Sadness, helplessness, confusion, and a will for change are among the feelings The Epoch Times reporters from Brazil to Poland discovered when they asked locals: “How do you feel when you hear about human rights abuses that happen around the world?”
Oliver Maurer, 26, Mental Hospital Staff and Student
It hurts me because I know from my profession a lot about this. I think it’s important that people who have the will to change something, like we in Europe, do something against this.
Farah Janmohamed, 23, London Sales Representative
When I hear about these things, it doesn’t feel right to me inside, because it doesn’t fit with the way that I see the world. When I look at the world, I see goodness, and I see love in everybody. I see God in everybody. And when I hear about these things, it makes me confused inside. It just doesn’t feel right to me.
Grace Vincent, 76, Charity Coordinator
Angry, upset that I can’t do anything really useful about it; sad that the world is like that. What can you say except generalizations? We are keen to support through our shop causes that are trying to deal with this issue.
Gdynia, Poland
Jadwiga Krzyszczak, 70, Retired Accountant
I feel horribly and terribly that people act like that. I am against this disrespecting of human rights behavior anywhere in the world. Africa, South America, Asia, all this can be heard and seen on TV. People are free. Everyone should have the right to do what he wants according to his conscience. In Poland in the communist times, human rights were not respected. I lived through that and I can better understand others in the world. Now in our country it’s super. One can say and do what he feels. Human rights should be respected in the whole world.
Mari Luz Hernandez, 70, Housewife
I feel sad, very sad for it. I can’t affirm if these years are worse on this than the 1960s or 1970s used to be. Everyday you hear about different human rights abuses over the world. There are lots of campaigns, and lot of international institutions to avoid these sad stories happening, but something is missing since things don’t seem to improve.
Romelyn Perez, 25, Secretary
It’s very good to hear about agencies or companies who have human rights. I think for most of the time people who are under the poverty line, their human rights are forgotten. Because most of the time, not only in Dubai, but around the world, one speaks louder than everyone so it’s very hard for us to get human rights especially if you are poor.
Sevinç Karakurt, 22, University Student, Languages and Literature
When I heard about these things, the first thing to appear in my mind was: “What a dangerous world it is!” I think that the African people have been suffering a lot for a long time and for no reason. I believe that their main rights are exploited by some rich countries for stupid reasons. I feel really sad about them.
Michal Smolec, 35, Project Manager
Well, I always feel helpless as I can’t influence those faraway abuses. ... Consequently, I focus on the closest environment to make it better in terms of humanity. However, my good will is not dependent on bad news. It is a matter of faith I choose every morning.
Jindriska Mrlinova, 48, Cattle Attendant
I just feel bewildered. One has certain rights and if they have been abused, I think it’s not fair. I know it’s each country’s regime’s business how they handle it, but still I don’t like it and am happy to live in Czech and that we don’t have it too bad after all. I like it here. I don’t like human rights abuses.
Michael Henry, 50, Security Worker and Musician
Some countries like to do whatever they like. Look at America. It’s a big country. People can do all kinds of things here. People should be allowed to stand for themselves.
Look for the Global Q&A column every week. The Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question: “Do you think the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a reason to stop offshore oil drilling?”
Friends Read Free