After several years’ research the report ‘Dying Alive: A Legal Assessment of Human Rights in Burma,’ was recently released by the British human rights campaigner Guy Horton. Now, Horton travels the world to convince authorities that what he describes as the slow genocide of Burma is a long overdue case for the UN Security Council. Yesterday, Horton also visited the Human Rights House (right) in Oslo. (14-OCT-05)
Horton’s report has sent wide shock-waves throughout the international Burma, both the state and civil society sections of it. Horton has no doubt done a very thorough job, and his report is definitely among the best documantations of the Burmese junta?s violations of the rights of its own people, especially the ethnic minorities.
Big words. But do they help or harm Burma?
What causes controversy about Horton?s report, though, is his decision to call the human rights situation in Burma a slow genocide. The controversy is not over the truth value of the term from a huan rights perspective, but of the tactical, strategic and political wiseness of putting such a highly charged label on the conduct of the authorities. There is fear, of course, that this might only be counter-productive, and – directly or indirectly – become the cause of even further suffering.
For more information on Horton and his work, please consult the following links:
http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/article/0,13673,501050530-1064513,00.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/highlights/story/2005/05/050520_horton_humanrights_burma.shtml
http://www.christiantoday.com/news/society/csw.jubilee.campaign.attend.press.conference.on.burma.genocide.chemical.weapons./321.htm
