Sunday Times 2
US sanctions and new dimensions of human rights violations
Almost every day when we browse the media, we see reports that the US government has imposed sanctions on one country or another. They are imposed so frequently that it seems imposing sanctions has become the favourite pastime of the United States. The sanctions or the so-called punitive measures are imposed on any state that acts against the US interest.
Iranian protest against US moves to reimpose the sanctions on their country
Although such measures are meant to target the governments and force them to back down, the ultimate victims are the people.
The sanctions and their political, economic and legal aspects have been widely addressed by politicians and the mass media, but their impact on the people of the target nation has received less attention. It is significant to note that sanctions are a form of human rights violation as they undermine the basic rights of the people.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, entitles all people to have the right to life, liberty, nationality, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the right to work and to be educated and the right to food and housing.
All economic sanctions targeting a state will directly affect the people and their quality of life, depriving them of a normal life – and this is a contradiction of universally accepted human rights principles.
When it comes to Iran, sanctions go beyond the limits and take newer forms to fulfill multi-pronged purposes. It appears that the US and its allies compete with each other to impose the strongest sanctions on Iran and then boast about their actions.
The history of sanctions against Iran dates back to almost four decades. The first set of sanctions against Iran was imposed in 1979. It came along with freezing of Iran’s overseas assets. The situation was aggravated by eight years of war imposed by Saddam Hussein on Iran. It inflicted heavy casualties and grievous sufferings on the Iranian people.
Imposition of severe sanctions on Iran, which at times are eased in parts and reimposed again, has been an inalienable part of the US policy towards Iran during the past forty years.
However, it is not the sanctions per se that are important here. We need to highlight Washington’s double standards. On the one hand, it makes philanthropic gestures towards the Iranian people, but, on the other, it has no qualms about violating the human rights of the Iranian people.
The US came under international criticism for its unilateral withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. It was also criticised for its refusal to accept the International Court of Justice ruling ordering that the restrictive measures on Iran, especially those linked to humanitarian trade, food, medicine and civil aviation, be lifted.
The nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was finalised in 2015 in Vienna by Iran and six world powers and endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 to restrict Iran’s nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. Needless to mention that all member states are required to commit themselves to implement the JCPOA and normalise their economic, trade and banking relations with Iran.
The US pulled out of the agreement in May 2018 and reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. It’s so much surprising that a UN member slaps sanctions on a country which abides by the UN Security Council resolution. Worse, it also persuades other signatories to cease implementing the JCPOA, urges they cut their ties with Iran and threatens to punish countries and companies which cooperate with Iran.
This is a true indication of unilateralism, disrespect for international norms and a clear breach of international law.
It goes without saying that violation of international treaties, imposition of oppressive sanctions against innocent people, bullying, intimidation, and lack of basic decorum for nations and cultures all result in extremism in the world which, in turn ,leads to turmoil, bloodshed and finally violation of human rights.
As the famous 13th century Iranian poet Saadi rightly puts it:
Human beings are
members of a whole
In creation of one
essence and soul
If one member is
afflicted with pain
Other members
uneasy will remain
If you have no sympathy for human pain
The name of human
you cannot retain