Protection Of Human Rights Essential Now, Say Global Law Experts

November 15, 2017

The last couple of years have been turbulent times given the conflict in socio-cultural and political ideologies. People have been suffering across the world, and every nation is facing conflicts of it’s own. The protection of human rights in times such have become imperative.

We spoke to human rights law specialists, George Williams and Dr. Francis Wang (who were in the city to attend the IALS Global Law Deans’ Forum held at Symbiosis Law School, Viman Nagar) to understand this in the context of India among other countries..

George Williams-Francis Wang — Delegates at the IALS Summit

Addressing the immigrant crises, George Williams, explains that rising intolerance across the world has displaced a number of people, but they have no where to go.

Borders are closing as people’s response to terrorism is fear.

Countries the international media’s biased and euro-centric attitude, George Williams said, “Western nations need stronger perspectives rightly calibrated, to focus on helping the developing countries.”

Dr. Francis S. L. Wang
Dean Emeritus of Kenneth Wang School of Law, China.
President of International Association of Law Schools (IALS).
Co-founder and Senior Counsel of the War Crimes Studies Center at U.C. Berkeley
One of the founders and a member of the Advisory Council to the Human Rights Resource Center, a university based research institute headquartered in Indonesia with supporting centers at universities throughout the ASEAN countries.
Member on the Board of Advisors of the C.V. Starr East Asia Library at the University of California at Berkeley.

Wang on the other hand, doubts whether intervention would help settle the issue in any way; Explaining this he added, when the crimes and atrocities are being carried out, the perpetrators seem invincible. Stating the example of the massacre at Srebrenica, Wang explains that the U.N. troops were ineffective as the enemy was better armed, resulting in the slaughter of people. But once the incident had passed, the people responsible were summoned for trial at the Criminal Court of Justice, and were made to pay for their crimes, through arrests, economic sanctions and shaming.

“So when this whole situation in Syria finally settles over the course of time, we won’t forget. The criminals will be finally brought to justice,” he finishes.

In context of the Indo-Australian relations, Williams draws similarities between the two countries through their history of British colonisation. Australia, also a federation, struggles with the political power balance between the Central and State governments as well.

George Williams:
Dean of the Law Faculty at the University of New South Wales, Australia.
Appeared as a barrister in the High Court of Australia cases including on freedom of speech, freedom from racial discrimination and the rule of law.
Appeared in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Fiji, including on the legality of the 2000 coup.
Specialises in Constitutional Law, Human Rights and Labour Law.

He emphasises on the importance of improving relations between India and Australia in a time of conflict such as this. Law-school partnerships and student exchange programs will help the future lawmakers and lawyers of the countries to become sensitive to other cultures.

“Universities have the special obligation to be the bacons of light and hope,” he said.
Echoing Williams’ sentiment, Wang said, “Through hard work and educational infrastructure, people at the top can be stopped from fleecing money,”

“The future is in the hands of the next generation. What they decide to do about the ongoing crises will decide their fate,” added Wang.