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