Letter: Human rights, human dignity

While we have just celebrated International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, we tend to forget that the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights is principally based on the world's reaffirmation of faith in human worth and dignity after these values were trampled on during the devastating World War II.

How often do our people tend to scoff at, or miserably insult, the country's authorities? They show total negligence of respect to people's dignity, even who to those who are still in power.

Or how often do we witness inhuman practices by those who are in power toward people from the lower strata, prisoners, asocial figures in our society?

It is not merely a matter of human rights alone, it is of most importance that we always are willing to learn to respect and believe in human worth and dignity, irrespective of social or economic status, religion, race or descent.

Lisa Loretta Boutmy
Jakarta