looking at human rights through the eyes of religion
TRANSCRIPT
Talking Rights
Talking Rights…
’MY’ rights as child:
Talking Rights… ’My’ right to decide:
Talking Rights… ’My’ Right to Defend myself:
Talking Rights… ’My’ Right to choose:
Talking Rights… ’My’ right to express/free speech:
CARICATURE CONTROVERSY
Center of Focus
INDIVIDUAL/SELF
Where do we get these ’Rights’ from?
UDHR (’worldwide secular religion’ Elie Wiesel)
CRC European Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR)
Geneva Conventions UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. And…….
Defining Human Rights
A program to establish the conditions which ensure that
everyone has basic equal rights, and can make their own choice,
independent of any form of domination by others.
Common Claims Universality
Emancipation of humankind
Human Dignity
Equality
BUT
Common Claims… ’What about ’his’ rights:
Foto. AFP
Common Claims…
Right to life: When?
Common Claims… Controversial French author on
trial for trivialising the holocausthttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/45888.stm
Calls for longer Irving sentence Austrian prosecutors are seeking to lengthen the three-year prison term given to British historian David Irving for denying the Holocaust. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4738922.stm
Common Claims… Dignity: Whose?
Foto AFP
Common Claims Rule of Law:Renditionhttp://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/2000/2466.htm
Outscoring Torturehttp://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/050214fa_fact6?050214fa_fact6
Extra-judicial Detentionshttp://web.amnesty.org/
The Missing Link
Individual Responsibility
The Missing Link Institutional Responsiblity
State Responsiblity
Multi-national or international organizations’ responsiblity
Success level
?
Talking Responsibilities?
Talking Responsiblities
Religion/Culture offers the missing link
A CODE OF LIFEA LIFE AFTER THIS LIFE
Center of Focus
SOCIETY/COMMUNITY
A Basic Difference
Implementing vs AcceptingImplementing vs Accepting
What is Religion? The beliefs based on a divine law, Attitudes, Relationship with the powers and principles of the universe Organization System of thought considered to be supernatural, Spirituality, Sacred, Divine commandments or highest truth, The moral codes, Practices, Values, Institutions, Rituals
Defining Religion
An organized systemof beliefs that generally seeks to understand
purpose, meaning, goals, and methods of spiritual things (These spiritual things can be God, people in relation to God, salvation, after life, purpose of life,
order of the cosmos, etc.) In other words, it is a framework of beliefs relating to supernatural or superhuman beings or forces that transcend the
everyday material world.
Common Claims Universality Emancipation of humankind Human Dignity Equality Not limited to a particular territory or
time space Not only institutional responsibility but
personal responsibility too
Taking Positions An attitude of uncritically "embracing"
human rights as an exclusive achievement of one's own culture.
An attitude of “rejecting” human rights as an alien concept that is basically hostile to one's own traditional culture.
Does Religion/Culture Perceive HR as Challenge?
Yes
Major objections Religion/Culture has towards HR A modern phenomenon (and perhaps not
mature yet)
Despite claim of being universal they are limited in scope
Do not represent an all-encompassing way of life
Dependent on politico-legal standards as well as national interests
Major objections… Not a tool to evaluate cultural or
religious values
Not the highest manifestation of ethical spirit either
Western (Secular) construct with limited applicability
Sources of friction Efforts to control the rate of change,
rather than letting that change happen naturally.
Identity politics among Non Western countries
Perception towards HR Implementation Procedures being Relative in nature
Problem of Political Cooperation among different religions
Perceptions Islamic countries blame the west for
having the habit of attributing every good thing to themselves
Christianity blaming Secular forces for trying to prove that it is because of them that the world got this blessing (Human Rights)
Closed political systems blaming Liberal Democratic forces for
Where does the problem lie?Problem is three fold:
Divine orders are put forward and take shape in diverse human interpretations.
Human interpretation do not grasp the myth of divine orders
Little room for politics, for pluralism, for political debate.
Is there any solution?
At system level: Let change happen naturally. Identity politics must not be considered as a
threat always An overall change in HR Implementation
Procedures is required based on rule of law Enhanced Politico-legal awareness and
cooperation among different religions through dialogue
Some Suggestions
At individual level:
Don’t take every thing for granted.
Be Objective.
Be aware that different people have different use of religion.
Develop better understanding/knowledge.
Thank You