Are we still human?!!

What prompted me to write is the news that an Indian house maid's hand was cut off by an employer in Saudi Arabia. Those who know about Saudi's human rights record knows that this is not an isolated incident. Such incidents are part and parcel of life in Saudi Arabia. 

Let us now go back to 20th September 2015 (Incidentally, it is my date of birth !!) and look at another news which did not hit headlines, but shook the minds of those who read and understood what it meant. Saudi Arabia was elected as head of UN human rights Council Panel!! They will take over from Germany on 1st January 2016. This inter -governmental body of  47 member states are responsible for promoting and protecting

human rights around the world!! Can you believe that all the countries who keep trumpeting about human rights stood silent spectators to this appalling event.


This pictures of this Indian maid's horrific experience and the glee on the face of the Saudi Ambassador in the above picture when juxtaposed brings to light the double speak of the countries when it comes to issues of human rights.

Saudi Arabia's appointment as head of UNHRC means that they would interview and short-list experts, from among whom successful candidates would then be nominated to examine specific human rights challenges! These challenges may include the human rights record of a particular country or a specific theme, and those themes can include violence against women, the rights of migrants, religious freedom, or sexual orientation.

Now let us go back to another incident which hit the media headlines a month back for a week and then vanished into thin air. A Saudi diplomat accused of holding captive, beating and repeatedly raping two Nepali women hired as domestic servants in his luxury apartment near New Delhi has left India under diplomatic immunity. An Indian foreign ministry spokesman issued a statement saying the diplomat “who is allegedly accused of abusing two Nepali maids has left India”. The diplomat was protected by the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, the spokesperson said, giving no further details. What a shame!!

We the people of India having solemnly resolved to secure to all citizens justice, liberty and equality stood silent witness to the gruesome injustice meted out to the these women. Oh I was wrong, they are not Indian citizens!!

They define racism as prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior. Then what is Vienna convention on diplomatic immunity? It is a racist convention which comes out from the belief that the race diplomats are superior and they can get away by violating any law of the land where they are serving. This convention was created to ensure free and fearless functioning of a diplomat in a guest country , but how can you misuse the provisions of such a convention to violate the human rights of the people of the host country. 

A country which has such horrific human rights record heads the top global organization to protect human rights and it is sandwiched by two horrific human rights violations in our own country. Is there still reason to believe that we are human?

Additional reading

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34483504

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/22/why-is-saudi-arabia-heading-the-u-n-human-rights-council.html

http://www.cracked.com/article_19591_6-most-ridiculous-abuses-diplomatic-immunity.html

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/17/saudi-diplomat-accused-of-raping-two-maids-uses-immunity-to-leave-india

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goat_Days