Human rights all-time issue 
 
By Hern. P. Zenarosa

THE recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.

With this introductory statement, the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights opens up a vision of a world in which the human rights of all are fully respected regardless of race, religion, education, or station in life.

Article 1 of the declaration states that "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."

The virtue and nobility of such declaration is, of course, moving.

And yet, it is curious that after more than half a century from the time the proclamation was adopted by the United Nations, human rights issues continue to persist in many parts of the world – and, as seriously, in the Philippines.

Early this month we learned that Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo left for Geneva to meet with officials of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to report cases of human rights abuses in the country.

He particularly cited the violence and personal attacks committed against local activists and journalists, and the inability of the government to "stop the killings of personalities critical of the Arroyo administration."

Ocampo, it may be noted, was one of the House members identified in the media as Batasan 5 who were placed under custody of the House of Representatives to prevent their arrest by the police for their alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow the government.

On July 24 when the Third Regular Session of the ‘13th Congress opens human rights victims will be led by Fr. Rolly de Leon in filing another impeachment complaint against President Arroyo.

De Leon said the complainants were holding the President "liable for the various cases of human rights violations committed against civilians all over the country."

This year alone, there have been 35 cases of human rights violations in the province of Bulacan, according to Fr. de Leon who is the parish priest of Norzagaray, that province.

These and other reported killings have been taken cognizance of by the Hong Kongbased Asian Human Rights Commission.

In fact, the commission, a regional non-government organization concerned with human rights, has already asked new Philippine National Police Director Oscar Calderon to exhaust all possible means to stop the relentless killings of human rights defenders and social activists.

"It is not sufficient to say that addressing the unrelenting killing is a part of your concern," AHRC executive director Basil Fernando was quoted as telling Calderon in his letter, "It must be at the top of your agenda," he added.

In a separate move through a petition, the AHRC pointed to the killings as proof of the government’s failure to meet its obligation under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

From the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, we received reports that the Philippine Permanent Representative there, Ambassador Enrique A. Manalo, was not only pushing for the "protection and promotion of human rights of all migrant workers but also the rights of indigenous peoples and religious tolerance."

We understand that Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo has also joined UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in "seeking for a fresh start and de-politicalization of the UN’s work in human rights."

It must be noted that the United Nations Commission on Human Rights has been abolished and replaced by the new United Nations Human Rights Council that started functioning on June 9 in Geneva.

It was being bruited about that the spectacle of abusive regimes crowding the old human rights commission discredited it and eventually caused its abolition.

With the new UNHRC, it is expected that Foreign Ministers of member countries would demonstrate their resolve to build in their respective governments instruments capable of advancing human rights principles and practices and not to shrink from firmly confronting serious human right violations whenever and wherever they may occur.

One of the prohibitions in the new Council is the strict bar from its membership, countries that commit atrocities against human rights to distinguish it from the old commission.

The creation of the UN Human Rights Council has been described as "a major step forward for the protection of victims worldwide," which is why member states are asked to work vigorously to make it a strong and effective protector of human rights everywhere.

Still, the question of whether the Council will live up to its promise will depend on the political will of governments.
 
11 July 2006

Links: http://www.mb.com.ph/archive_pages.php?url=http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2006/07/11/OPED2006071169023.html