Page 24 - Rights beautiful : collection of Professor Saneh Chamarik

Rights Beautiful Collection of Professor Saneh Chamarik

and domination both within and without, and still remains very much so.
Unfortunately, most if not all Asian nations, willy-nilly, subject themselves
to it, despite their declared freedom and independence after long years
of struggles and hardships. The point here is that the hoped-for positive
regionalism promoting mutual trust and co-existence can hardly, if at
all, be brought about under the aegis of growth ideology. This is not to go
against growth per se. It is growth for its own sake and for domination
that must needs be done away with. Here, the issue of common people’s
rights and liberties comes into the picture. Mind you, again, it is to be
not just so-called participatory rights handed down from above. It is inherent
in the right to livelihood and self-reliance as well as self-development. How
this aspect of basic human rights is to be translated into practice in matter
of natural resource management, is something that earnestly needs close
attention in this particular forum.
Last, but not least, is the question of national sovereignty that
significantly stands in the path towards positive regionalism as here
suggested. The principle and practice of national sovereignty is now some
three centuries old. It did serve its purpose as international institution
in establishing peace and security against widespread anarchy in Europe.
And this then was extended to all other parts of the world in the course
of colonial expansion. No doubt it has been a great help in the course of
nation building and security in the past century. That is to be seen as part
of historical process of human and social development. But then along
the line, state security with its inherent absolutism turns against human
rights and security. This is of course one most delicate and sensitive point
to be carefully worked out. At any rate, one thing is clear: that is, the
absolutism of national sovereignty needs to be closely scrutinized so
that political reform could appropriately be carried out, especially in the
sphere of human rights and liberties as well as the right to livelihood
and self-development of the grass-root people and communities. It should
not be difficult to see that this line of thought and action would have a very

18 OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THAILAND