he himself would never have claimed to have played a major role in that formidable change.

As we celebrate 50 years of the UDHR, let me recall the words of Pierre Sané, current Secretary-General of AI: “Defending human rights defenders today has to be imperative for all international human rights organisations in order to create the political and social space where the future of all societies can be addressed without fear.”

It is with this in mind that the MEF has recently agreed to make its governing structure the joint responsibility of a broad range of international human rights NGOs. Nine such organisations have now joined hands to make the MEA into an effective tool for the protection of HRDs.  Martin Ennals, who more than anyone else  wanted to see effective cooperation among human rights activists, would certainly be proud of this joint enterprise.

Thank you…  The short excerpts of the film on the life of Martin that you have seen are taken from the film made by AI-Netherlands - Willem Offenberg and Rob Brouwer - and the MEF. The portraits of the first four MEA winners that follow were also made by the same team.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the fifth Martin Ennals Human Rights  Award for Human Rights Defenders ceremony.

This Award ceremony takes place at a time of great expectations and hope. In a world plagued by human rights violations, success  of human rights awareness and  the ideals of freedom, justice and peace in the world can only be accomplished  through the joint endeavours of all concerned. If the cause of peace is truly to gain momentum, it must rest upon sound foundation of respect for human rights and freedoms. It is in the light of this concept that the Martin Ennals Foundation presents its Award today.

As many of you will already know, Martin always showed great sensitivity for the plight of the persecuted, the underprivileged and victims of discrimination. He had a lot of sympathy  for grass roots work and he always made a point of  stressing the comprehensive nature and the broad range of human rights as exemplified  by the Universal Declaration  of Human Rights, which includes civil, political rights, as well as social rights and social justice. Martin felt strongly that political freedom and social justice go hand in hand and was a strong believer of human rights education training.

As a member of the jury that had to select the final candidates for this year’s award, I can honestly say that it was a very difficult choice as many of the candidates being considered were of high and equal standing.

It is with great pleasure that I announce that the laureate of the 1998 Martin Ennals  Award for human rights defenders is Dr. Eyad El Sarraj. This Award will be presented to him  in recognition of his courageous and innovative human rights work and of the international voice that he has given to Palestinian’s human rights and pro-democracy movement.

Dr. Eyad Rajab El Sarraj is the founder and Medical Director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP). Dr. El Sarraj has developed an independent mental health service which provides urgently needed support for the large number of people affected by the upheaval of the Intifada and the organised violence perpetrated under Israeli occupation. He is active in the fields of rehabilitation of torture survivors and prevention of torture. His open criticism of the Palestinian National Authorities has placed him in great danger. It resulted in his arrest on three occasions, most recently in June 1996, where he has experienced torture, prolonged solitary confinement and lack of access to an attorney. Dr. El Sarraj also participates in prevention of torture world-wide as a member of the International Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims, and the Co-ordinating Committee of the Campaign Against Torture in the Middle East and North Africa.

Eyad’s  courage and perseverance in his human rights activities  in the face of constant repression, torture, death threats of the Palestinian people who refuse the Israeli occupation and personal attacks has made of him a forceful and forthright human rights campaigner. These qualities were only a small part of  the many characteristics  that persuaded the  Jury to select  him as the second laureate of the Martin Ennals Award for Human rights defenders.

In conclusion,  it is my hope that the presentation of this Award will encourage other human rights activists to continue their work for peace and  co-operation. Indeed, it is important to assure the success of an active human rights movement and ensure that the continuous support and untiring efforts of all activists be a joint endeavour to make a noticeable difference in the coming years.

I would  like to take this opportunity to  extend the Foundation’s gratitude  to the Diakonische Werke - EKD (the German Envangelical Churches) for its generous and continuing support of the Martin Ennals Award, the Netherlands section of Amnesty International, IMADR Japan, Robert Fulghum and Lynn Edwards from USA for their contribution.   Thanks also to the hosts of the “Centre International de Conference de Genève” for hosting this Award ceremony.

Finally I want to thank HURIDOCS, its Director and the entire staff who actively contributed in the preparations of this momentous ceremony.

Thank you.

Distinguished Guest, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Fifty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Not unanimously but by a very large majority. The lack of unanimity was a warning that the cause of serving humanity will remain a complex one.

Though not presented in the form of a legally binding international convention, the Universal Declaration was accepted as a common standard of decency for all the world. It provided the foundation for the highly commendable activity of the United Nations in the field of Human Rights. A commitment by the international community, which has resulted in the creation of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and all the specialised agencies which form the complex of the UN family.

However, all of that belong to the public sphere. They relate to the public authorities world-wide. As we all know, the public authorities, in any country, are beholden to politics. In this field, the first law is that of survival of power-wielders. In turn, this need for survival has turned politics into what is termed the art of the possible.

 The Universal Declaration also spawned a different kind of activity.  It galvanised civil society and civil society groups across our globe into frenetic activity in the service of Human Rights. The Declaration provided hope for many ordinary people, women and men, scattered across the face of this earth, and working often in unstable and dangerous conditions. It provided them with a Manifesto and a raison d'être. Through their selfless devotion to Human Rights and the activities carried through the NGO community, the Universal Declaration became truly the new Magna Carta for humanity.

But while governments provide each other with recognition, the foot-soldiers of the real human rights movement go largely unsung. Their death in the line of duty often evokes only silence. Their tireless toiling goes unheralded. They endure torture, pain, deprivation and all manner of unimaginable hardships. They did not ask for relief or compensation for themselves. They are driven simply by the desire to eliminate or at least alleviate suffering for others. They try to bring hope to the many who see the promised land of peace, security and dignity as a great fraud. They try to illumine where all is darkness.

Martin Ennals was one of those foot-soldiers. And as is typical of these foot soldiers, only death retired him from active service.

In June 1993, the world-wide human rights movement, in their meeting which preceded the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna, took a historic and decisive step.  It accepted the establishment of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. It was a fitting tribute to Martin Ennals' memory that the acknowledgement itself was caught in the tumult that engulfed the closing stages of the NGO Conference in Vienna.

Since its institution, the Award has followed the fortunes of Human Rights Defenders. The road for the Award has, to put it mildly, been less than smooth. To tell the truth, the Award has been dogged by uncertainty. Perhaps, it will not be considered as spoiling the party if I use this occasion to appeal to friends of Human Rights Defenders to do everything they can to save the Award from being drowned and derailed by lack of resources. For, to the best of my knowledge, there is no other human rights award that seeks to console, rekindle the hope and provide a rallying point for the real human rights workers. It will be a great pity if the Award should suffer an untimely death.

Today, we are gathered here to present the Award to its 5th recipient. Mr. Adama Dieng, President of the Martin Ennals Foundation has explained the factors which influenced the selection of the winner we are about to honour.

Dr. Eyad Rajab El Sarraj is the founder and Medical Director of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program. He works in one of the most difficult and complex parts of the world.  Piloting his ship between the waters of the Israeli authorities and the Palestinian National Authority has caused him violence, torture, arrest, prolonged solitary confinement and personal deprivation of all sorts. Totally oblivious to personal safety concerns, he has developed a service which seeks to bring hope, rehabilitation and stability to others. Above all, he has tried to share his unique experiences, skills and expertise with other human rights activists and advocates in other parts of the world. Martin Ennals would be proud of him.

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Martin Ennals Foundation, on behalf the millions of unsung human rights workers world-wide, on behalf of all of you gathered here at this ceremony and on my own behalf, it is my honour and privilege to present the 5th Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, in this fiftieth year of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to Dr Eyad El Sarraj.

May this presentation serve as a rallying point not only for Dr. El Sarraj but for all of us human rights workers wherever we may be in this global village of ours

THANK YOU

I don’t want to make a long speech, but I feel so honoured and privileged and humble. I only tell you that receiving this award made me remember one of the persons I left behind in prison.  He said to me, when I was about to be released: «Don’t forget me... please... don’t forget me».

And in the detention centres which I have to visit in my capacity as the Commissioner General for Human Rights in Palestine, a position which also put me in detention, in every prison; in every detention centre I visit in Israel or Palestine, I always call out, with these haunting memories of the sounds of people bleeding, « don’t forget me... »

In this world, in this troubled world, the real champions are the ones who sacrificed their lives, who sacrificed their lives by death, through torture or mistreatment, or sacrificed their lives behind bars for others to enjoy a normal life.  I feel indebted and really humble because I received this award.   I feel that such a prestigious and symbolic award should be given to all people who still suffer at the hands of dictatorial regimes, of occupation forces, of military forces that always mean to degrade human beings and to deprive them of their dignity.

The struggle is going on and this hour will only sharpen my resolution and my commitment to continue and I will always remember this ceremony, these faces, with a sense of responsibility; that we have to carry on, and I’m sure that one day human rights will win.

Thank you very much.