It is shameful, but obvious, why Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government, not one minister of the National Coalition Party and Perussuomalaiset,* mentions International Human Rights Day. Being white, driven by xenophobia and having a privileged life in Finland, it is understandable why such politicians see Human Rightsas a threat.
Former President Tarja Halonen (2000-2012) commemorated in a Tween below International Human Rights Day.
During the Cold War, Human Rights was a no-no in Finland because it questioned Finnish-Soviet relations. Finland joined the Council of Europe in 1989, 39 years after its founding in 1950, which held the banner of Human Rights high.
As an Argentinean who lived under a dictatorship in 1976-83, Human Rights have a special place in my heart. Thanks to such rights, Argentineans had a voice in the face of violent oppression.
In April 1978, I was stopped by the police at gunpoint in the street, detained and thrown in a police cell without the right to habeas corpus, a Human Right.
I still remember that autumn Saturday as if it were yesterday.
“The police cell had a small barred window facing the autumn day and wind. In my head, I tried to take the situation as philosophically as possible. First, get to know your immediate environment, which were concrete cement walls with scraped initials and messages on it. From the window there was a lonely branch that protruded through the outsid prison wall and barbwire. As the day started to turn into night, the branch, which gave me an odd sense of hope, was faintly visible. I remember all the controversy that President Jimmy Carter made about how US foreign policy would be guided by Human Rights. Some Argentineans were outraged and asked how could the US mix in our internal affairs.”