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©The Sun (Used by permission)
by Brendan Navin Siva and Noor Arianti Osman

“The future of this country depends very much on the ability of all Malaysians to openly discuss and express their opinions and ideas on all issues.”

ON Dec 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This was the first true international recognition and statement of the rights that every human being is entitled to. Every year, International Human Rights Day is celebrated throughout the world on Dec 10.

In conjunction with and in celebration of this day, the Bar Council Human Rights Committee is once again hosting the Festival of Rights. It will be held on Sunday, Dec 9. This year’s theme is As I Believe: Freedom of Expression Through Art, Music, Culture and Conscience.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the right to freedom of expression. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression. This right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

The freedom of expression is an essential ingredient in any civilised society. It is a right every human being should be entitled to.

In a country like Malaysia, some may argue that there are certain issues that are too sensitive to be spoken about or to be discussed openly. But silence and closed doors promote distrust and frustration. It encourages the prejudices and misconceptions of some sections of society. And it stunts the development of thought and ideas among all Malaysians.

The future of this country depends very much on the ability of all Malaysians to openly discuss and express their opinions and ideas on all issues. Only through an exchange of views in a mature and responsible manner can we hope to understand each and every side and each and every angle of the many issues we face. And only with that understanding can we hope to embrace our differences, share our similarities and inspire a greater sense of pride in this country and in each other.

Kofi Annan once said: Human rights are your rights. Seize them. Defend them. Promote them. Understand them and insist on them. Nourish and enrich them. They are the true reflection of humanity’s highest aspirations. They are the best in us. Give them life.

The Festival of Rights seeks to achieve this. The celebration is intended to promote awareness and belief that human rights belong to all of us. So we do not silently consent to its abuse.

We need to be aware that any degree of indifference or ignorance of these inherent rights detrimentally affects us and our future generations. We need to guard against any form of compromise of these rights.

The celebration will showcase the indivisibility, interdependence and interrelation of the various rights in our day-to-day lives.

The celebration will be held at the staging area of Central Market. It will include refreshments and discussions in the form of a forum and audience participation. This will be followed by cultural and musical performances by various artists and activists.

The Festival of Rights is planned as a celebration. It is not an anti-government demonstration. It is not a political rally. It is not a protest. It is designed and intended to be educational and entertaining. It is designed and intended to be a family event. Children are most welcome.

The Bar Council Human Rights Committee invites and hopes that all sections of Malaysian society can join us and take part in the celebration of your rights as human beings. If you have any queries, please contact Rezib Mohamad at 03-2031 6367 or rezib@malaysianbar.org.my

The writers are members of the Human Rights Committee, Bar Council Malaysia. For more information, visit www.malaysianbar.org.my/hrc. Complaints of rights violations may be forwarded to rezib@malaysianbar.org.my for consideration of the committee.

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