“21 Solutions to Save the World” in this month’s Foreign Policy intrigued me so much that I bought the issue. Twenty-one of the world’s thinkers were asked what ONE thing they would recommend to change our world for the better.
The first, Garry Kasparov, was a shadowy genius figure in my younger days. He was the world chess champion for twenty years. His suggestion is for a global Magna Carta. He says, “When democracies make nice with dictators, the world’s worst regimes get away with murder.”
I knew what the Magna Carta was—sort of. The Great Charter . . . from the Middle Ages, I think . . . something about kings and law. Deplorable! Wikipedia was made for the likes of me. It was a great charter originally issued in 1215 which created the basis of constitutional law as we know it.
Mr. Kasparov suggests we write a new one. We don’t need a new one. There is one already in existence. It was issued on December 10, 1948 and it’s called The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You can find the English text online at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights.
Eleanor Roosevelt, one of my top five heroes, said at the time, “In the future, it may well become the international Magna Carta.” It could, it really could, IF we who believe in human rights would insist on human rights for all. I believe we can’t insist on human rights UNLESS we want them for everyone. Dictators included.
In the preamble of the UDHR it is written,
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
The salient word in that phrase for me is: all. All members of the human family. All of us want, need and deserve freedom, justice and peace in the world. All. No exceptions. Oh dear, it’s hard to believe this, live this, speak for this. There is so much unfairness in the world. And yet, I do choose to believe it, even if it’s only a theory.
We’re coming up on the Diamond Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Diamond is the gem associated with the 60th wedding anniversary. It comes from a Greek word adamas which means enduring. The more sentimental redactors believe that the fire in the diamond symbolizes the constant flame of love.
Mr. Kasparov, I invite you and all the rest of our human family to live in that constant flame of love, to endure and hold the idea of universal human rights for all—especially the dictators.
The Uruguayan elections Oct. 25 had as much to do with the countrys future as it did with its past. On the ballot was a referendum for an Expiry Law or amnesty for those police and military officials involved in the human rights abuses of thousands between 1973 and 1985. The Expiry Law was passed by a public referendum in 1989. Under the current administration of Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, prosecutions of some of the major players in those crimes have been pursued with the help of testimony from former police and military officials who were involved but had amnesty. However, after 20 years of the Expiry Law, the countrys mood may have changed. Just last week, the Uruguayan Supreme Court issued a ruling that the law was unconstitutional a decision that legal scholars believe may have broad application. Also last week, the countrys last military dictator was given a 25-year prison sentence for murder and human rights violations during his rule. On Mondays Riz Khan show we asked, Whats next as Uruguay tries to resolve its past and should human rights abusers ever be given amnesty? Joining the programme from Uruguay was Felipe Michelini, a politician and son of former senator, Zelmar Michelini, who was assassinated during the military dictatorship in Uruguay. Also joining the programme from Colombia was Javier Ciurlizza, the Americas Director for the International Center for Transitional Justice.
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Tags: declaration of human rights, eleanor roosevelt, garry kasparov, great charter, justice and peace, magna carta, mr kasparov, peace in the world, universal declaration of human rights, world chess champion