| by N.S.Venkataraman
( March 12, 2012, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) It is reported that United States of America proposes to move a resolution against Sri Lanka about its human rights violation during the ethnic war in Sri Lanka.
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Sri Lankan government denies such violation but there seem to be many people who are of the view that human rights have been violated by the Sri Lankan government and they do not want to give Sri Lankan government the benefit of doubt.
Certainly, any violation of human rights must be disapproved whether it is in a war or otherwise. Human rights violation has been taking place in variety of ways during the last several decades around the world. Things have not improved merely by passing resolutions and the proposed resolution by USA may end up as one more paper resolution and the governments all over the world will learn nothing and forget nothing after this event.
The question is that while those who violate human rights should be criticized, those who complain about human rights violation should also have credibility and should have positive track record with regard to its approach to liberty and fairness in dealing with others.
United States of America , which is undoubtedly the most strong nation in the world today, appear to be obsessed with the view that God has created this country to police the world. The past behaviour of USA in dealing with other nations show that it seems to think that it can hit anybody at any time so long as it would meet its requirements and needs of maintaining its hegemony amongst the comity of nations.
Starting from atomic bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the second world war , USA has been violating human rights in many countries under one pretext or the other. The onslaught on helpless Vietnam by the US army and amongst many others, the recent attack in Iraq and Afghanistan speak volume about the United State’s approach towards other countries. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of USA is notorious for its unethical methods and destabilizing activities in several countries. Certainly, the government of USA have not been angels and they have certainly sinned more than sinned against.
Even within USA, the conditions in some of the prisons are said to be no better than several other countries.
USA claims that it is the torch bearer of democracy and is the champion of liberty. While this may be technically so as far as the democratic process within USA is concerned ,the past records of USA show that it certainly has not been the champion of freedom and liberty as far as its external policies and actions are concerned. There is certainly high level of unhappiness about several of its methods and actions around the world amongst millions of people who are watching the US behaviour helplessly.
The cause of truth , probity and human rights values would suffer when such human rights are advocated by those who do not observe such human rights themselves when it would suit them. USA moving human rights resolution against Sri Lanka is like devil quoting scripture and would certainly do more harm to the cause of human rights than benefiting.
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