Human rights should not be politicised
Aid agencies and NGOs ought to pursue just causes instead of enabling groups against governments
By the end of the last century, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) made concerted efforts to ensure that their causes made an impact on international relations. It caught the attention of the United Nations that was trying to retain its role in the post-Cold War era. The United Nations found the rising trend of NGOs a good vehicle.
The late Kofi Annan, the UN secretary-general at the time, proposed revisiting the definition of ‘sovereignty’ adopting the call of some NGOs to legitimise pre-emptive intervention for humanitarian — or similar — reasons. Such interventions in the new century proved disastrous, as nation-states failed aggravating human sufferings.
Yet, efforts to politicise noble causes for pragmatic ends didn’t stop. Even revelations about the destabilising role of some NGOs in conflict areas were not enough to halt the trend. In fact, international politics tilted more towards fringe groups rather than ordinary people.
An NGO may see a government as its adversary if its work has political ramifications, but in the process, if the NGO enables groups against the government of a country it would be a destabilising act, and not in national interest. Examples are countless, from the war in former Yugoslavia — especially in Bosnia — a quarter century ago to the current situation prevailing in Libya.
In a conventional war between two regular armies, operations are according to the ‘rules of engagement’. But if it’s between factions and militant groups, it will be nearly impossible to observe traditional ways of fighting and mistakes — sometimes catastrophic ones — can happen. Libya is a stark example of such chaotic situations where factions, tribes, terrorist groups and the likes are fighting each other.
One of the most notorious manifestations of politicising human rights can be witnessed in Yemen. Even the UN and some well-established NGOs are involved. When the Iran-backed militia, Al Houthis, rebelled against the government and took up arms to impose control on the country, regional allies stepped in to help restore legitimacy.
Do not politicise human rights
A Saudi-led coalition supporting the legitimate government tried all possible political and diplomatic means to bring factions to a negotiated settlement, before sending in troops to help the government.
Unlike political parties, NGOs and aid agencies should focus on alleviating the sufferings of ordinary people. When you politicise human rights, the first victim will be human rights.
Another example of politicising human rights is the case of Qatar stripping thousands from the Al Ghufran tribe of citizenship. These Qatari citizens are now calling for restoration of their legitimate rights. But the world — hypocritically — looks at it from a political perspective, citing Qatar’s isolation and ignoring its support of terrorist groups and interference in the internal affairs of its Gulf neighbours. So the misery of thousands of people is overlooked and their basic human rights are violated.
There are numerous examples of NGOs — including aid agencies and even some UN agencies — politicising their activities. Governments may use noble causes to advance political interests, and that’s understandable. However, when UN agencies and NGOs indulge in such practices, it is indeed a bitter pill to swallow.
■ Dr Ahmad Mustafa is an Abu Dhabi-based journalist.
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