To be credible
The coming of the extreme right in the Austrian government
has developed astonishment and concern. The European Union considered
that its democratic values were under attack. Some political
sanctions were immediately applied against Austria, so the United
States did the same. These interventions are legitimate. How
not to be afraid of a political party whose chief dares to refer
to the Nazis?
But till now, the European Union does not say and does not do
any thing for the people of Chechnya, which are allowed to be
slaughtered by the Russian Army. The Capital Grozny is annihilated.
Thousands of Chechnya people are in detention camps. Women, aged
persons, children are in worst conditions. Hundred of thousands
had to flee their country. Humanitarian organizations are not
allowed to help and to care for the people. The European Union
although castigating Austria does not make a move for Chechnya.
Why such a different treatment?
Not a long time ago, EU and USA, under the cover of NATO, launched
a military action in Kosovo against the Serb forces. Nicely unanimous
they referred to the right of interference. Humanitarian emergency
legitimated the military action, with some thing special here
because previously the right of interference was always in only
one direction: the interference of the wealthy and the powerful
against the weak and the poor.
But in the mean time, EU and USA shut their eyes on the slaughtering
of the Congolese people. The African drama was forgotten. Why
act for one thing and not for the other? Have human rights a
variable geometry?
We still remember the Golf war. Western world launched a crusade
against Iraq to save invaded Kuwait. The international law was
flouted; UNO resolutions had to be applied. A powerful country
had annexed a small country.
But here again, although our countries are so concerned by the
international law, nothing has been done to enforce the UNO resolutions
on exiled Palestinians. They did not care to solve the Palestinian
problem.
Why is it like that? Simply because the national interests are
not the same. Under the cover of the law, they are financial,
business and political stakes.
In practice, this policy of "two weights, two measures"
makes our governments not any more credible for the public opinion.
Their speeches enveloped with the defense of human rights sound
empty. To be credible is to be true in any situation. To say
what we want to do and to do what we say.