Life and Liberty » Here we go…
It has been a turbulent few months for those who take an interest in the ever-complex issue of human rights and freedoms. With the proposed closure of Guantanamo Bay and the revelation of the terrible acts that took place inside comes about the tragic realisation; that the end of chapter of one of the most grotesque Western-backed institutions in our lifetime only reveals how much more there is to be done. Mozam Begg, in a visit to our University last term described the closure as “the tip of the iceberg”.
While we can wait expectantly for the final hours of this dreadful place – an issue that is being challenged even as I type – it is sobering to know that many other, far less well known and far more brutal, prisons exist; again under the control of various Western powers. Obama’s arm will indeed grow long if he can instigate the closure of these within one or even two terms in office.
Closer to home, the UN has backed a non-binding mandate on the defamation of religion that many fear will lead to the dampening down of free speech against controversial strands of major world religion, notably fundamental Islam. This was highlighted by the exclusion of Gert Wilders from the UK in February this year. While his message was clearly one sided and subjective, there were some unfortunate inconsistencies in his case.
Finally, women’s rights have again come under the spotlight both at the General Synod of the Church of England, with regards to the appointment of female bishops, and in the role of Afghan marriages.
It’s a difficult and dirty area, human rights. Let’s dive right in.
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