Human Rights Violations
Meeting People’s Security Challenge

By Khilendra Basnyat

DUE to moral and rational characteristics, human beings are placed atop other creatures in the universe. In order to utilise these characteristics, some necessary conditions are identified. The sources of human rights are these conditions such as liberties, dignities and so on and the capacity of the human beings to adopt with them.

Human rights, which are also called the language of humanity, are inherent rights of human beings. This is such a language, which communicates a message of equity, love and benevolence among the members of the human community.

If we turn the pages of the history of civilisation, each society has defined the concept of human dignity in various ways. On the basis of this identification, in fact, some elements of human behaviour have been accepted and others condemned.

In reality, each society has developed some values, norms, disciplines and practices in order to maintain social harmony and to coordinate various social aspects. What is more, individual codes of conduct have been prepared and responsibilities assigned based on some social and religious ideals.

Likewise, each society has also made the provision of giving awards in the form of social ranks and titles in order to promote the fulfillment of good responsibilities.

Actually, what is known as human rights now is the specialised and redefined standard developed from the norms, values, duties and laws of the past.

The western civilisation is of immense importance to develop human rights concept. Classical Greek philosophy is worth noting for placing importance on certain individual’s role in running the ancient civil society.

The western world developed the idea of human rights to every citizen. These rights were limited to protect the citizens from the abuse of state power especially on religious activities, individual liberties and political participation.

The concept of human rights is connected with ethics and morality. Modern human rights have originated from religious and ethical texts and practices of both the western and eastern civilisations.

The destruction due to the World War II led to the development of a new kind of humanitarian movement in the world. The movement has the sole aim of put an end of such destructive event.

In fact, the identification and establishment of human rights is as old as the human civilisation itself. The movement has evolved in various forms and manifestations.

Human rights movement, which is allied with the arbitrary rule of the rulers, has been developed through a collective expression of freedom.

The proclamation of the United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt of "four freedoms" – freedom of speech, freedom of faith, freedom from fear and freedom from want – provides a basis for the advancement of worldwide human rights movement.

It was the establishment of the United Nations (UN) and the provision of the UN charter, which ushered in a new period of international concern for human rights.

The UN was set up to restore faith on human dignity and resolve disputes in a friendly manner through negotiation. From this point, human rights became the principle of international concerns.

Although the concept of the Third World was developed in the fifties, these countries defined human rights as interdependent to both individual as well as collective rights. This definition widened the scope of human rights and created the modern universal definition that human rights are inseparable, interdependent and applicable to all individuals and groups.

After the re-ushering of multi-party democracy in our country, the people have been guaranteed their basic rights. Actually, human rights are a birthright that flows from parents to children. However, some negative aspects of a functioning democracy have been witnessed during this period. For instance, taking advantage of the political freedom, some disgruntled elements have taken up arms and conducted terrorist activities in the name of people’s war. As a result of these activities, in the past five years or so many innocent people have lost their lives.

In fact, the basic rights as guaranteed by the present democratic constitution will have no meaning if the people have to live in fear and apprehension. Merely putting the blame squarely on the government will not check the violation of human rights or initiate any major breakthrough.

In order to solve the issue of the growing insurgency and guarantee human rights to the people, all political parties will have to forge a consensus and arrive at a conclusion on how this challenge to the security of the people can be met.

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