By Daily Star Editorial

Human rights issues are appearing on the radar screens of leading international bodies, whether the United Nations, or leading powers such as the United States, while constituting a top priority for activists and NGOs.

But despite the talk, the human rights violations are continuing. The warring sides in Libya, for example, appear to have missed the news about the Geneva Conventions and other international rights charters. In Libya, and elsewhere, the depressing news of civilian casualties during military conflicts continues unabated.

There has also been a flagrant disregard for the immunity of journalists and members of the media who cover conflicts; out of 14 journalists killed this year alone, 10 of these lives were claimed in the Middle East. Dozens of attacks have targeted media professionals, amid a clear lack of effective means of deterrence.

The news of individual attacks on non-combatants and unarmed civilians, will only become more widespread as ordinary people now possess the means – in their hand-held telephones, for example – to record such events as they happen. But the outrage and condemnation on the part of leading powers, and the United Nations, will remain just that – verbal salvos – until they install an across-the-board system of accountability.

The Libyan regime apparently has no problem with using cluster bombs as it carries out its war against Libyan citizens. Why should it, when Israel has been able to use the same weapons with impunity for years? The international community has mobilized itself to approve military intervention in one place, ostensibly to halt the killing of civilians, while turning a blind idea to the same human rights violations elsewhere.

The flagrant use of deadly force against unarmed civilian populations has gone on for so long, especially in this part of the world, that a massive effort must be undertaken to create any kind of credible deterrence.

It is simply intolerable for the international community to become “enthusiastic” about going after violators when they happen to live in countries that are rich in oil resources, or have some other strategic value. The violations must be tackled across the board, with no double standards, if deterrence is to have any meaning.
The Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates that member states in the United Nations work for the respect of these principles, with the operative word here being “universal.”

Expressing such sentiments will be considered a utopian exercise, but with advances in technology and the media, more is being revealed, and less can be hidden. Leaders in the region should know it is getting harder to run and hide, but they will likely continue in this behavior, until the international community’s words are backed up by serious action, with no double standards.