Pain of Others highlights Essay Example for Free

Pain of Others highlights Essay Susan Sontags Regarding the Pain of Others highlights the cruel pictures mankind faces when war is at place. Photography is an important medium to touch the intricate of human mentality particularly of atrocity and suffering, are a species of rhetoric. This is done in comparison when we the world is aware of legal rights and protection of those rights. It is only due to certain sections of powerful people who turn around decisions in their favor which leads to wars and sufferings. This work clearly highlights the rethinking of art, and understanding in the contemporary depiction of war and disaster. Emphasis has been laid on the arguments about how pictures can inspire dissent, foster violence, or create apathy with regard to the situational analysis. photographic documents of the American Civil War, lynching of blacks in the South, the First World War, the Spanish Civil War, the Nazi death camps, and contemporary images from Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Israel and Palestine, and New York City on September 11, 2001, all highlights the pain which causes in the life and brings about in an turn around of the situation. All are born free in this world and have equal dignity, freedom without any distinction of race or religion. Gradually with the overall economic development in all countries a distinct class of ‘have’ and have not’s emerged and the upper class started exploiting people who were poor and needy. Exploitation in any form is denying human rights to the affected individual. Slavery started, human beings were sent from one continent to other, they were tortured and killed. With the passing of time, the world scenario is also changing. In the present time many countries are ruled by Dictatorship form of government. In these nations military is the supreme authority. Individuals have no say and the government dictates its terms. People are subjected to cruelty and even for minor mistakes severe punishment is given. They are denied the basic right to survive; virtually no law was there to protect the individuals. This system prevailed in Iraq before the combined forces of world nations brought it under it’s control and democratic government was established. Similarly in many African countries such type of government is functioning. There are arbitrary arrests and people are detained. It may be noted that the assurance of gender equality by the government or any proper authorized agencies should not be taken for assured commitment and women should always be alert as to what is happening. These are the basic ignorance which ultimately becomes the negative factor to fight for equal rights. We know that racial laws do not stop racism; an approved sanction does not end caste discrimination, similarly policies which are in favour of women take a long time to become an integral part of the system. We must worry about accepting torture as a tool to elicit information from an accused. The human rights violation should worry us all. No court that operates within the frame of legal constitution system of that country can deal with illegal detention, confession obtained by torture and the like. A person has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty. Forceful acquisition of cultivable land from farmers by government in many countries has resulted in revolt and further atrocities were committed on them. Protestors were shot dead-this is a clear violation of human rights not protected by law. Human rights are openly violated with the support of the government. In the religious matter also there is lot of interference from clergy’s- people are afraid to disobey the religious head thereby right to religion is denied. Governments have been approached in this regard for facilities be allowed for pilgrims and devotees to have easy access to churches, mosques, temples etc . Freedom of speech is denied to freedom fighters. These days militants are very active all over the world and they play a major role in violating human rights. They recruit small children, train them and use them in the front line of the battle. Children in the early ages can be moulded in any manner and later on they become good fighters—they are used as human shield during front line operation. Terrorists have intention to get a quick result and to do maximum damage in the shortest possible time. Citizens are caught in the crossfire between terrorists and defence forces. The invisible enemy could be hiding anywhere and could vanish from the scene in any form. People are scared, economy is devastated and socially the system collapses. It takes a pretty long time to gain confidence and start reworking. Maximum human rights are violated and governments may not be able to do much as damage has been done without any prior notice. People have got inner revolution—how this can be minimized and completely get rid off. Terrorism has to be tackled with full force since terrorists do all types of human rights violation. Powerful governments due to security reasons are sacrificing human rights thereby committing more crimes. This failure of governance is a clear signal of giving concession to armed groups. Human rights violation in any country should be brought to the notice of Amnesty International. In the recent times there is tremendous resistance that human rights should not be violated by any agencies. Resolutions are passed by people and forced on the government to accept and protect it. Proper democratic government should prevail, where the candidates are elected by free and fair elections and eligible voter be allowed to cast their votes. The majority party is allowed to form the government. Opposition should be allowed to work properly so that they may be able to point out the mistakes of the government in office. The most urgent requirement is that we should fix responsibly on the state . It should be known to the state that it is responsible for the present state of situation by paying less attention and almost not doing anything and refused to take notice of human rights protection. Lot of efforts is required by taking into its positive attitude and ensure that it goes into the prevailing legal system, government’s projects and plans. Subsequently such a legal order requires a policy of â€Å"no-tolerance’ for acts of violation against human rights and subsequently giving the required protection and growth of the rights. The problem has to be sorted out at all steps—beginning from, men, women, and society as well as law enforcers. As a country we have to accept the sacredness of human beings, as citizens to stand boldly and be recognized and as a society to have the boldness to see inside and tell the truth. It is quite possible that in the beginning we have to accept the fact that we all need help, having been set footing in two sets i. e. of value system and standards. To take modern achievements and values but not at all ready to give way to traditional anticipations and protectors The modern powerful democratic countries manipulate multilateral organizations to the great advantage and suffering of the poorer developing nations. In the poor countries where such laws are allowed to function without state participation –it will violate all spheres of human rights . It is seen that the reform of government is a goal of making citizens, central to all government activities and functioning, and reorganising government to sincerely find a solution of the common people. Given the vastness of the challenge, not only the legal and judicial system be overhauled to get the result, at a more practical level, an all out effort need to be made to make responsible the law enforcers. They act as the first approachable agency for people seeking early relief. Therefore they need to be made aware of the helplessness of human society and their responsibility towards them as law enforcers. Photographs of torture gives a very deep shock and it is generalised that there none to take up their suffering to the appropriate authorities. We forget the sorrow the moment we turn to the next page, it remains where it is. These photographs have a permanent bearing if we got welfare feeling in our heart. People ignore these as they are not live. If there is a possibility that the images are able to speak, they would have brought a revolution protecting the human rights. References 1. Susan Sontag (2003), Regarding the Pain of Others, Farrar, Straus and Giroux Publishers, New York