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Underlying the Economic Crisis is a Human Rights Time Bomb
The Economic crisis has only exacerbated human rights abuses
May 29, 2009
Underlying the economic crisis is an explosive human rights crisis.
The economic downturn has aggravated abuses, distracted attention from
them and created new problems. In the name of security, human rights
were trampled on. Now, in the name of economic recovery, they are being
relegated to the back seat. The world needs a new global deal on human
rights - not paper promises but commitment and concrete action from
governments.
This crisis is about shortages of food, jobs,
clean water, land and housing, and also about deprivation and
discrimination, growing inequality, xenophobia and racism, violence and
repression across the world. Billions of people are suffering from
insecurity, injustice and indignity.
China and Russia are proof
that open markets have not led to open societies. Human rights
activists, journalists, lawyers, trade union representatives and other
civil society leaders were harassed, attacked, or killed with impunity
in every world region last year. From Gaza to Darfur and from eastern
DRC to northern Sri Lanka, the human toll of conflict has been
horrendous, and the lukewarm response of the international community
shocking.
Huge resources are being dedicated to fight piracy off
the coast of Somalia but not to stop the flow of arms that kill
civilians in that country. Military action is being stepped up in
Afghanistan and Pakistan but the human rights and humanitarian
implications of the conflicts are being underplayed.
Ignoring
one crisis to focus on another is a recipe for aggravating both.
Economic recovery will be neither sustainable nor equitable if
governments fail to tackle abuses that drive and deepen poverty, or
armed conflicts that generate new violations.
Our first demand in
our new campaign is to the USA and China. The US does not accept the
notion of economic, cultural and social rights while China does not
respect civil and political rights. Both governments must sign up to
all human rights for all. Solutions to global problems must be
underpinned by global values of human rights - and those at the top
table of world leadership must begin by setting an example.
Taken
from a foreword by Amnesty International's secretary-general to its new
report, 'Underlying the Economic Crisis is a Human Rights Time Bomb'
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Underlying the economic crisis is an explosive human rights crisis.
The economic downturn has aggravated abuses, distracted attention from
them and created new problems. In the name of security, human rights
were trampled on. Now, in the name of economic recovery, they are being
relegated to the back seat. The world needs a new global deal on human
rights - not paper promises but commitment and concrete action from
governments.
This crisis is about shortages of food, jobs,
clean water, land and housing, and also about deprivation and
discrimination, growing inequality, xenophobia and racism, violence and
repression across the world. Billions of people are suffering from
insecurity, injustice and indignity.
China and Russia are proof
that open markets have not led to open societies. Human rights
activists, journalists, lawyers, trade union representatives and other
civil society leaders were harassed, attacked, or killed with impunity
in every world region last year. From Gaza to Darfur and from eastern
DRC to northern Sri Lanka, the human toll of conflict has been
horrendous, and the lukewarm response of the international community
shocking.
Huge resources are being dedicated to fight piracy off
the coast of Somalia but not to stop the flow of arms that kill
civilians in that country. Military action is being stepped up in
Afghanistan and Pakistan but the human rights and humanitarian
implications of the conflicts are being underplayed.
Ignoring
one crisis to focus on another is a recipe for aggravating both.
Economic recovery will be neither sustainable nor equitable if
governments fail to tackle abuses that drive and deepen poverty, or
armed conflicts that generate new violations.
Our first demand in
our new campaign is to the USA and China. The US does not accept the
notion of economic, cultural and social rights while China does not
respect civil and political rights. Both governments must sign up to
all human rights for all. Solutions to global problems must be
underpinned by global values of human rights - and those at the top
table of world leadership must begin by setting an example.
Taken
from a foreword by Amnesty International's secretary-general to its new
report, 'Underlying the Economic Crisis is a Human Rights Time Bomb'
Underlying the economic crisis is an explosive human rights crisis.
The economic downturn has aggravated abuses, distracted attention from
them and created new problems. In the name of security, human rights
were trampled on. Now, in the name of economic recovery, they are being
relegated to the back seat. The world needs a new global deal on human
rights - not paper promises but commitment and concrete action from
governments.
This crisis is about shortages of food, jobs,
clean water, land and housing, and also about deprivation and
discrimination, growing inequality, xenophobia and racism, violence and
repression across the world. Billions of people are suffering from
insecurity, injustice and indignity.
China and Russia are proof
that open markets have not led to open societies. Human rights
activists, journalists, lawyers, trade union representatives and other
civil society leaders were harassed, attacked, or killed with impunity
in every world region last year. From Gaza to Darfur and from eastern
DRC to northern Sri Lanka, the human toll of conflict has been
horrendous, and the lukewarm response of the international community
shocking.
Huge resources are being dedicated to fight piracy off
the coast of Somalia but not to stop the flow of arms that kill
civilians in that country. Military action is being stepped up in
Afghanistan and Pakistan but the human rights and humanitarian
implications of the conflicts are being underplayed.
Ignoring
one crisis to focus on another is a recipe for aggravating both.
Economic recovery will be neither sustainable nor equitable if
governments fail to tackle abuses that drive and deepen poverty, or
armed conflicts that generate new violations.
Our first demand in
our new campaign is to the USA and China. The US does not accept the
notion of economic, cultural and social rights while China does not
respect civil and political rights. Both governments must sign up to
all human rights for all. Solutions to global problems must be
underpinned by global values of human rights - and those at the top
table of world leadership must begin by setting an example.
Taken
from a foreword by Amnesty International's secretary-general to its new
report, 'Underlying the Economic Crisis is a Human Rights Time Bomb'
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