Australia Enacting Magnitsky law to help protect global human rights: No Point In Acting Like A World Policeman
American Congress and Senate have shown proclivity to pass Laws, which are meant to be used across the World.Yes countries like Panama and Grenada may shiver. However nowadays most of the countries which matter give two hoots for such American laws.
Imagine American Senators and congressmen first advising and then threatening a country like India for ignoring their CAATSA law. Finally they were begging India to give them a face saver. India just politely ignored them.
Next a committee or something of the same Senate or Congress has passed strictures on laws passed by the Indian Parliament with respect to citizenship act and creation of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir. Well an angry Indian Parliament can also censure the American Government for so many things starting 1776 itself.
The point of writing above is that countries should refrain from acting like world Policeman. Disputes or issues may be resolved bilaterally or regionally or taken to the UN. Each country must remember that their laws are applicable within their own boundaries, otherwise there will be mayhem.
The government of Canada has perhaps learnt its lesson when they took action against a Chinese citizen in Canada because USA government asked for it. Well is the USA coming to rescue Canada from the wrath of the Chinese ?
So when Human rights barrister Amal Clooney tells the Australian MPs that they have a role to play in ensuring authoritarian governments and individuals do not use the cover of the coronavirus crisis to permanently erode civil liberties and conceal abuses, it becomes a laughing matter at the least.
The Australian parliament is considering the introduction of a Magnitsky Act, which would allow for the use of targeted sanctions against human rights violators around the world.
Similar laws in the US and UK are named for Sergei Magnitsky, who in 2008 uncovered a $230m fraud committed by Russian government officials. Magnitsky testified against the officials and was arrested, tortured and died in jail. He was then put on trial posthumously.
Clooney is a strong advocate for such laws, which she says are among the most effective tools in curbing global abuses of human rights. She says Australia would be among the most effective jurisdictions to use such laws, given its position of influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Prior to debating and passing such laws, Australians must see where they stand themselves internationally. At best they are seen as poor lackey of USA. First the whites forcibly captured a country and then they nearly wiped out the native aborigines. Now they are talking about human rights !
Also see the plight of UK, which does not seem to be so united as such. It has no wherewithal’s left to sustain itself, what to talk about imposing sanctions on others on imaginary ( or as per convenient interpretation ) violation of human rights. This really sounds funny after nearly 400 years of continuous human rights violations by Brits in North America, Africa and Asia.
“The current health crisis has only served to exacerbate what was an existing human rights crisis,” Clooney told the joint standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and trade.
Clooney says that she was heartened and impressed by the actions of governments in Australia and New Zealand to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, but is angry that “new powers used by autocratic governments in the name of a pandemic are unlikely to be rescinded when it has passed”.
“In the past few months we have seen more than 80 governments rush through emergency laws that grant them sweeping new powers over their people.
“Governments have criminalised so called fake news on the pandemic and had scores of journalists arrested while deadly untruths have spread.
“Meanwhile international crimes from genocide in Iraq and Myanmar to war crimes in Syria and Yemen remain unpunished.” Who has the powers to decide that Myanmar Government has committed crimes ? Australia or USA ? The Indians do not think that Rangoon has done anything wrong. So who is Australia to decide for the people of Myanmar.
By passing laws like Magnitsky laws, it will not provide any effective tool for holding individuals and corporations to account. Has not Australia not learnt its lessons after recent spat with China. First the Australians must try and resolve the issue with the Chinese or will face unlimited misery.
If you close your banks and schools for others, then others will do the same to you. Your sanctions may work for countries and island nations in Ocenia but will ve laughed out in Asian and African countries.
