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New Hope, New Dream required following Massive Earthquake: letter to John Key

Anthony Ravlich | 06.09.2010 15:00 | Globalisation | Repression | Social Struggles | World

A new dream, an ethical globalization, is required following the massive earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand (amazingly no loss of life but enormous property damage). An ethical globalization emphasizes the human rights of the worse off domestically and internationally (and helps them to help themselves), rather than the present 'failing' political neo liberal dream.

New Hope, New Dream required following Massive Earthquake: letter to John Key


Anthony Ravlich
Chairperson
Human Rights Council Inc (New Zealand)
10D/15 City Rd.
Auckland City.
Ph: (0064) (09) 940 9658
www.hrc2001.org.nz



[ A more full explanation of ethical globalization can be found in my book, ‘Freedom from our social prisons: the rise of economic, social and cultural rights’ which is available in libraries and also is on the United Nations Portal website. The following email was sent to John Key].



Attention: New Zealand Prime Minister


Dear John Key,



It is times like these – the earthquake in Christchurch – that a gamble on a new dream and a new hope, when the existing dream is failing, is necessary.


I was in the process of researching your government’s plan of rebalancing the economy towards the export sector. I was concerned whether this may just be a continuation of ‘trickle down’ i.e. with a major focus on established exporters. The earthquake interrupted my research.


The ethical globalization I have been proposing involves addressing the core minimum obligations of the State at home and promoting them abroad. This includes the self-help right to development (the rights of peoples….to pursue their economic and social development is a civil and political right but not in NZ’s human rights law). The latter involves a more balanced approach to development with an emphasis on small/medium business development (more full details can be found in my work, www.hrc2001.org.nz).


For example, it is important to require certain core minimum obligations such as ensuring imports are not made with child labor and that overseas exporters also have a decent minimum wage so our businesses are able to compete.


Also, I would seriously suggest encouraging New Zealanders living overseas to come home to help which they may do if they see that the government is serious about ‘equal rights’ for New Zealanders, and includes the omitted human rights in both our human rights law and the New Zealand Human Rights Commission’s National Plan of Action for Human Rights which also includes economic, social and cultural rights.


When people’s imagination is captured by a dream – the ethical globalization I propose - they will often persevere despite great odds. I consider the present neo liberal dream can no longer do this,




Anthony Ravlich
- e-mail: anthony_ravlich@yahoo.com
- Homepage: http://www.hrc2001.org.nz