The Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ Needs to be Applauded: Dr. Fai
Washington, D.C. December 10, 2013.
“We need to applaud the 1948 ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights’, which stands as a moral reproach to wrongdoing nations that may facilitate reforms, even though its lofty provisions safeguarding fundamental human rights remain dishonored in many parts of the world,” said Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the United Nations Human Rights Day.
Fai welcomed the statement of Ban ki-Moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations who while paying tribute to the human rights icon, President Nelson Mandela said, “Apartheid was vanquished but as he would be the first to say, our struggle continues – against inequality and intolerance, and for prosperity and peace.”
Dr. Fai reminded that human rights are no longer accepted as within the exclusive domestic jurisdictions of individual nations. The winds of international law are blowing against absolute defense shields for egregious human rights violations. He appreciated the wisdom of President Barrack Obama who challenged the world leaders during the President Mandela’s memorial by saying, “Around the world today, men and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs, and are still persecuted for what they look like, and how they worship, and who they love. That is happening today… There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people.”
Dr. Fai said that the best tribute to President Mandela would be to articulate his vision into reality. Fai referred to President Mandela’s speech of April 1, 1990, when he said: “The challenge posed by the next 50 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by the next century whose character it must help to fashion, consists in whether humanity, and especially those who will occupy positions of leadership, will have the courage to ensure that, at last, we build a human world consistent with the provisions of that historic Declaration and other human rights instruments that have been adopted since 1948.”
Fai underscored that there are multiple ways by which we can resolve conflicts. But President Mandela showed us that the most pragmatic being through dialogue, negotiations, and reconciliation. Fai, however cautioned that the world powers should not be concerned only with mere avoidance of conflicts but the resolution of the conflicts, such as in Syria and the disputed territory of Kashmir. And, in Kashmir, he added, the resolution has to be to the satisfaction of all the three parties concerned, India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir.
Dr. Fai can be reached at: gnfai2003@yahoo.com OR ghulamnabifai@gmail.com
This flood was the first in history, in the living memory of Kashmir. More than 450 people are dead, and more than $1bn in destruction has been estimated. The actual magnitude of the total destruction, the number of dead and the people who are missing may not be known for some time. Kashmir Valley was cut off from the rest of the world for days. Thousands of villages have been submerged, including the capitol city of Srinagar. Hundreds of thousands of people particularly in the rural areas still remain trapped without any outside help or rescue and relief. There has been a total breakdown in communication with no telephone contact of the people with their loved ones Boats were not available. People had to stand on their rooftops waiting for someone to rescue them.