Editorial: Human Rights Defenders

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=        APRIL 12, 1998
TYPE=        EDITORIAL
NUMBER=      0-07732
TITLE=       EDITORIAL:  HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 
APRIL 12, 1998.

ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE 
VARIETY OF ISSUES.  NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

    THIS MONTH, THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 
APPROVED A DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS.  THE 
DECLARATION SAYS THAT "EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT, INDIVIDUALLY AND 
IN ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS, TO PROMOTE AND TO STRIVE FOR THE 
PROTECTION AND REALIZATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL 
FREEDOMS AT THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL."  THE U-N 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS EXPECTED TO ADOPT THE DECLARATION LATER THIS 
YEAR.

    THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WAS ADOPTED A HALF 
CENTURY AGO.  BUT AS UNITED STATES DELEGATE ROBERT LOFTIS TOLD 
MEMBERS OF THE U-N HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, THE NEW DECLARATION 
IS NEEDED BECAUSE "THERE ARE STILL GOVERNMENTS THAT PRETEND 
UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS DO NOT BELONG TO THEIR CITIZENS."

    THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS CAN BE SEEN IN THE 
ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEADERS LIKE NELSON MANDELA OF SOUTH AFRICA, 
VACLAV HAVEL OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND KIM DAE JUNG OF SOUTH 
KOREA.  THESE THREE MEN WENT FROM PRISON TO THE PRESIDENCY OF 
THEIR COUNTRIES.  BUT OTHERS, INCLUDING AUNG SAN SUU KYI OF 
BURMA, XU WENLI [SHOE-ONE-LEE] OF CHINA AND REYNALDO ALFARO 
GARCIA OF CUBA, ARE STILL STRUGGLING AGAINST REPRESSION IN THEIR 
COUNTRIES.

    MOREOVER, AS MR. LOFTIS POINTED OUT, THERE ARE MANY HUMAN 
RIGHTS DEFENDERS "WE NEVER SEE OR KNOW:  LABOR LEADERS, 
EDUCATORS, ELECTION MONITORS AND MORE."  HE SAID THAT JOURNALISTS
DESERVE SPECIAL HONOR FOR OFTEN RISKING THEIR LIVES "TO EXPOSE 
CORRUPTION IN HIGH PLACES, OR DEFEND MINORITY RIGHTS IN LANDS 
THAT REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, OR ADVOCATE DEMOCRACY IN NATIONS
THAT KNOW ONLY TOTALITARIAN RULE.  THESE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN ARE 
THE FOOT SOLDIERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THEY DIE BY THE DOZENS 
EVERY YEAR."

    AS U.S. DELEGATE LOFTIS SAID, MANY GOVERNMENTS "CONTINUE TO 
MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR EVERY MAN OR WOMAN WHO DARES TO RAISE HIS
[OR HER] VOICE IN DEFENSE OF HUMAN LIBERTY. . . . THE DECLARATION
ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS GIVES [THE U-N] ANOTHER WEAPON TO WIELD
IN DEFENSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.  WE MUST NOT BE AFRAID TO USE IT."

ANNCR:

    THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. 
GOVERNMENT.  IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, 
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A.  YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT 
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR  FAX US AT (202) 
619-1043.

10-Apr-98 10:19 AM EDT (1419 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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