HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE MODERN WORLD Nathan B. Gilson Southwest Middle School

What are “human rights” ◦ Ideas about human rights vary based on culture ◦ Normally, when we discuss human rights in America, Europe, and the Western world, we are referring to Enlightenment ideas ◦ According to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, all people deserve: ◦ Life, Liberty, Safety ◦ Slavery should be prohibited ◦ Torture of any kind is prohibited ◦ Cannot be arrested and held without cause ◦ Privacy ◦ Marriage only when desired by both parties ◦ Free Speech and Assembly ◦ Representative Government ◦ Education ◦ No discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, etc.

Human Rights Violations--Geography ◦ Normally, the countries who are considered to be the largest violators of human rights are located in the Middle East and Africa ◦ These areas tend to disagree with a Western mindset, so women’s rights and also basic representation rights agreed to by the United Nations are often not valued in their societies. ◦ Ethical Question: What makes Western Civilization superior to other civilizations? ◦ In other words, just because we think our culture makes sense and is good, does that automatically mean that it is? ◦ If your religious beliefs conflict with Western ideology, why is Western ideology superior to other cultural values?

Human Rights Violations--Geography ◦ Africa ◦ The tribal nature of many cultures within Africa tend to lead to a lot of violent government and control ◦ These issues were made worse by Imperialism, when Europeans created artificial boundaries for nations that had never existed due to vast cultural differences. ◦ Conflict Diamonds ◦ Slaves forced to find diamonds to sell on the black market ◦ Drug Cartels ◦ Similarly these groups frequently finance their operations with illegal activities. ◦ Child Soldiers ◦ Children kidnapped and brainwashed to be killers in wars against local governments

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#10 ◦ Nigeria ◦ International Islamist Terrorist group Boko Haram has killed more than 5,000 people, including the 300 Nigerian school girls who were abducted. ◦ Imposes Sharia law on many of the Northern states of Nigeria where the government is unable to respond. ◦ Bombs schools, government buildings, and mosques of non- radical Muslims ◦ Government has begun to encourage citizens to start self- defense organizations which are also targets for Boko Haram and unable to match them. ◦ Government corruption is widespread and officials do not try to hide it.

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#9 ◦ Yemen ◦ Strategically significant due to its position on the Saudi Arabian Peninsula ◦ Main resource is oil ◦ Health workers are regularly attacked by militant groups within the nation. ◦ About half of the population is at some stage of starvation. ◦ Yemeni government has only in the last year passed policies ending child recruitment for their national guard. ◦ Children also get the death penalty, despite laws against it. ◦ Many terrorist organizations are active in Yemen ◦ Strong influence of Sharia policies within the country lead to repression of women (no minimum marriage age, cannot marry with male guardian consent, no divorce rights, etc…) ◦ Many high profile terrorist attacks are committed by Yemen nationals including the recent attempted attack in Texas

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#8 ◦ Myanmar (Burma) ◦ Muslim groups are frequent targets of violence by Hindu and Buddhist groups. Often the police forces fail to protect Muslim communities from riots and mobs. ◦ Some extreme groups have proposed laws outlawing marriages to Muslims or arguing for ethnic cleansing campaigns ◦ International sanctions have appeared to have an effect on policies within the country, and of all of the countries on this top 10 list, Myanmar is the one least likely to be included in future lists.

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#7 ◦ Iraq ◦ Presently a country which is strongly influenced by ISIS ◦ Due to persecution of Christians and other ethnic groups, hundreds of thousands of people have become refugees. ◦ During the Sadaam Hussein Regime’s control of the nation, thousands of the ethnic minority known as the Kurds were eliminated by the Iraqi government ◦ Ba’ath Party ◦ Held two elections during his dictatorship, which lasted over 20 years. Received 99% and 100% affirmative votes during these elections.

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#6 ◦ Afghanistan ◦ Since the end of the Soviet-Afghanistan war, Afghanistan politics have been largely influenced by the Taliban ◦ Taliban ◦ Until the Afghanistan war, the Taliban instituted many policies consistent with Sharia Law ◦ No rights for women, homosexuals, free speech ◦ Modern Afghanistan has become more in line with Western ideas ◦ Religious groups are not outlawed, but cannot share beliefs openly. Anyone converting to a different religion from Islam is subject to the death penalty. ◦ President must be Muslim and no laws can contradict Muslim values. ◦ Women cannot inherit property or in most cases divorce a man or receive any property in a divorce. They do have equal rights constitutionally, but not experientially.

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#5 ◦ Somalia ◦ United States was involved in Somalia during the 1990’s as a part of a United Nations peacekeeping effort. ◦ Blackhawk Down ◦ Currently, the government is fighting against the Islamist group Al-Shabaab ◦ Both sides commit human rights violations against women, children, and hundreds of thousands of refugees ◦ Al-Shabaab restricts almost all rights of non-combatants and continues to force children to fight and violates most women’s rights. ◦ Al-Shabaab also commits terrorist attacks against civilians in the form of suicide bombings, etc.

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#4 ◦ Pakistan ◦ Significant al-Qaeda and Taliban influence has expanded into Pakistan as a result of the Afghanistan War ◦ Exercising any kind of free speech of a religious nature is considered blasphemy and carries a possible death sentence. ◦ The military uses its power to commit crimes with no consequences ◦ There have been hundreds of honor killings in Pakistan in 2013 alone according to Human Rights Watch World Report 2014

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#3 ◦ The Democratic Republic of Congo ◦ The government is in a armed conflict against the M23 armed military group backed by Rwanda and numerous other ethnically based groups ◦ The government has taken away many rights, including imprisoning journalists and human rights activists who speak out against the government. ◦ African nations working with the United Nations have agreed to refuse to provide any aid to any military group operating in DRC.

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#2 ◦ Sudan ◦ The Sudanese government has been actively working to control rebellions. The army has fired live rounds at protesting groups. They have arrested media groups and other protesters regularly. They have also bombed large areas believed to be sympathetic to rebels without targeting military targets. ◦ Ethnic violence also happens regularly. Christians are regularly persecuted or killed. The government refuses to protect civilians in these cases. ◦ The president of the nation is currently facing charges of genocide, but the government refuses to turn him in to the International Criminal Court.

The Human Rights Atlas Top 10--#1 ◦ Syria ◦ There are 3 different groups fighting for control of Syria— Bashar al-Assad (dictator and military), opposition forces looking to establish new government, and ISIS ◦ Government forces are brutal and don’t worry much about civilian casualties ◦ Used chemical warfare outlawed by the Geneva Conventions ◦ Government has been using torture, illegal arrests, and concentration camps throughout Syria ◦ Opposition forces are just as dangerous to the population. ◦ Use children combatants and schools, hospitals, and other civilian buildings as bases of operation ◦ 2.23 million refugees currently registered with the UN

Key themes of Human Rights Violations 1.Refugees are often vulnerable to attack, and civilian groups (women and children especially) are often abused by all sides, including when they seek refuge in neighboring nations 2.Religious and ethnic groups are targeted specifically 3.Often, war and de-stabilized governments lead to atrocities being committed on both sides 1.There are no good guys, making it difficult or impossible for international groups such as the United Nations to even support one side over another. 4.Civilian populations are collateral damage between opposing forces 5.Homosexuality is criminalized, and especially in nations with active Islamist groups, Sharia law is enforced by the government, rebels, or both.