During the imposition of martial law in the Aceh region of Indonesia in 2003, numerous human rights defenders were tortured, kidnapped, or killed. Others were forced into hiding or exile. Evi Zain survived.
Evi Zain is visiting Canada under the auspices of KAIROS, a national Social justice organization of several churches. She will speak about the post-tsunami reconstruction in Indonesia, including the role of the military in aid delivery.
She is vitally concerned about women’’s rights and indigenous peoples’’ rights. She has served on the UN commission on women’’s rights and is well known. She has experienced violent persecution for herself and for her organization.
During her visit to Alberta she is meeting with groups of the KAIROS network in Lethbridge, Calgary, and Edmonton. She is seeking support for Canadian diplomatic influence on her homeland in order to work for a cessation of violence, establishment of democracy, and restoration of civil and political rights and freedoms. She has an amazing first hand story to tell.
Accompanying her is Connie Sorio, KAIROS coordinator for Asia-Pacific.