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10 December: Human Right Day

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In a world fraught with uncertainties in which the socio-economic conditions of the people mainly in developing countries continue to deteriorate. The economic and social disparities between and within countries are the consequences of the negative effects of globalization. As a result, this has led to damaging the question of human rights worldwide. Everyday, more cases of human rights violations are being committed in almost all countries of the planet. This is contrary to the expectation of the terms and spirit enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Right.

Most importan, the ability of people to improve their living standard, to take part in development and economic construction of their countries are being hampered by many ills ranging from fratricidal killings, massacres, land occupation, denial of sovereignty and dignity or their fundamental rights in the fields of education, health, employment, sanitation. Covert and overt practices like sexual exploitation, contemporary form of slavery, human trafficking, organized crimes and double standard policy. Racism and other forms of racial discrimination are rife in many parts of the globe both in the North and the South.

All these are being evidenced by what is happening with the valiant Palestinian people facing the Zionist-racist Israeli regime in their fight to end occupation and get independent State, as well as with the Iraqi people under foreign occupation with death tolls and sufferings caused by mass killings, violence and terror increasingly occurring every day.

The international community should thoroughly tackle the issue of human rights being systematically violated in the situation of wars and other kinds of conflicts marked by a growing number of refugees and displaced persons, generating acute and devastating humanitarian problems. The involvement of governments in the already complicated circumstances and its role and responsibility with regard to local populations should be the solution rather than the problem. This is true with regard to the deep crisis in Darfur, Western Sudan, where massacres are committed by armed militias or gunmen burning huts and killing everyone who crossed their paths.
So are the situations in Uganda where children continue to be killed or kidnapped by rebels opposed to the government and forced to massacre their own people; in the Democratic Republic of Congo put under threat to be invaded again by foreign neighbour country despite the recently reached agreement to settle dispute; in Cote d'Ivoire where inter-ethnic and racist-driven hostilities has led to massacres; in Nigeria where inter-religious confrontations or dispute over power- and wealth-sharing issues had caused destruction and more sufferings.

We are witnessing the fact that, in the name of fight against terrorism, be it in the Middle East or in any part of the world, more people are suffering from savage practice of indiscriminatory bombings by sophisticated armaments as well as many kinds of violence. The world was shocked by the practice of humiliating prisoners and their inhuman treatment in detention camps. Preventing kidnappings and hostage takings which present themselves as new manifestations of dangerous consequences with regard to human right, becomes now a major challenge for the international community.

In tackling the issues of globalization and human rights, the people in developing countries are trapped under harsh conditions of poverty, starvation and famine aggravating their social conditions and consequently breeding fertile ground for human right abuses.

The international community cannot continue tolerate all these forms of human rights violations. The Afro-Asian Peoples' Solidarity Organisation which was established on principles of freedom, justice, liberation and dignity is reminding and urging public opinion worldwide on the necessity to create conditions conducive to promoting, enhancing and improving human rights of the people all over the world. The marking of the International Human Right Day is an opportunity to do so.