Freedom, Security and False Dichotomy

The principle of freedom and equality stated in Article 1 of the UDHR constitutes one of the core elements of the international human right law. Although, this was not a new concept- ancient Greek philosophers wrote extensively about the rule of law and individual’s freedom- the Declaration was the first international human rights document that included both civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights.

The 60th Anniversary of this revolutionary document makes me reflect on the state of human rights in the world today and the leadership void. The United States has been a champion of human rights. Yet, Washington’s credibility as a proponent of human rights has been diminished drastically by the practices used in the “war on terror.” The threat of terrorism has resurrected the unthinkable subject of the legitimacy of torture. Bush administration’s engagement in rendition programs, the use of abusive interrogation techniques, and stripping Guantanamo Bay detainees- and any other non-citizens declared to be an “enemy combatant” of the habeas corpus effectively limited the United States’ role as a human rights defender. The administration’s strategy of sacrificing human rights in the name of protecting global security is based on a false dichotomy.
Unless the US restores its moral ground, there is a desperate need for a new leader that would stop the atrocities that take place around the world every day, every second.


The disregard of international law by many democratic governments, the unimaginable abuses in Darfur, Burma, Sri Lanka and many other countries, the disappointment of the Human Rights Council – we still have a long way to go…