The Responsibility to Protect
May 15, 2008
Today bloggers all over the world are blogging about human rights in a campaign called Bloggers Unite. Those of us who enjoy a large measure of human rights bear some responsibility for people who are less fortunate. Bloggers can use their freedom of expression to spread the word. I wrote my main contribution, Human Rights in the History Survey, on Clio and Me, but the situation in Myanmar, also known as Burma, makes me want to write something here too.
Daniel Schorr had a point yesterday, when he suggested on NPR that there might be a case for foreign intervention in Myanmar. The UN now has a “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine on the books, so it could deliver aid to the Burmese without the permission of their government, if it could find the political backbone to do so. I don’t know anything about Burma’s domestic political situation, so I cannot say if such a potentially destabilizing action would cause more harm than good, but it seems to me that we definitely need to work with the Security Council to put further pressure on the government of Myanmar and perhaps deliver aid without its permission. But how much more time do the Burmese people have?
Further calls to use the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine to help the Burmese
- Brown seeks emergency Burma talks, BBC, 5/14/2008
- Force Burmese aid: Canada by Mike Blanchfield, National Post, 5/14/2008
- The UN’s responsibility to protect by Ivo Daalder and Paul Stares, International Herald Tribune, 5/13/2008
- The world’s responsibility to Burma by Caitlin Wall, Foreign Policy, 5/12/2008
- In Burma, a U.N. Promise Not Kept by Fred Hiatt, The Washington Post, 5/12/2008
- Ruprecht Polenz: UN müssen gegenüber Birma Stellung beziehen, Deutschlandfunk, 5/13/2008
- EU fordert mehr Druck der Uno auf Birma: Zur Not auch gegen den Willen der Junta, tageschau.de, 5/14/2008
More about the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine
- A Change to Believe In by Roger Cohen, The New York Times, 2/21/2008
- The U.S. Should Reject the U.N. “Responsibility to Protect” Doctrine by Steven Groves, The Heritage Foundation, 5/1/2008
- Responsibility to Protect Coalition
- Responsibility to Protect: Engaging Civil Society
Entry Filed under: Asia, politics (international). Tags: Bloggers Unite, Burma, Daniel Schorr, human rights, Myanmar, R2P, Responsibility to Protect, Security Council, United Nations.
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1. Lynn from Organicmania.co&hellip | May 15, 2008 at 10:46 am
Great idea and great post. I love these “bloggers unite” activities to benefit causes. How did you find about this? If I had known earlier, I would have participated, but I’m all tapped out today!
2. Mark Stoneman | May 15, 2008 at 10:57 am
Hi Lynn. I have my blog listed on BlogCatalog and am fairly active in that blogging community.
You might not be blogging about the issue today, but the general thrust of your blog promotes human rights, insofar as it promotes a healthier environment. And let’s not forget the Fair Trade movement. You talked about fair trade coffee on your blog.
3. Shirley | May 15, 2008 at 11:42 am
Something should be done about Myanmar. They were just hit w/ another storm or at least that’s what I’ve heard. It is so tragic the devastation why won’t they let aid in? You would think a government would be less cruel.
4. Tricia | May 15, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I absolutely agree. We have got to start putting pressure on all of these governments that continually violate human rights. Which means we also have to get up and put pressure on our own government as well. We have to let them know that these issues are a high priority to us.
5. miassavinggrace | May 15, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Thank you for your comment Mark. I think the document is extremely relevant actually (I had read it before) and posted a comment on his blog. I have to run out to my daughter’s concert this evening but I look forward to coming back by to read your post.
6. Norski | May 15, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Thanks for helping get the idea of assertive aid delivery introduced. I believe I can add two links to your lists:
Kosovo aid the model
Andrew O’Neil
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23693125-7583,00.html
The Australian (May 14, 2008)
People May be Dying Soon in Burma – There’s a Solution
my digest of the idea in The Australian article, with some comment.
http://anotherwaronterrorblog.blogspot.com/2008/05/people-may-be-dying-soon-in-burma.html
Another War-on-Terror Blog (May 13, 2008)
About the potential for ‘destabilizing’ Burma, that’s a real concern. However, political stability is of little use to corpses. From news reports, people in Burma need help, and they need it promptly.
The current regime in Burma does not seem competent to distribute the food and supplies which have been provided: and that’s a best-case scenario –
From http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080515/ap_on_re_as/myanmar :
“New York-based Human Rights Watch said countries delivering aid to Myanmar should insist on monitoring the shipments to ensure all aid reaches the neediest and to prevent the military from diverting any supplies.
The group also said it had confirmed an Associated Press report this week that the junta took control of high-protein biscuits supplied by the international community and then distributed low-quality, locally produced substitutes to civilians.”
7. Claire | May 15, 2008 at 7:52 pm
Nice post Mark, I just couldn’t narrow it down to one issue. I am glad you picked this one though.
8. DrowseyMonkey | May 15, 2008 at 11:59 pm
I just don’t understand how the government can stand by and watch its people suffer and die. It’s horrifically confusing.
9. Lisa | May 16, 2008 at 11:40 am
Mark,
If we can invade a country to protect oil interests it seems to me we can enter a country to provide aid to natural disaster victims. A totalitarian government or ruthless leader should not be able to sacrific the countries population on the whim of political policy.
Lisa
10. robertstevenson | May 19, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Way to shine a light on this tragedy. I particularly appreciate your taking the time to add useful links. In numbers we can make a difference. Thanks for the inspiration.