August 24th, 2011 by Hasham

Definition Of Human Rights

A Special Press Meet for Human Rights Report
On 7-9 October 1991 at first International Workshop on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights held in Paris when the United Nations Human Rights Commission as Resolution 1992/54 of 1992 and Resolution 48/134 of 1993 adopted the Paris Principle. It was a historic moment and a new definition of civilization was reintroduced in the human conscience. Following the path of Paris Principle, The Protection of Human Rights Act was drafted at 1993 by which Nation Human Rights Commission, West Bengal Human Rights Commission and as well as various other Human Rights Institutions were established in India where the duties and functions of the commissions are enumerated.
To monitor the performances of the HRIs of the countries, a new mechanism was developed at the UN. (ICC). In South Asia, ANNI(Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institutions) was formed. To follow this process, AiNNI (All India Network of NGOs & Individuals working with National and State Human Rights Institutions) was also formed, wherein MASUM is an active member.
This is the demand of the hour that the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, West Bengal Women Commission, West Bengal Minority Commission and other Human Rights Institutions of this state work more actively and significantly in the field of protection of human rights. But it seems that they often failed to show such responsibilities.
We believe the Fourth Estate, the Press and Media, has strong role in forming public opinion in a positive way and they are morally bound to advocate and highlight the social causes.
A special report on Human Rights situation to be release at a press meet on 18th April, 2011 Monday at Kolkata Press Club at 3 – 4 pm. This Press meet has been announced for the release of the background paper and more information, data and evidence of non-fulfilling the duties of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission and other Human Rights Institutions in India and in particular, in West Bengal.
Honourable Justice Malay Sengupta, ex Judge of Kolkata High Court, Ex Acting Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court and present Chairman of OBC Commission of West Bengal will preside over the session. Veteran writer and social activist, Ms. Mahasweta Devi will be present there as Chief Guest. Many other academics, social activists, organisations will share their experiences.
At the Millennium, a Broader Definition of Human Rights
By Jason Mark
Organizers called the event the largest gathering of world leaders in history. In early September 2000, more than 150 heads of state converged on New York City for the United Nations’ “Millennium Summit.” During three days of meetings, the leaders tried to address the most pressing problems of the new century. At the end of the 20th century—inarguably the bloodiest in human history—the summit was remarkable in that conflict and war did not dominate center stage. Instead, the heads of state focused their rhetoric on the problems of widespread poverty, the AIDS epidemic, environmental destruction, and the lack of education for millions of the world’s children.
Talk of “globalization” dominated the discussion throughout the summit. The heads of state in New York were nearly unanimous in challenging the shape and direction globalization has taken until now. Not surprisingly, the most pointed attacks came from leaders of the Global South. But even representatives from the world’s wealthier countries sharply questioned the global economy’s benefits.

“The statistics of poverty and inequality in our world are shocking and shameful,” Prime Minister Bertie Ahern of Ireland said. “Half the world’s population struggling on less than $2 a day, over half a billion on less than $1. A quarter of a billion children of 14 and under working, sometimes in terrible conditions. Death from preventable and treatable diseases—10 people will die of malaria in the five minutes I take to address you.”

As each speaker came before the UN General Assembly, one after the other noted that the increasing interconnectedness of the world means that—questions of morality aside—the wealthy nations cannot afford to ignore the world’s deepening social injustice.
“The wishes of the developing world are simple,” Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, chairman of the Group of 77, a forum for developing nations, said. “We are all living in the same house, whether you are developed or not developed. What we are saying is that some of us in this house are living in superluxurious rooms; others are living in something not better than an unkempt kitchen where pipes are leaking and there is no toilet. We are saying, ‘Look, in the interest of all of us, let us living in the superluxurious rooms pay a bit of attention to those who are living where the pipes are leaking, or we’ll all be badly affected.’”
In the post Cold War world, the emphasis on social and wealth divisions instead of geopolitical ones makes perfect sense. War and conflict—though still a scourge of too many communities—perhaps no longer pose the greatest threat to human rights. Rather, increasing wealth inequalities within and among nations now represent the most immediate attack on human dignity.In a world where malnutrition and preventable disease kill more people than wars and state-sponsored repression, it is clear that the concept of human rights is long overdue for a redefinition.
Southern Bhutanese work as laborers in Punakha road

In less than a year they adopted the democratic pattern of governance, which was in demand since 1950 in this country, the ‘experts’ who dined under the absolute rule of monarchy have defined what human rights is called in their terms.
Not awesome than usual twittering, these ‘experts’ said on Saturday that Bhutanese society has long embodied the principles and values of human rights that are enshrined by Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Bhutan signed the declaration in 1971 when it joined the UN.
According to the ‘experts’ Buddhism has values that promote human rights and selflessness, respect to others, non-discrimination and objection to any form of violence. Buddha’s teaching on the biological unity of the human species, denotes a common humanity,” said director of institute of language and cultural studies, Lopen Lungten.
Principally, all religions in the world encompass these values for welfare of human being. Human rights is not what is enshrined in religion but is rather manifested in culture and practice of a society.The experts did not explain whether the human rights of Bhutanese Buddhism forces people of other ethnicity adopt the Drukpa culture and tradition, allows people to say what they feel and provide adequate opportunity for self defense in legal proceedings. The Saturday’s discourse on human rights in Thimphu looked to be another gathering for sermon on Drukpa Buddhism where the experts talked about life and death and brotherhood of all human being in world and that all sentient being need to be loved and cared. Interestingly, no one answered whether two brothers can live together or one has to expel other.
There were no issues such as torture in jails, domestic violence against women, ethnic suppression and religious restriction imposed in this country since decades. Whether respect to feelings of other, right to assembly, right to organization, right to religion, right to oppose, right to criticize and right to nationality, the fundamental principles of modern human rights instruments, are part of Buddhism, the experts did not speak.