John Morris writes about “Getting on well with my Neighbour”

Introduction

It seems to me that so many of the troubles – that crop up within families and households and then right up in magnitude to the difficulties that occur in relations between communities, nations and groups of nations – owe their origins to the difficulties that many experience in applying, what some describe as, the “Golden Rule”, to their lives and interests. On a personal level, I try to be constantly remembering to treat others in the same way that I expect them to treat me.

What does the Golden Rule demand of me?

Wisdom that has been accumulated across the centuries has set out the detail of treating others in the ways that they, in return, wish to be treated. This is sometimes described as “duty towards my neighbour”. As will be seen in this essay, that word, ‘neighbour’ can be interpreted widely, far beyond the family I live with and the people living next door to me or across the street. In order for me to get on well with those neighbours and to ensure our freedoms can be honoured, I need to be able to:

• love, respect, and help everyone, no matter who they may be;
• co-operate with those I may have helped place in positions of power – in all matters that are lawful and good;
• fulfil my duties as a citizen;
• respect everyone when I think, write and talk about them – and in the actions I take;
• be caring, compassionate and tolerant to all I have dealings with;
• promote peace among people;
• be courteous to all;
• show kindness to others and to all creatures;
• be honest and fair in all I do;
• respect the rights of all, treating others as they treat me;
• seek justice and freedom for all;
• be generous;

While I have expressed these on a personal level, they do, of course, apply to every one of us and every group and organisation. Each will find that they need to explore the full meaning of these statements, not least the ‘qualities’ or ‘values’ or ‘virtues’ words contained in them.

Events during the Twentieth Century, notably the two world wars, but also improvements in education for whole populations and improved communications in print and electronically between them have led to the demand for these brief statements of advice to be expanded and codified and backed by national and international bodies that have taken on the task of ensuring their meaningfulness to individuals, groups and states.

The League of Nations

First, came this – unsuccessful – attempt, after the First World War to prevent any state from going to war with any other. It failed in its work to ‘promote peace’, however laudable were its aims, which stated in its Covenant:

“preventing wars through collective security and disarmament and settling international disputes through negotiation and arbitration”.

The United Nations and its Charter

Then, in 1945, after three years of quiet preparation, many of the participants on the side that brought an end to the Second World War set up an entirely new organisation – what they decided to call the “United Nations”.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the United Nations is its “enduring Charter” which has stood the test of time, unlike its interwar predecessor. The preamble is well worth repeating in full to see its relationship to those centuries-old advisory statements set out above:

“We the peoples of the United Nations, determined,

• to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
• to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
• to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and
• to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

And for these ends,

• to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and
• to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and
• to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that
  armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and
• to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,

Have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims.”

There then follow 111 Articles, split among 19 Chapters, describing in considerable detail the meaning of the Charter and how it is to be implemented, reviewed and put into practice. Approved at the same time, was the Statute of the International Court of Justice with its 70 Articles, split into 5 Chapters.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Then, under the auspices of the United Nations, have come a number of developments expanding on aspects of the Charter. Most notable among these is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the preamble to this concluding,

“Now, therefore, The General Assembly [of the United Nations],

Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.”

There then follow the 30 Articles including the following referring specifically to the accepted “freedoms”:

“Article 18 – Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19 – Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. [Many now refer to “freedom of speech” which seems to fall largely within this Article but also partly in 18.]

Article 20 – 1. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association. 2. No one may be compelled to belong to an association.”

Rights are all very well, but in getting on well with our neighbour, all of us have responsibilities for implementing the Articles of the Charter and observing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

To that end, the United Nations has made a further attempt to get active in caring for the development of the world and its peoples – in a way that is sustainable – that will ensure that the world will always be able to provide for mankind, as far as is humanly possible, for all generations to come.

The “2030 Sustainable Development Goals”

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly set nations seventeen Goals, (including Peace at Number 16) with, between all 17 of them, 169 targets which every signatory is expected to achieve by the end of the current decade.

Those freedoms identified as Articles 18 – 20 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights appear in 16.10 which states, “(a) ensure public access to information and (b) protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements.”

The injunctions in 16.10, “ensure” and “protect” are the key words for the responsibility every nation has taken and will now be working on how their legislatures will be setting out the means by which their populations can access information and the ways in which their freedoms can be protected.

Conclusion

It is to be hoped that this introduction to “Getting on with my Neighbour” will assist those who are looking for help when specific cases of conflict arise between states, between individuals and states (such as the Julian Assange case), between groups (such as the Charlie Hebdo case) and between individuals themselves. The resolution of conflict without resort to violence is at the heart of all that the Peace Party stands for.

Getting on with my Neighbour/Peace Party – News Commentary