Reflections on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights A FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY ANTHOLOGY
't ' Published under the auspices of -'- i THE NETHERLANDS MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS * Edited by :- ' BAREND VAN DER HEIJDEN & BAHIA TAHZIB-LIE
MARTINUS NIJHOFF PUBLISHERS The Hague / Boston / London Contents
Dedication / 5 Disclaimer / 6 List of Illustrations /11 Foreword by the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jozias van Aartsen / 13 Preface: Commemoration or Celebration? by Barend van der Heijden & Bahia Tahzib-Lie / 15 1. Message by the United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan / 18
* WISLAWA SZYMBORSKA / Tortures (poem) / 19
2. ALI ALATAS / An Indonesian View on Human Rights / 21
3. PHILIP ALSTON / The Universal Declaration in an Era of Globalisation / 28
* AHMAD SHAMLU / The Banquet (poem) / 33
4. CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR / View from the Front / 41 5. ABDULLAHI AN-NA'IM / The Universal Declaration as a Living and Evolving 'Common Standard of Achievement' / 45
* VEDAT TURKALI / Seventh Year (poem) / 52
6. AUNG SAN SUU KYI / Individual Human Rights and the World Community / 56
7. BISHOP CARLOS FILIPE XIMENES BELO / The Dignity of the Individual / 59
8. TONY BLAIR / The Universal Declaration as a Source of Inspiration / 65
* RENDRA / Song of the Full Moon (poem) / 68
9. EMMA BONINO / Humanitarian Aid and International Policy / 69
10. THEO VAN BOVEN / A Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities? / 73 7 CONTENTS
* JONI MITCHELL / The Magdalene Laundries (song/poem) / 80
11. INA BROUWER / Human Rights: A Parting of the Ways / 82
12. THOMAS BUERGENTHAL / Centerpiece of the Human Rights Revolution / 91
13. JIMMY CARTER / The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The Next Fifty Years — The Challenge of Leadership / 96
* BASIL FERNANDO / Fiftieth Year Get-Together (poem) / 99
14. His HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA / Humanity's Concern for Human Rights'/ 101
15. PIETER VAN DljK / The Universal Declaration is Legally Non-Binding; So What?/ 108
16. SHARON DIJKSMA / Human Rights: A Generation to be Won / 113
* ANNA ENQUIST / The Red Jacket (poem) / 116 17. WARIS DlRlE / My Story / 117 18. ASBJORN ElDE / Freedom from Want: Taking Economic and Social Rights Seriously / 121
* AGNES GERGELY / From the Years of Barbarism (poem) / 130
19. MIKHAIL GORBACHEV / A Landmark in the History of Moral, Legal and Political Culture / 132
20. IAIN GUEST / The Universal Declaration and the Power of Shame / 136
* VACLAV HAVEL / Message (handwritten) / 146 21. VACLAV HAVEL / A Spiritual Covenant for Mankind / 147
* JIMMY CARTER / Hollow Eyes, Bellies, Hearts (poem) / 151
22. COR HERKSTROTER / Respecting and Supporting Human Rights / 153
23. ROSALYN HIGGINS / From a Legal Point of View / 161
24. HANS KUNG / Human Responsibilities Reinforce Human Rights: The Global Ethic Project / 165
* LES MURRAY / One Kneeling, One Looking Down (poem) / 169
25. CATHARINE MACKINNON / Are Women Human? / 171
26. JONATHAN MANN f / Health and Human Rights / 174 CONTENTS
27. GABRIELLE KIRK MCDONALD / The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The International and the American Dream / 179
28. CECILIA MEDINA QUIROGA / Some Thoughts to Mark the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights / 187
29. HOSSEIN MEHRPOUR / Human Rights in the Universal Declaration and the Religious Perspective / 191
30. RIGOBERTA MENCHU TUM / The Universal Declaration and the Rights of Indigenous People / 198
* RENDRA / Song of the Sun (poem) / 202
31. DANIELLE MITTERRAND / Towards a New Era of Peace and Equitable Democracy? / 203
32. BISHOP MARTINUS MUSKENS / Cultural Rights / 208
* JUDITH HERZBERG / Welcome in Free World (poem) / 215
33. SADAKO OGATA / Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The Right to Seek Asylum / 217
34. MARTEN OOSTING / Universal Government Obligations and the Protection Afforded by the Ombudsman / 223
* MORIS FARHI / Armoured Men (poem) / 230
35. OLARA OTUNNU / Protecting the Rights of Children Affected by Armed Conflict / 231
36. WILLIAM PFAFF / Everyone has a Responsibility / 237
37. SONIA PlCADO SOTELA / The Involvement of Women in Politics: A Victory in the Gender War and a Human Right / 240
* GORAN SIMIC / A Simple Explanation (poem) / 247
38. ELISABETH REHN / My Experiences as Special Rapporteur for the Former Yugoslavia / 248
39. MARY ROBINSON / The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The International Keystone of Human Dignity / 253
* SEAMUS HEANEY / From the Republic of Conscience (poem) / 259
40. NIGEL RODLEY / The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Learning from Experience / 261
41. NAWAL EL SAADAWI / The Right to Life / 268 CONTENTS
* AFSHIN ELLIAN / The Autumn Melodies (poem) / 274
42. PIERRE SANE / An Unfinished Revolution / 279
43. HELMUT SCHMIDT / The Interdependence of Freedom and Responsibility / 288
44. MAX VAN DER STOEL / Some Remarks on Human Rights at the Dawn of the New Millennium / 292
45. TED TURNER / The Universal Declaration and the Media / 299
46. LECH WA LESA / Faith, Hope and Charity / 300
* NEVZAT CELIK / Sleep and Torture (poem) / 302
47. JAAP WALKATE / Torture: Zero Tolerance! / 304
48. HALIMA WARZAZI / 'Impossible n'est pas marocain' / 312
49. DAVID WEISSBRODT / Reminiscences on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights / 317
* JACK MAPANJE / Seasons Greetings for Celia (BC) (poem) / 322
50. HARRY WU / China's Gulag - The Laogai / 324 Statement on the royalties of the book * The UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture and * The UNFPA Trust Fund for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation / 327 About the Contributors / 328 Acknowledgements / 343
10