What are human rights and human wrongs? Are they so black and white?
This questions arises as the last Labour government has been severely criticised for propping up Gaddafi’s government by negotiating deals with them. Had they not dealt with him, Libya would now be in possession of nuclear warfare. Surely this is far more dangerous than selling him civilian arms? Or is it?
My thoughts on this are that there are no black and white answers. It is easy to criticise, but what would we have done in Tony Blair’s situation? I would like to think that we would have got rid of a brute such as Gaddafi and support the implementation of a democratic regime. However, we only need to look at Iraq to see that such intervention has not led to a happy ever after story. Years after the fall of Saddam Hussein, the country is still in turmoil.
What is humanly right is that the uprisings are led by the people of the country and not by foreign intervention. I do believe this is why Egypt was so successful and why Libya will be successful. Gaddafi once said that “one man’s terrorist and another man’s freedom fighter”. He saw himself as a freedom fighter against the wills of the West. Now his own people are fighting for their freedom. The people’s bravery in standing up for themselves against such brutality is a credit to them. What is humanly right is the world’s condemnation for Gaddafi. We are witnessing the sheer impact of his violence on our tv screens 24 hours a day and it is this, the world’s media that are making politicians around the world stand up and listen.
What is humanly wrong is to persecute one’s own people and to oppress a nation with fear. What is wrong is for the West to stand by and let it happen. Finally, sanctions are being imposed. Years to late for my liking, but at least these sanctions are now in place. What is wrong is to lay blame. Hindsight is a wonderful place and often in life as in politics, deals are done to ensure damage limitation.
In a world full of human rights and human wrongs, maybe finally, the Middle East can have more Human Rights.
What do you think? Please feel free to share your views.
Bunty