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"Deny an individual an education and you have sown and watered the seeds of blind ignorance, frustration, bitterness, bigotry, religious fanaticism and eventually bloodshed. Just as we see in every trouble spot in the world." Lyn Vickery GENERAL COMMENTS In general terms Human Rights is about compliance with the Charter set down by the United Nations and which includes the rights of the child. GLOBAL ACTION (AUSTRALIA) agrees with these principles and rights, but in addition notes that with rights come responsibilities. In a world of weapons of mass destruction, potent new sciences and high technology it is only a matter of time before a few ill educated, fanatical have nots get their hands on the means to destroy or at lease maul their hated enemies, the haves. Can the haves keep the have nots at bay forever? Probably not. Who would win in such a situation? Answer - nobody! If through some fluke of technology the have nots bring down the haves will they or indeed the rest of the people benefit? Answer - no! A FAIR GO FOR ALL Australian was built on the idea of a FAIR GO FOR ALL. We are a decent, peaceloving people with big hearts. Most Australians still hold to these values. So does GLOBAL ACTION (AUSTRALIA). But too often we see individuals or small groups with an attitude toward others that is antagonistic, calculating, scheming, and downright un-Australian. It is not race, colour, creed or tribe that divides the human race and brings about hatred, terrorism and war. It is our attitude one to another. The withholding of opportunity from the poor by the rich breeds resentment, hatred, religious and military fanaticism and in the final phase bloodshed. Every human being has the right to live in peace, to water, food, shelter, clothing, an education and a home. When any of these are denied then the victim's attitude becomes bitter and resentful and tension and conflict must surely follow. An attitude of "I will take what the other man has." develops. Why do the poor flood into rich countries? It is simply because they see opportunities to better themselves there. A natural enough human desire. Why do the rich countries try to bar poor immigrants? Because they don't want their own hard won standards lowered. Also a natural enough human desire. So how can the gap between the rich and the poor and ignorant be bridged. The answer was given thousands of years ago by Kuan Tzu "If you give a man a fish he has one meal. If you teach him how to fish he has meals for life!" The answer is clear. We must totally cease supplying weapons - rifles, missiles, bombs and aircraft to third world countries and insist that they take food, birth control and technical expertise to restore their lands and rebuild infrastructure instead. Money must be earmarked for education to sweep away the millennia of ignorance. We must give them real hope for a better life and for peace while at the same time keeping the hands of their more fanatical brothers off the trigger and the bomb. GLOBAL ACTION is about Global solutions, but for all nations those global solutions must be begin at home. First set your own house in order. The rich countries must help the poor to become better off, not by selling them weapons, but by educating them to feed, cloth, shelter and educate themselves - to restore their battered cultures and build their own proud civilisations in their own lands. The poor must understand that they will never gain the freedom, prosperity and hope they long for by fighting endless guerilla wars, migrating across the seas to places where they are unwelcome or by staging bloody intafadas against innocent civilians. They too must learn to set their own houses in order. GLOBAL ACTION INTERNATIONAL strives to eliminate ignorance and disadvantage and to bring hope, education and opportunity to all those in need. GLOBAL ACTION (AUSTRALIA) opposes all forms of practice or behavior that discriminate unjustly or unfairly in the eyes of the community and that run contrary to the widely held views of the community including:
a.
Sexual discrimination The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission provides information on a wide variety of Human Rights issues; including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice; Disability Rights; Human Rights; Racial Discrimination, Sex Discrimination, Employers and Information for Students. Useful links: http://www.humanrights.gov.au Also see JUSTICE SYSTEM GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK issues@globalactint.com
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