Menseregte is 'n saak wat sedert die Tweede Wereldoorlog met sy grootskaalse
vernietiging en chaos internasionaal al hoe sterker op die voorgrond begin
tree het. Dit is veral buitelandse, maar ook binnelandse beskuldigings ten
opsigte van rassisme en apartheid in ons land wat aanleiding begin gee het tot
onderhandelings rakende die uitwerk van 'n handves van menseregte vir alle
inwoners hier te lande
Die historiese ontwikkeling van menseregte in belangrike Westerse lande, maar
ook binne sosialistiese konteks, bied belangrike perspektiewe vir die verstaan
van hierdie kwessie. Ongelukkig is die kerk se stem vir baie jare nie oor
hierdie aangeleentheid gehoor nie.
Ook het die NG Kerk dit beskou as 'n liberale, humanistiese en kommunistiese
aanslag teen hulle "Skrifgetroue" lewensiening. Omrede so baie mense hulle
besluite in terme van hulle geloofsbeskouing neem, word daar duidelikheid oor
die saak gesoek in die Bybelse beskouing van die begrippe geregtigheid, menswaardigheid
en vryheid. Sekere hermeneutiese probleme word onder oe geneem
sodat die volle waarheid oor hierdie saak aan die orde kan kom.
Na aanleiding van bogenoemde gebeure het die regering aan 'n Regskommissie
opdrag gegee om 'n akte van menseregte op te stel. Die klem wat hierin op
verskillende eerstegenerasieregte gele word ten koste van sekere noodsaaklike
sosio-ekonomiese regte, wat vir soveel swart inwoners van ons land so belangrik
is, word krities geevalueer.
Hierteenoor le die ANC in sy konsep-manifes op realistiese wyse klem op
hierdie sogenaamde tweedegenerasieregte en regstellende optrede. Daar word
bevind dat di t die mees volledige en toepaslike dokument van sy soort in ons land is, omrede dit vanuit n situasie geskryf is wat deeglik rekening hou met
die eiesoortige behoeftes van die Swartes.
Die hele kwessie van menseregte waardeur mens teen mens beskerm word, bring
oak die kwessie van diere- en plantregte na vore. n Omgewings-poli tieke
beskouing wat voorkeur gee aan die sosio-ekonomiese belange van mense ten
koste van omgewingsbewaring, word bespreek.
Ten opsigte van hierdie sake word die mens deurgaans in die Skrif opgeroep om
God in sy optrede teenoor sy medemens, dier en plant te vergestalt
Human rights is a matter which has come strongly to the fore since the Second
World War with its wholesale destruction and chaos. It was especially
foreign, but also internal accusations of racism and apartheid in our country
which gave rise to negotiations to draw up a charter of human rights for all
the inhabitants of our country.
The historical development of human rights in important Western countries, but
also in a socialist context, provides important perspectives for an understanding
of the matter. Unfortunately the voice of the church was not heard
on this matter for many years.
The Dutch Reformed Church has also seen it as a liberal, humanist and
communist attack on their "true" scriptural understanding of life. Because so
many people make their decisions in terms of their faith, clarity is sought on
this matter in the Biblical concepts of justice, human dignity and freedom.
Certain hermeneutical problems are considered to arrive at an accurate understanding
of the Biblical message.
As a result of the above-mentioned chain of events, the government appointed a
Law Commission to draw up a bill of human rights. The emphasis in this draft
bill of rights which is laid on various first generation rights at the expense
of essential socio-economic rights, which are so important to many black
inhabitants of our country, is critically evaluated.
In contrast, in its proposed bill of rights, the ANC emphasises this
so-called second generation rights and affirmative action in a realistic way.
It is found that this is the most complete and appropriate document of its
kind in our country, because it was written from a situation which thoroughly takes account of the distinctive needs of the Blacks.
The whole matter of human rights brings the matter of animal- and plant-rights
to the fore. A view on the politics of the environment which prioritizes the
socio-economic interests of the people at the cost of nature conservation, is
discussed.
With regard to these matters humankind is called upon throughout the
Scriptures to manifest God in their conduct towards their fellow-man, animals
and plants
