My Speech

Imagine yourself as a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and write your own statement/message that you would read in front of the entire world this year.
You can write your statement/message directly in the comments below or make it as a blog entry, static item.

I may give one or three MBes. It depends on your involvement and will to construct the statement that makes a good sense when read to the world. (Here's an example of the statement by Michelle Bachelet from 2019: link )

My Speech

Human Rights Day
10 December 2020
Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Thanks to the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights we are aware of 'rights' in many spheres, including implementation in different countries, on common citizens.

That goal, is as pertinent today as it was then. It's a goal I know we all share - the full development of safety for all citizens in different countries. This is more pertinent in countries like India, there an Army veteran, who lost a family member to a militant’s bullet, has raised an agonising poser to the Supreme Court,

*“How much do you know about the brutality of war?*

*How many of you have sent your progeny to the armed forces*?

*Have you ever lost a family member in the defence of the country*?

*Do you know the pain of losing a young son or having a widowed daughter or seeing your grandchildren grow up without their father*?

*If not, please do not impede our war effort. Human rights sound very nice when you and your families are safely ensconced in secure air-conditioned homes but not when you are facing bullets and stone of a unruly religious fanatic mob*.”

*Applying the Court directions to the Pulwama incident, an FIR(first information report) will be lodged against Army Gunner Rishi Kumar who risked his life and killed two terrorists despite being hit by a bullet on his headgear*.

Police investigations will carry on for years haunting him even when posted to other places in India.

*Courts will issue summons and demand his presence. He will be accused of depriving the ‘innocent’ jihadis of their human rights and asked to justify the killings*.

He will be queried, *Are you sure they were terrorists?
They did not kill you, why did you kill them?*

He will be asked

*"Did you give them adequate opportunity to surrender and reform themselves?"*

*Did you give them a fair chance to escape?*

*Did you fire warning shots in the air?"*

*Instead of lauding his bravery, he will be subjected to judicial witch-hunt. What a disgrace for the nation!

*Subjecting active military operations to judicial review is an outlandish idea. Whereas all nations empower their soldiers to vanquish enemies of the state, India takes pride in shackling them *.

While addressing the U.S. Naval Academy in April 2010, *Secretary of Defence Robert M Gates of USA had said, “* *You have answered the trumpet call. For my part, I consider myself personally responsible for each and every one of you as though you were my own sons and daughters. And when I send you in harm’s way, as I will, I will do everything in my power to see that you have what you need to accomplish your mission – and come home safely."*

*Apparently, India’s Supreme Court thinks differently*. *Human rights of the enemies of the state appear to be far more important than the security of the country*.

*Finally, as a serving officer commented wryly, “The Supreme Court has given us two options* – *get killed and the country will honour your martyrdom* or
*kill the terrorist and face police/judicial investigations for years."*

His apprehensions are genuine and shared by the most. Wonder which soldier will look forward to serving in such antagonistic environment in indian army!

*Appeal to All citizens *:-
*However, Let us all make this a People's movement so that the Supreme Court will Reconsider the issue and Appreciate its gravity*.
*We cannot Fight for India or other countries on borders but We can Fight for our Soldiers Betterment from the safety of our homes*.

With this appeal l close my statement as experience has shown that true success lies not
merely in reaching decisions to establish new bodies,
but in giving form to their objectives and mandates. I
am pleased that during the sixty-fourth session the
General Assembly began a comprehensive review of
this event. I am satisfied with the
process of this review so far, although I believe the
review and its outcome have the potential of being
more ambitious, with greater focus on more results oriented recommendations.
The mandated review of the Human Rights
Council was also initiated during the sixty-fourth
session and is to be concluded during the sixty-fifth
session. I hope that it will serve to further strengthen
the Human Rights Council while preserving the
consensus around that important organ.

Ends.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the UN General Assembly at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris three years after the end of World War II. It was the product of 18 months' work by a drafting committee, with members and advisers from all across the world.

For more information, please contact Rupert Colville : + 41 22 917 9767 / [e-mail] or Jeremy Laurence: + 41 22 917 9383 / [e-mail]