Human rights in Honduras

Chapter 13 discusses how Human Rights establish a broad range of civil and political rights, including freedom of assembly, freedom of thought and expression, and the right to participate in government.  It goes on to explain that social and economic rights are indispensable , including the right to education, the right to work, and the right to participate in the cultural life of the community.  These rights are broken down into different sections like Rights of the person, Rights associated with the rule of law, Political rights, Economic and social rights, and Rights of communities.  

I recently read an article on humanrightswatch.org that discussed a human rights violation in Honduras.  On May 11, a helicopter carrying members of the Honduran National Police and agents of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration open fired on a boat traveling in the river beneath them.  Four civilians were killed and four were wounded.  The boat traveling in the river was suspected to have drugs on it and that is why the Police shot.  There are many laws involved with open firing.  For example Police are only supposed to open fire if they feel that their life is in danger or people around them life is in danger.  

I feel that even if the boat was traveling with drugs the police had no right to open fire at the boat.  There are other ways the police could have investigated if their was any drug trafficking going on involving the boat.  Even though the article states that a shot was fired from the boat below, I do not believe that the police should feel threatened when they are flying in a helicopter thousands of feet above the river.   

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/05/17/honduras-investigate-killing-four-civilians

Trade and Human Rights in China

Many nations are hesitant to trade with China due to human rights abuses in their factories.  United States and other super power nations should be stepping in and making sure that China is not using slave labor, political prisoners, and young children in factories in order to compete in international markets. The United Nations should have strict laws in place to ensure that any products traded internationally are not made in unsafe working conditions and the factory workers are protected by their human rights.  James Dorn states in the “Trade and Human Rights in China” that “ An individual’s right to trade is an important and fundamental human right, not a privilege bestowed by government. The proper function of government is to safeguard that right, not to restrict trade to protect special interests at the expense of the general welfare. America should not play the dangerous game of pitting human rights activists against free traders.”  I believe that the United States should not step in and restrict trade but should set up a system of being able to ensure best practices are being followed in factories.  China uses cheap labor in order to trade its products at low prices but are not treating its workers correctly.  Free markets foster economic development and provide individuals to separate themselves from the their state.  A growing middle class will have a strong economic stake in determining their own political fate.  President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan stated “Vigorous economic development leads to independent thinking. People hope to be able to fully satisfy their free will and see their rights fully protected. And then demand ensues for political reform.”  I believe that in order to trade there should be guidelines set up.  If a nation does not agree with these laws then they will not be able to trade with any nations and will cause their economy to suffer.  

http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/trade-human-rights-china

Human Rights in Syria

In August 2013, rebel forces in Syria killed as many as 190 civilians and seized more than 200 hostages during a military offensive.  A report by the US-based group says that deaths occurred in villages inhabited by members of President Bashar al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect near the costal city of Latakia.  The report stated that the findings strongly suggest crimes against humanity were committed.  Human Rights Watch conducted an onsite investigation and interviewed more than 30 people including survivors and combatants on both sides.  "Eight survivors and witnesses described how opposition forces executed residents and opened fire on civilians, sometimes killing or attempting to kill entire families who were either in their homes unarmed or fleeing from the attack, and at other times killing adult male family members, and holding the female relatives and children hostage"  The report also states that rebels executed or unlawfully killed at least 67 of the 190 dead civilians who were identified.  A doctor at a hospital in Latakia said several of the bodies had multiple gunshot wounds, stab wounds, or had been decapitated.  Some were burnt or had their feet bound.  

Human rights are commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simple because she or he is a human being.  The attacks again civilians in Syria are devastating.  The people living in this area are being treated unfairly and fear losing their life everyday.  The way that these people are being killed is showing that the rebel forces do not care who they are killing. They have been killing whole families with multiple gun shot and stab wounds.  The United nations and ally nations should be stepping in and helping support Syria against these rebel forces.  The people living in Syria should not have to  feel like they are unsafe in their homes.  

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24486627

Historical Perspective of Human Rights

The idea of human rights have been around for many centuries.  John Locke was one of the European philosophers that developed the concept of natural rights, which is the notion that people are naturally free and equal.  Locke believed natural rights were derived from divinity since humans were creations of God.  The United States Declaration of Independence included concepts of natural rights and states “that all en are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  In the 18th and 19th century William Lloyd Garrison wrote in a newspaper called The Liberator which main purpose was to try and convince leaders in the great cause of human rights.  After World War I the League of Nations was established.  The League of Nations goal included disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negation, diplomacy and improving global welfare.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a non binding declaration that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.  The UDHR urges member nations to promote a number of human, civil, economic, and social rights asserting these rights are apart of the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.  Even though every person should have human rights many nations do not treat their citizens with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  This is still an ongoing problem today.  

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.  It is interesting to me to find out how many nations do not have human rights.   I am interested to see if their government has any say in their peoples human rights and what they do to try and help their people.