In a new story, Gerard Stembridgeresponds to Article 30 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as part of a continuing series in association with Amnesty International to mark the 60th anniversary of the declaration
THE TWINS WERE excited. It was nearly a year since Mum and Dad last had a night out and left them with the babysitter. Now that they were so much more grown-up, they wondered how much freedom would be allowed. By coincidence in school earlier that day their teacher had been telling their class about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Younger twin particularly had been very impressed. Here was the perfect chance to put the theory to the test.
"Dad, have we got human rights?"
"Of course you have."
"While you're out tonight, have we the right to eat whatever we want from the fridge."
"Or the freezer"
"Or the freezer."
"Yes. You have the right."
"Can we stay up until ten o clock?"
"No."
"Half nine?"
"Yes."
This was going well. They had been chancing their arm with ten o clock anyway.
"And before we go to bed have we the right to watch whatever we like on TV?"
"Yes."
"Or use PlayStation?"
"Yes"
"Or phone our friends?"
"Yes."
This was very important. The twins had to use the landline because they were still considered too young to have mobile phones, even though that was a silly idea, and several of their friends had them already.
"However..."
The twins looked at each other. Here we go with Dad's "howevers". If you get something you have to give something.
"You can eat anything you want, but you can't take all of anything. Don't eat all the cake. Don't drink all the milk. Leave some for the rest of us. It's our right too."
The twins nodded. Fair enough. Mum was next.
"You can stay up until nine thirty, but you get into your pyjamas at nine and no acting up with Linda."
But it was fun to try and get the babysitter to let them stay up later. The twins saw the look in Mum's eye, sighed and agreed, even though Elder thought that his sister, being three minutes younger and a girl, should have to go to bed first. Dad was still going on with his "howevers".
". . . so you have to agree on what to watch, and watch quietly. Don't annoy Linda."
That was easy. Linda was nice, she never got annoyed. She just lounged on the sofa texting her friends and talking to her boyfriend.
". . . and of course you can use the phone as long as it doesn't prevent Mum or me from ringing home to check that everything's all right."
The twins nodded automatically. A few seconds passed before something dawned on Younger.
"But . . . but . . . if we're talking on the phone, it will be engaged, so that means you can't call."
"Good point."
"But . . . would that mean that we can't use the phone at all?"
"Actually, yes. That's right."
Elder only got it now.
"Hey! That's not fair."
"You said we could call our friends."
"Yes absolutely, you have the right to call your friends, but if you do, then we can't call you, do you understand?"
Mum joined in gently.
"It's a question of which is more important, darlings."
"Mum always worries about your safety and security when we're out at night. You know we always ring to check that everything's OK. If the phone is engaged we can't do that.
"It's for your protection. Don't worry."
The twins were outraged. Both of them had promised their friends that they would ring them tonight.
"But you said we had the right . . ."
"It's not a big deal if you can't phone your pals tonight."
Elder tried some negotiation.
"Okay. What if we can make one call each. Five minutes each. Then the rest of the time will be free for you to call."
Dad shook his head. He had that really determined look.
"No you see we don't know when we'll get a chance to call, and if the phone is engaged, we won't know if it's you calling your friends or something much more frightening. Has someone broken into the house and cut off the phone? Are you in terrible danger?"
"You could ring Linda's phone." Elder was pleading now.
"No, we have no right to ask Linda not to use her private phone just in case we want to ring her."
The twins were getting desperate. Younger thought of a solution.
"What if our friends ring us?"
"I'm glad you mentioned that. Only Linda is allowed to answer the phone and we'll tell her to get whoever it is off the line as quickly as possible."
"Unless it's us," smiled Mum.
"Naturally, unless it's us." Dad laughed.
Mum could see how upset the twins were. Especially Younger, who tended to be more sensitive about things. She spoke gently to her daughter.
"Darling, I know it seems on the surface to be a sort of contradiction in terms . . ."
Younger wondered was "contradiction in terms" a fancy adult way of saying "we're taking your rights away".
". . . but in the long run you'll see that what we're doing is for the best. There are so many dangers out there, and I'd feel terrible if anything happened to you and it was our fault for not taking enough care. So trust us on this, okay?"
Further discussion was clearly pointless. The parents left as soon as Linda arrived. She made herself some coffee and curled up on the sofa. The twins put on a DVD, but the sound of Linda's laughter as she chatted freely on her mobile was particularly annoying in the circumstances. Elder got himself some ice cream and seemed happy enough, but Younger just couldn't get the unfairness of it all out of her head. She was angry with her Dad especially. It felt like he was making a fool of her. How could she trust him in future? She couldn't stop brooding on it. Out of her anger and frustration came an idea. Pretending to go to the bathroom, she left Elder and Linda in the livingroom. Alone in the hall she stared at the telephone she had the right to use but was not allowed to use. She made up her mind, eased down on her hands and knees and crawled under the little table. Very quietly and carefully she took hold of the plug for the phone and eased it out oh-so slightly, until she broke the connection. The little light on the base went out. The phone still looked plugged in, but no-one could now call home.
Younger rejoined the others in the living room. When Mum or Dad phoned to check they wouldn't be able to get through. They would ring again and again. There would be panic. Linda's phone would be engaged. They might even come rushing home and their night out would be ruined. Even when they discovered the problem with the plug there was no way to prove that it was deliberate. Dad might suspect, but he couldn't catch her out. Younger smiled a secret smile.
She could be a right little terror that one. When she didn't get her rights.
ARTICLE 30
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
This is one of a series of 30 stories and essays by leading writers marking the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The series was created by Sean Love for Amnesty International and continues next Saturday