Humane rights

Humane rights

We should count ourselves blessed that we live in an age where
human rights are part of our daily vernacular. In both substance
and speech Indonesians have succeeded in breaking the chains of
authoritarianism and can now freely execute their political
rights, by speaking out against repression, and addressing, if
not correcting, injustices across the archipelago.

Nonetheless, there is still much left to do. The creation of a
"just and prosperous" society so prominently mandated in the
Indonesian constitution remains a distant reality. At the very
least, Indonesians can claim that respect for human rights, which
constitutes the basis for achieving its constitutional
aspirations, is more than mere lip service.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted this day
56-years ago by the United Nations. It enshrines principles of
equality and justice, and the sanctity of a persons rights
regardless of their ethnicity, religion or gender.

These are principles fostered from major religions, all of
which teach goodness and peace, along with concepts and elements
already adopted to some extent within many of the world's noble
state constitutions, including the Magna Carta, the United
States' Declaration of Independence in 1776, and Indonesia's 1945
Constitution.

Thus, even though the formal inclusion of human rights in
international law only began in 1948, its conception has been
inherent within humans collectively since the dawn of
civilization.

As the 1945 Constitution proudly proclaims, "freedom is an
inalienable right".

During this most vibrant era of Indonesian history, it should
be noted that while awareness of political rights is preeminent
there remains tenets of the Human Rights Declaration which are
bereft of recognition.

The definition of "freedom" in our constitution should mean
more than freedom from colonial or political tyranny.

It contains rights that are essential components of our
humanity. Rights that in everyday life usually don't capture
headlines, or are not in vogue because of their seeming
ambivalence. Rights we ourselves may unconsciously violate out of
ignorance or loyalty to obsolete customs.

These rights include, among others, freedom from servitude,
and inhuman or degrading treatment; freedom from being deprived
of nationality; equal pay for equal work, limitation of working
hours, and periodic paid holidays.

More than just a set of codes, they epitomize the heart of
benevolent behavior. Nowhere is its meaning summed up more
clearly than the very opening sentence of the 1948 Declaration:
"recognition of inherent human dignity".

Human rights, therefore, are not simply about the right to
vote, freedom of speech or absence of torture.

Despite extolling the sanctity of the individual, human rights
specifies minimum conditions for human dignity and a tolerable
life -- it is not about conceited notions of what "I" want, but
instead of how "I" should treat fellow humans.

This corresponds to the ideals that this newspaper has sought
to faithfully pursue, that is, the creation of a more humane
civil society.

Some have lamented the rise of human rights as a source of
heightened individuality amongst once communal societies.
However, a faithful balance of the application of human rights
principles will never swing so far as to sacrifice social
responsibility for personal moral entitlement.

After achieving so much political freedom through reformasi
our attention should now also include those rights that seem to
be conveniently neglected.

Decent treatment of our servants and staff, regardless of
their perceived gullibility in accepting servile tasks, in
conditions that we ourselves would possibly not accept; the legal
right of so-called non-indigenous Indonesians to attain their
nationality; the right to education; and equal standing for women
in marriage.

Systematic neglect -- because it is convenient to have cheap
domestic helpers, or complicated citizenship processes due to
ethnic prejudice -- is a barbarous act against human conscience.

There is little value of having a nation which reveres
political and economic rights, yet selectively disregards the
dignified treatment of fellow citizens.

This is Indonesia's challenge.