By Human and Gender Justice Advocate - Felicia Browne.
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| Felicia Browne |
Shakadan Daniel’s death has
drawn much concern in relation to modern legislative laws and litigation where
we rely upon the professionalism of custodians and that of the penal system.
Though many agree that human rights are of key significance in our society, very
little has been done to educate the general populace on the Human Rights
Conventions. Human Rights are fundamental to human development and shape our
modern understandings of what actions are morally permissible when interacting
within our own society. Rights structure very nature of governments, the
content of our laws, and the shaping of our moral values and our ability to act
responsibly to our fellow humankind. Such moralities and universal values are
usually geared towards shaping our human and national development- in relation
to person-hood, collectivism and patriotism. Felicia Browne, who was recently
awarded a Ambassador for Peace, agrees that though our legal and human rights
advocates have continued to advocate for justice and peace within our society,
not much has been done to educate various sectors on Human Rights. Human Rights
have been often seen as a nuisance in many social matters. However, it is
imperative that the rights of others, regardless of soci-economic backgrounds,
must be upheld by the State and human institution. Victims of human rights
violation are becoming an international and global concern. These violations
have an extremely devastating effect, not only on the victim but the
perpetrator as well. Theories of Victimology recognize that passive victims are
more likely to be prone to further abuse within their formative and
developmental stages. These may manifest themselves through various forms of
violence, which include but not limited to; bullying, rape, suicide, crime and
gun violence. In many cases, families of human rights victims are usually prone
to further violence or injustices which may create a space for internal and
immediate conflicts that are far removed by possible solutions. Governmental and non-government organisations must not remain at
loggerheads with each other, nor remain silent on matters of human dignity. A
young citizen has died, and it is the State’s responsible that the general
public, including the media, understand how such cases are being handled
without any biases or ambiguities. Our country needs and requires good
leadership and transparency in order that citizens are able to feel safe and
secure. Sadly, what we are now observing is that people no longer feel that the
local police stations are safe for their families when they are held in
custody. There is a growing element of fear, uncertainty and lack of faith in
our judicial and social systems.
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| Shakadan Daniel |
Criminal activity and violence is escalating
with society from our homes, schools and now our prisons. Can we currently be
certain, without any reasonable doubt, that Shakadan Daniel was not simply
bullied by the authority to the point of death- directly or indirectly? Was
young Daniel a victim of an injustice system where persons in authority are
claimed to have more rights than others? Do our families need to mourn for
similar losses of sons and daughters, before serious changes are made in our
justice system? Had CCTV and proper monitoring of the system been in place,
would Shakadan Daniel be dead today? Does having only one pathologist and the
lack of a functional forensic lab in this developing country not warrant some
serious and reflective concerns by our policy makers? These are questions we
must ask if we are to ensure that no such event occurs again. We must implement
effective policies on Human Rights may have saved the life of this young man
and others. As leaders in our communities must recognise the role we play
within our communities and places of employment. Our young leaders are
observing those policies, behaviours and solutions in addressing various social
concerns that we are faced with, and we must ensure we set the example of good
moral leadership that they can then follow. It is a time where peaceful
resolutions are deeply needed. In the case of Mr. Daniel, we have lost a young
citizen and we must try to ensure that his death is a symbol for greater peace
and justice within our society. His death should not be seen as a tug-of-war
between the State, families and advocates, but it must be seen as an
opportunity to begin immediate and effective human rights awareness within all
facets of society - schools, police force, civil servants and private sectors.
Human rights must also be seen as a developmental tool to project greater economic
and social stability. Our leaders should be seeking those clear advantages when
dealing with sensitive concerns on human rights violations. We must never
forget our ability to show compassion, empathy and humanity. We need to revisit
our traditional ways of doing things and seek alternative ways to foster a
greater level of compassion for each other. It is clear that everyone has been
affected by this tragedy but we must ensure that the law is effective and
contemporary enough to deal with such challenges. Additionally, the
inadequacies within the criminal law and justice system must reflect
international standards of human rights policies. Proper legal infrastructures
like CCTV and video recording in police stations, counselling for custodians who
are awaiting trial, as well as an independent victim’s aid should be
implemented to alleviate these challenges. We must begin to practice these
fundamental rights in order that peace, justice and fairness are encouraged to
flourish within our small society. We must NOT wait until a tragedy occurs for
us to inform the public about their rights. Human rights are universal rights.
Every human being has rights that protect them from harm from others, including
the State. Human Rights Advocates and the media must continue to educate the
society on the Human Rights acts as well as examples of human rights
violations. We have heard all too often, that someone‘s rights have been
violated, but do we know which Human Rights have been violated? We need to
conduct educational programs that educate on human rights in order that
children, youths, women and men, all have a fair understanding of those basic
human rights. Some universal rights include the right to a nationality, the
right to an education, the right to proper legislative procedures and the right
to health.” We need to save lives and become more humanistic in our approaches
to good governance and policy making if we hope to achieve a peaceful and
prosperous nation.
Source: UnitedPac
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