------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The singular act of the adoption of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights fifty years ago without a
dissenting voice, and the subsequent plethora of other
Human Rights conventions and treaties in the past decades
evidence the level of recognition that the global
community has given to the "universal, indivisible,
interdependent and interrelated " rights of persons,
irrespective of "race, sex, language or
religion". Far and beyond the rethorics, the world
has in-fact witnessed the burgeoning of international,
national, inter-governmental and non-governmental
initiatives that uphold Human Rights. "The
People", being the focal point of these developments
have however often watched from the sidelines as the
international community acts out its credo of
‘It’s the economy, Stupid" while speaking
the rather comedic language of the freedom agitator. When
I say "The People", I need state that my
emphasis is on the citizens of political structures and
systems which by their very nature do not guarantee human
rights nor attach any significance to the rule of law.
Clearly, most ill-defined systems and structures, lacking
the necessary accountability and transparent mechanisms
that ensure adequate and effective protection of the
rights of individuals are symptomatic of the so called
developing or perhaps, emerging economies. These
countries or "economies" if you would, have
shown commitment to the globalization of economies and
earned the endorsement and behind- closed- door applause
of their economic superiors, while showing utter contempt
for the human rights of their people.
Globalization and human rights
It is precisely, the same argument that supports
today’s trend toward globalization, (i.e., the
rather concerted move toward having the entire globe
become one large market economy, irrespective of the
levels of sophistication of the political, economic or
social systems of countries), that also underpins the
formulation of human rights violation as an international
crime. Globalization has revealed that the greatly
vaunted ideals of state or national sovereignty can stand
the vagaries of external variables. If so, the impetus
for the internationalization of crimes against humanity
is tacitly acknowledged, albeit, by default. If economic
relationships can be conducted in a manner that defies
borders, it stands to reason that the violation of the
human rights of the same people for which globalization
is directed, should also be a crime without borders. For
proponents of absolute universal interpretation of the
rights of people, the growth of civil and political
rights must proceed in tandem with economic, social and
cultural development. The Copenhagen Declaration of 1995,
states succinctly " …the conviction that social
development and social justice are indispensable for the
achievement and maintenance of peace and security within
and among our nations. In turn, social development and
social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace
and security or in the absence of respect for ALL human
rights and fundamental freedoms. This essential
interdependence was recognized 50 years ago in the
Charter of the United Nations and has since grown ever
stronger".
The power of globalization explains what amounts to at
least a cosmetic verbalization of commitment to human
rights even by the worst violators. It is also the leit
motif for the new wave of silent diplomacy that
relegates issues of human rights to the back burners of
foreign policy that is mercantile-focused through the
misguided and disingenuous theory that increased trade
will ultimately lead to increased rights. My country,
Nigeria, Indonesia, China are proofs that the cosmetic or
real increase in the foreign reserve of a nation does not
bequeath its citizens the protection of their inalienable
rights against the excesses of abusive governments. The
crux of the matter therefore is the need to evolve a
mechanism that protects The People from the culture of
impunity, safe from the chicanery of the promoters of
unbridled economic expansion deeply seethed in colossal
erosion of fundamental values. And safe from the double
standard of international politics that considers the
human rights of people in the so called developing
countries secondary to annual increase in world trade and
investment plus the corruption that underpins it.
Corruption is a major cause of poverty
The issue of the current unhealthy relationship
between economic development and human rights violation
is even more reprehensible when the linkage between
abusive regimes and corruption is appreciated. The basic
and common credential of governments that violate human
rights of people is massive corruption. When the
devastating impact of corruption on economies and The
People is appreciated, the political will to denote
corruption, as a crime against humanity may become the
catalyst for a paradgmic change in the emphasis of
material over people. A noxious and corrupt government
which somehow manages to pursue the kind of economic
programs touted as recipes for development, is not only a
danger to its citizenry, but also ultimately poses a
danger to the global market place. Corruption whether in
its national or international form is unarguably a major
reason for pernicious poverty in developing countries.
This state of poverty in turn has weakened The People, in
the exercise of rights and choices. However, it
strengthens the hand of corrupt leaders to continue in
the flagrant mis-use of public resources for personal
benefits, engaging weapons of co-optation or repression
to retain their hold as the case may be. The danger that
corruption poses to the global market place is epitomized
by the fact that its modus operandi are antithetical to
the principles of level playing field, competition and
efficiency on which globalization par excellence
is predicated. The massive flow of corruption proceeds;
whether laundered drug proceeds or stolen scarce
resources of poor countries to the developed economies in
my view portends the greatest danger to global peace and
security. This can only be effectively addressed through
the recognition of grand corruption as not only a
violation of the economic rights of the citizens who
suffer its consequences, but also as an international
crime.
Global peace and security
In formulating human rights violation as an
international crime, the world would redeem itself from
its current ominous role either as acquiescing spectator
or inadvertently active participant in the flagrant abuse
by states which are unwilling to observe or enforce the
principles of civil. political, economic and social
rights of their citizens. When individuals, states or
groups commit in a ‘systematic and large scale
basis’ crimes against humanity in the form of
murder, extermination, ‘disappearances’, rape,
enforced prostitution and other sexual abuse, arbitrary
deportation and forcible transfers of population,
arbitrary imprisonment, enslavement, persecution on
political, racial, or religious grounds and other
inhumane act (read CORRUPTION)’, the world no longer
has a justification for aloofness. The idea that we can
have global peace while paying no attention to
perpetration of these heinous acts is in reality, morally
repugnant. There is no gainsaying the fact that justice
and the rule of law are the foundations of peace and
security. The effects of the acts that constitute crime
against humanity on victims are of coordinate gravity as
the effects of acts of terrorism and narcotic trafficking
on their victims. I hold the strong view that the common
denominator of these crimes far and beyond the basic
physical and mental elements, is the moral core of our
humanity: the equality of human beings whether as
citizens of developed countries (who are less likely to
face human rights violation) or the more likely victims
in developing countries.
The People from developing countries who constitute
the pool of victims of human rights violation need to see
that words like "commitment to democracy and good
governance, human rights, transparency and
accountability" reflect a REAL commitment to global
fairness, justice and equity. They look to a world that
applies sanctions on those responsible for the violation
of human rights, a world that recognizes the need to
demand accountability for grievous crimes especially in
my view, the crime of Corruption, which is at the root of
human rights violation. The fact is that the necessity to
combat the crime of corruption represents a common ground
for both victims of its effects: The People and the
global economy. Its formulation as an international crime
can become the catalyst that propels the relocation of
The People from the present fringes to their rightful
center-place in the scheme of events.
The strategic economic interest of developed countries
which currently drives global action need be no longer
defined using such impersonal macro-economic criteria
that leave a huge number of the global population bereft
of the guarantee that their inalienable rights will
continue to remain concretely, inalienable. When
perpetrators of impunity begin to receive appropriate
sanctions for their actions, the deterrent it engenders
will define the right framework for global development
that is truly People-defined. As the governments of the
most powerful nations in the world gather to discuss
international crime, one notices as usual an agenda that
narrowly looks at the issue as far as it affects global
commerce. Interestingly however, the subject lends itself
to no other primary conclusion than the need to galvanize
action toward developing effective international
frameworks for the combat of crimes against humanity and
that is exactly where it meets The People. The pain is
that it had to take the threat to global economy for
these grievous acts long endured by The People to finally
receive prime attention.
Oby Ezekwesili is a Member of Board of
Transparency International. She delivered this paper at
The People’s Summit Birmingham, UK May
15,1998
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