Maravi

UN official describes Nyerere, Fidel as social justice heroes

UN official describes Nyerere, Fidel as social justice heroes
Written by Larry Moonze
Friday, February 13, 2009 7:52:27 AM

UNITED Nations General Assembly president Miguel d'Escoto has described late Julius Nyerere and Fidel Castro as heroes of social justice.

Launching the First World Day of Social Justice in New York on Monday, D'escoto said the world was in great need of paradigms to rise up to the great challenges confronting mankind in the 21st Century.

"As I see it, the great hero of social justice, the one whose example can greatly help us all in our non-violent struggle for social justice is Julius Nyerere, the first Tanzanian president who helped lead all of Africa out of colonialism, and into a social and economic system that placed human beings rather than maximisation of profit at the centre of all economic endeavour," he said.

"I remain indebted, I think all humanity remains indebted, to Fidel Castro, who has dedicated his life to the tireless practice and promotion of solidarity with oppressed people throughout the world. More than a hero, Fidel is as close to a saint as we can find in our troubled world.

And we see the emergence of new leaders like President Evo Morales of Bolivia who, against all odds, is leading our indigenous peoples in Bolivia and throughout the world to take their rightful places at the centre of our societies as well as courageously defending the sovereignty and independence of Bolivia, is an unequalled hero of water and mother earth in general."

D'escoto called on the global community to recognise all such leaders involved in the struggle for a better world.

"More importantly, let us all become leaders and advocates for a more just world, one imbued with respect for the inherent dignity due everyone," he said.

D'escoto said the world was going through especially trying times, particularly for the hundreds of millions of marginalised people who too often lived in poverty and isolation.

He said in recent weeks the world witnessed the unspeakable violence against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

"As we know, social development, integration and social justice cannot be attained in the absence of peace, security or respect for all human rights," D'escoto said.

"On a global scale, hunger and poverty are growing before our eyes. Each day, millions of the marginally poor are tipping into extreme poverty due to the global financial meltdown, unemployment and even scarcity of food. They already know first hand the catastrophes that climate change has in store for all of us."

He said social justice was an important issue that demanded a prominent place on international agenda.

"How can we bring the poor, the people with disabilities, older persons, disaffected youth and abused women and other minorities into the mainstream of societies?" asked D'escoto.

"I believe that such integration and justice require that we recast the global financial architecture in such a way that the marginalised have full access to the economic and social system locally and internationally. We need policy making that recognises their human rights as full members of society. We need a financial system that includes those who are being excluded."

Labels: FIDEL CASTRO, JULIUS NYERERE, MIGUEL D'ESCOTO

posted by MrK @ 7:52 AM