Liberty is trampled under the feet of military regimes. Rights are abused in the name of economic development, political activism is choked to eliminate corruption. And people are being subjugated or made to believe in the superiority of nonpolitical regimes forced by the fear of iron-fetters imposed by dictators hell-bent on destroying democracy. This is the summary of latest report of the United Nations on the status of democracy and human rights across the world.
Being an analyst of international, political and economic developments, I am unlikely to be stirred by this report. But, certain to feel more remorse seeing the happenings of the world political forum. In my neighborhood, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, democracy does not look capable enough to stand on its own legs. In Pakistan, the Musharraf regime backed by military and coerced by militants is only giving false hopes of democracy at home to the West. And the whole world, particularly the West, in the name of continuing its war on terror is blindly supporting this ruthless dictator, who has destroyed the judiciary by dint of army and even in the name of militants facilitate the killing of a great leader. In Bangladesh, the caretaker government continues without clear-cut declaration for elections, violating the constitution.
In Myanmar, nothing is acceptable, not even human rights, except the whim of the military junta. Central Asia is in the tight grip of former Soviet dictators, who rule in the name of modern day democracy. In Russia and Byelorussia, the incumbent presidents decide their opposition candidates. In China, nobody knows if people have any right and in North Korea, people have to die in starvation so that the leader can build his nuclear arsenal.
In the Middle East and the Arab world, religious dogmas and fanaticism have overpowered even the people’s scant aspiration for democracy. And the West disregarding its professed support for democracy and human rights at home, continues to be an associate of Sheikhs and Amirs in suppression and oppression of civil liberties.
The Third world is shivering under the severe coercion of undemocratic and oppressive regimes. And the First world is supporting this subjugation for its political and economic interests. The Second world led by the Communists and single party rulers is in transitional phase as usual only for public liberty. I don’t want to speak of Africa, where democracy and human rights are lost in the darkness.
However, the bacon of hope is India, the largest democracy in world, which despite of numerous problems holds the flag of liberty and democracy high. Even in Thailand, the latest election, in spite of one-sided agenda of the military regime, shows an ample expression of growing eagerness among the people of the oppressed countries to break the fetters and establish democracy and civil rights.
Source: Sunday Morning Herald
