Sir, – I think everyone agrees with Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton that job creation is the most important issue facing this country (Opinion, January 14th) and that the object of trade missions is simply that. And of course, it is important to do business and maintain friendly relations with all governments in all parts of the world.
However, we question the Minister’s assertion that human rights cannot be raised on trade missions. Nobody expects, as he implied, “human rights (to) be a central part of discussions with political leaders on trade missions”. However, if, as he says, human rights are part of our values and principles as a nation and we must build on our strong record of human rights, then we cannot ignore the issue – even while on trade missions.
A discussion on human rights need not be a confrontation – the message can be delivered without offence, informally, or by building on what may have been raised already through the normal channels. Governments have thick skins – they know they are not perfect and know that they are accountable on human rights issues – that by being members of the UN, it is part of their responsibilities.
What is inexcusable and is an affront to our values as Irish people, is to undermine human rights by not even mentioning violations of human rights and the rule of law when in very repressive countries. Business and human rights do not exist in mutually exclusive spheres. Business depends on the rule of law and respect for basic principles of justice – as do human rights defenders.
We work for the protection of human rights defenders at risk, people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). When Ireland became a member of the UN Human Rights Council, it gave a priority to protecting human rights defenders internationally.
In Saudi Arabia, Raif Badawi, a human rights blogger, was sentenced to 600 lashes and seen years imprisonment for documenting various abuses by the national religious and morality police on his website. Wajeha Al-Huwaider and Fawzia Al-Oyouni were sentenced to ten months imprisonment for speaking out for women’s rights. And in the UAE Dr Mohammed Al-Roken, a leading human rights lawyer, has been in prison without trial since 2012, for providing legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses.
It would have been great if the Government had used the opportunity of the recent trade mission to ask a question about these extraordinarily brave human rights defenders privately and informally and to express their concern.
Is there any evidence to suggest that raising individual cases on a micro level in politically sensitive countries will negate potential gains? Is it a fear, is it grounded in reality or is it just a convenient excuse to dodge the issue? – Yours, etc,
MARY LAWLOR,
Executive Director,
Front Line Defenders,
Temple Road,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.