Article December 7, 1992 Issue

Human rights—a higher view needed

Human efforts alone aren't enough to right injustices. Clearly, we need God.

Dorothy Dipuo Maubane

As a black South African who has lived under institutionalized racism, or apartheid, I am very familiar with the injustice of human rights violations. Although the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is over forty years old, the concept is still not adequately valued in many countries; my country is no exception.

According to a prominent human rights organization: "Human rights are a human responsibility. Whenever they are violated, people are the victims. They, and their families, need practical help." But where can help come from when constitutional safeguards have been thrown overboard—when elements such as political greed, ethnic strife, violence, oppression, torture, arbitrary imprisonment, mysterious disappearance of people, and mass killings are allowed to happen?

Human rights organizations have done wonderful work. And yet something is missing if human codes and human help are believed to be the only answer to injustice. What is this missing element?

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