Global Citizenship
- What interested you about the article and how is the content of the article related to aspects of global citizenship?
Upon reading the news article from Amnesty International’s website about Chinese officials’ land grabbing act and how they tortured and killed one farmer who protested, I conclude that even if the notion of human rights is prominent in the modern era, still people abuse it. China as a country has grown to be a global economic power but with the modernization of its policies and systems, it seems that the country still practices traditional if not barbaric ways in settling disagreements and commotions. Relating to global citizenship and human rights, it seems that China had failed to bring about social justice, human rights for all, to the villagers whose farmlands have been sold by local officials who depend on revenues from land sales to increase their budgets.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- How does the current event support or violate human rights?
According to article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
“Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others and that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property” (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
Chinese officials violated Article 17’s code of conduct when they sold the properties of the farmers, including Xue Jinbo’s land, without consulting and asking permission from the owners.
- What are your views concerning the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the current state of the world?
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights drafts out the basic needs and understanding of human beings. The set of rules are easy to understand and I believe that about 80% of the peoples around the world respect the codes of conduct but still there are some who abuse the declaration for their own advantages. In the case of China, the citizens’ rights were sacrificed for profit.
- Do you think this document about human rights is a catalyst for protecting human rights? Why or why not?
I believe that the document is a catalyst for protecting human rights because it provides a clear synthesis of rules and regulations to be followed in respecting another human being but it is essential that an international body or police strictly enforce the Universal Doctrine of Human Rights so as the latter will be respected by all. Global efforts to support human rights had been successful in pressuring abusive parties to give in and follow the rules but it seems that injustice still occurs.
Amnesty International
- Give your views about the global effort to support human rights.
Amnesty International has been actively campaigning for human rights. Its efforts had been rewarded though it is not enough because there are still some cases unknown to the public. Xue Jinbo and his fellow villagers’ human rights have been violated by the Chinese government when their lands were taken and sold without their consent and when they protested they were evicted from their homes and tortured. Xue Jinbo died of cardiac failure but it seems he was tortured with bruises and cuts on his face and two broken fingers. Though China is modernizing as its economy grows, the human rights of citizens must be protected by their government instead of abusing them.
- Summary of the issue and why it interests me.
The farmer Xue Jinbo from the southern province of Guangdong was detained after being suspected of protesting against the local government when his farm together with the other villagers was sold by the government. Xue Jinbo died last December 11 on his third day in custody. Officials claimed that the farmer died of cardiac failure but family members and villagers cited that he appeared to have been tortured with bruises and cuts on his face and two broken thumbs (China Must End Land Grabs Amid Protests Over Death in Custody, Says Amnesty International).
The article interests me because China has been the focus of the international system these past few years. It has risen to be a global economic power but observing from their government’s actions they seem to sacrifice profit over people’s rights.
Works Cited
“China Must End Land Grabs Amid Protests Over Death in Custody, Says Amnesty International.” Amnesty International. 2011. Web.
“Human Rights Basics.” Amnesty International., 2011. Web.
“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” UN.org., n.d. Web.