Constitutionalising discrimination in Bhutan: The emasculation of human rights in the land of the dragon

After a long consultation process, the Kingdom of Bhutan finally adopted its very first constitution on 18 July 2008 (1). Heralded with great fanfare in the country itself as a modern, forward looking accomplishment set to help propel Bhutan towards a democratic society (2), the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan is – from the point of view of international human rights law – a deeply disturbing document

Engineered Picornavirus VPg-RNA Substrates: Analysis of a Tyrosyl-RNA Phosphodiesterase Activity

Using poliovirus, the prototypic member of Picornaviridae, we have further characterized a host cell enzymatic activity found in uninfected cells, termed “unlinkase,” that recognizes and cleaves the unique 5′ tyrosyl-RNA phosphodiester bond found at the 5′ end of picornavirus virion RNAs. This bond connects VPg, a viral-encoded protein primer essential for RNA replication, to the viral RNA; it is cleaved from virion RNA prior to its engaging in protein synthesis as mRNA. Due to VPg retention on nascent RNA strands and replication templates, but not on viral mRNA, we hypothesize that picornaviruses utilize unlinkase activity as a means of controlling the ratio of viral RNAs that are translated versus those that either serve as RNA replication templates or are encapsidated. To test our hypothesis and further characterize this enzyme, we have developed a novel assay to detect unlinkase activity. We demonstrate that unlinkase activity can be detected using this assay, that this unique activity remains unchanged over the course of a poliovirus infection in HeLa cells, and that unlinkase activity is unaffected by the presence of exogenous VPg or anti-VPg antibodies. Furthermore, we have determined that unlinkase recognizes and cleaves a human rhinovirus-poliovirus chimeric substrate with the same efficiency as the poliovirus substrate

Language Rights of Minorities and Increasing Tensions in the People's Republic of China

The roots of most ethnic conflicts in the world today involve state authorities excluding or disadvantaging members of a minority group(though in some rare cases it may be an ethnic majority which finds itself the target of exclusionary policies by state authorities, e.g. South Africa during the Apartheid regime) through discrimination and other violations of human rights.' These breaches of the rights of minorities frequently and directly create the preconditions for conflict to erupt over grievances which state authorities have refused or been unable to address

Minority aspirations and the revival of indigenous peoples

The growing world-wide sensitivity to the aspirations of indigenous peoples is to be welcomed. However, there is still a tendency which should be avoided: to lump the claims of indigenous peoples with those of minorities. Indigenous peoples are the heirs of long-established political, social and cultural communities which have been oppressed for centuries or victimized by policies of genocide or forced assimilation into the approved language and religion of the dominating community. These forms of destruction can only be truly ended by returning to indigenous peoples a degree of autonomy which will ensure that they have real control over their future. Indigenous peoples should be able to create institutions, including schools, where their languages, religions and cultures are permitted to flourish without interference

Law, language and the multiethnic state

No abstract availabl

Equality and Non-discrimination: Fundamental principles of minority language rights

A modern democratic State must be based on respect for fundamental human rights which also includes linguistic aspects. To understand this, it is necessary to consider the link between minority language rights and the values of tolerance, coexistence and integration. It is impossible for a State to be absolutely neutral in terms of cultural or linguistic preferences. All governments must use at least one language for the conduct of their affairs and to communicate with their population. The right to have access to public services or to communicate with public entities in a minority language is an important point of intersection between minority interests and common interests of coexistence and integration. But, there are many practical implications to be taken into account. Only when there are enough individuals who demand it and when they are in significant numbers in a particular region does it become necessary for the government to offer public services in a minority language

The fallacies in the "Universalism Versus Cultural Relativism" debate in human rights law

Human rights are a “Western” construct which do not always sit comfortably within the confines of many Asian societies. This view often leads to the assumption that the “idea” of human rights is somehow more the prerogative of Western societies. This is not only oversimplistic, it is also based on an ignorance of Asian writings and traditions from which one can find the same "seeds" and inspirations for what we call today human rights. The Qu’ran, which is not only a holy book but also a book of law, contains sections dealing with equality, freedom of religion, and the right to property, as did other philosophical and legal sources throughout Asia. While not necessarily using the words “human rights”, they were nevertheless based on a sense of justice and humanity that are essential building blocks for what are considered today human rights standards. This article proposes that these assumptions need to be examined anew in light of a more detached historical and legal perspective – one which is not exclusively “Western”. It will attempt to highlight a few of the moral and philosophical underpinnings of international human rights which are closely linked to Asian traditions, and not intrinsically alien to them. Finally, it will proceed with a critical examination of the whole debate surrounding the universality of human rights and cultural relativism, showing that much of the debate is actually obscured by a failure to fully understand the nature and content of international human rights. It will be suggested that many of these international standards are capable of taking into account cultural and societal particularities while not affecting their universal application

Official language preferences, and the recognition of a person's name: A significant clarification after Raihman v. Latvia

Revie

Asia-Pacific Human Rights Documents and Resources

Many publications dealing with human rights contain a wealth of materials from the United Nations, Europe, and even the Inter-American and African regional human rights systems, but none cover the geographical region which encompasses Asian and Pacific states. The collection of documents contained in this volume is an attempt to rectify this situation. A unique reference tool to those with an interest in human rights in Asia and the Pacific, be they students of law, Asian studies or international relations, or lawyers or researchers using human rights materials, this volume contains various inter-governmental and non-governmental documents, as well as a section on numerous human rights organisations and resources. Despite the Asia-Pacific area now being the world's only region without a human rights instrument, the volume of constitutional provisions, treaty provisions, governmental and non-governmental declarations on human rights as well as other types of relevant documents is very substantial, putting to lie the argument that human rights are of little concern or secondary to other considerations. This huge amount of material has made it necessary to edit certain documents to their most essential elements. Other documents are included in their entirety where they are deemed to be of particular significance