THE PLACE OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN NIGERIAN FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS

ALLEN TIMILEHIN OLATUNDE

APRIL 2011

 INTRODUCTION

Contemporarily, Christian ethics is seen as qualitative moral rules that guide Christians from moral decadence of their age. In every society, there is volume of acts and deed that demoralize the behaiour of human being that is why laws are enacted to cob the menace. Yet the church that has Christian ethics is guilty of the atrocity that corrupts the society without measure. Everyone sees the community of believer as the nation of the consecration, holy and morally saturated in the society. The definition of Christian is seen on the act and deed thereabout. Who is a Christian? This question should be annihilated if Christian ethics is in full operation. However, government of each ages enacted laws to guide and reduce the excess of rational and irrational being. All men are not equal in expectation of behaviour. Thomas K. Johnson notes that in spite of the growth of democracy in much of the world, there is still reason to be very concerned about the protection of human rights. In addition to the terrorism associated with matters in the Middle East, the genocide associated with conflicts in Africa, the seemingly growing religious persecution in several parts of the world, especially in Jos, Nigeria, and widespread abortion in much of the first and second worlds, two particular matters merit our attention, since they represent similar events in several parts of the world. Killing, maiming, and kidnapping are common phenomenon in Nigeria, Religious crises and several atrocities are the mark of the black man in world. From online source (http://www.pentecostalmovement.wordpress.com), it was stated that Nigeria was in the local and international news again for another unpopular reason. While we were just recovery from the shame that was brought to the entire nation by a 23 year old Yemen based Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab who attempted to bomb a United States bound Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on December 24, 2009 on religious grounds; another religious crisis struck in Jos claiming several lives and property. Until recently, it is not an overstatement to say that Jos was one of the most peaceful cities in Nigeria. What could have happened that the peaceful city of Jos lost it glory? The situation of Jos is fast becoming typical of most cities in Nigeria. What can we do to prevent these ugly situations that keep soiling the good name of Nigeria in the international community?

In the absence of rational behaviour and the increase in toleration, which led to establishment of Human right activist to plead and appeal for enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights? Every citizen has rights that are written in the nation’s constitution; however, it was not properly executed because of some factors that shall be discussed further. Even in the church, some of these factors prevail. Nevertheless, the Christian ethics still has potency to fight corruption and all sort of evil in the society that are not ethical to human survival. This paper shall address the place of Christian ethics in Fundamental Human Rights as Nigeria is used as a case study.

OVERVIEW OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

From online archive (http://www.nigeriarights.gov.ng) Nigerian Fundamental Human Rights are stated. What are Human Rights? These are rights naturally accruable to every person by virtue of his/her existence as a human being. The Nigerian Constitution under Chapter IV enumerates the following as fundamental rights.

*          Right to life.

*          Right to dignity of human persons.

*          Right to personal liberty.

*          Right to fair hearing.

*          Right to compensation for property compulsorily acquired.

*          Right to private and family life.

*          Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

*          Right to freedom of expression.

*          Right to peaceful assembly and association.

*          Right to freedom of movement.

*        Right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of ethnic group, place of origin, circumstance of birth, sex, religion or political opinion.

Few of these fundamental human rights shall be overviewed in this paper, such as: right to life, right to dignity of human persons, right to personal liberty, right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and right to freedom from discrimination

 Brief Overview of the Rights

Right to life (S.33): Everyone has an inviolable right to life. No one may be deprived of life except for the defense of any person or property, or in order to effect a lawful arrest or in the course of suppression of riot, mutiny or insurrection. Where any person’s life is unlawfully taken, it is extra judicial killing. The culprit must be prosecuted while the surviving victims are entitled to apology and compensation.         Right to dignity of human person (S.34): Every person is entitled to the dignity his/her person and no one shall be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment. Flogging or beating of any person by another for any reason is unconstitutional. Any form of torture by any means is unlawful. Under this section of the constitution, no one shall be held in slavery or servitude nor shall any one be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. The only exception is in circumstances allowed by the constitution.

Right to personal liberty (S.35): Every person is entitled to personal liberty. A person may only be deprived of his/her liberty in execution of a court sentence for a criminal offence for which he/she has been tried and convicted. No person below the age of 18 shall be detained in prison custody. Where a person is unlawfully arrested, the person shall be entitled to compensation and apology from the violator. No one is to pay any sum of money to any person or authority for the grant of bail. Bail is free. The surety sum is not for payment. It only become relevant if the person granted bail jumps bail.

Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (S.38): Every person is entitled to freedom of though, conscience and religion including to change his belief or religion. You can exercise this freedom either alone or in community with others in private or in public. No person attending an educational institution shall be required to take religions instructions, take part in or attend religious ceremonies or observation of a religion not his own. Religious organizations are entitled to provide instructions for their pupils. However, there is no right to form or take part in the activities of a secret society or cult.

Right to freedom from discrimination (S.42): No citizen of Nigeria shall be discriminated against on the basis of his community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion. No one shall be subjected to any disability on ant or a combination of these factors.

CONCEPT OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS

Christian Ethics

Ernst Wilhelm Benz & Carter H. Lindberg assert their views on Christian ethics  as the main commandment from the Old Testament: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), but Jesus filled this commandment with a new, twofold meaning. First, he closely connected the commandment “love your neighbour” with the commandment to love God. This is based on an understanding and treatment of human beings as created in the image of God. Furthermore, the ethic does not deal with humanity in an abstract sense but with the actual neighbour. The Christian ethic understands the individual always as a neighbour in Christ.

Britannica encyclopedia (2010) adds that the new element of the Christian ethic is the founding of the individual ethic in a corporate ethic, in the understanding of the fellowship of Christians as the body of Christ. It also has influenced numerous secularized forms of Christian society, even among those that have forgotten or denied their Christian origins. The Christian commandment of love, however, has never been limited to fellow Christians. On the contrary, the Christian ethic crossed all social and religious barriers and saw a neighbour in every suffering human being.

Christian Ethics: Freedom and Responsibility

Britannica encyclopedia (2010) extracts from the literary work of Reformation era that Reformation revitalized a personal sense of Christian responsibility by anchoring it in the free forgiveness of sins. Luther summarized this in “The Freedom of a Christian Man” (1520): “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” The second sentence expressed the theme of Christian vocation developed by Luther and Calvin, which they applied to all Christians and to everyday responsibility for the neighbour and for the world. The Reformers emphasized that Christian service is not limited to a narrow religious sphere of life but extends to the everyday relationships of family, marriage, work, and politics.

 Christian Ethics in Africa

Waje Kunhiyop (2008) explains that the African continent contains many different people groups and cultures. African ethical thinking did not develop in isolation, but has been richly influenced by the forces of Westernization, Christianization, and Islamization. African derive their ethics form customs and taboos, the oral tradition, myths and legends, stories, songs, proverbs, riddles and wise sayings, and liturgy. Clifford Geertz (1973) adds that our belief as African give deep sense of right and wrong. Ancestors and spirit are all moral agents in Africa.

Carl F. H. Henry, (1957) notes that both Christian ethics and African ethics agree that all ethical norms ultimately come from God. Such norms are based on human values and ideas, but derive their “content and sanction and dynamic and goal from God – not from inference from anthropology or sociology” god has revealed them to us apart of his disclosure of himself through general and special revelation.  However, William Lane Craig (1977) notes that God holds all person morally accountable for their actions. Evil and wrong will be punished; righteousness will be vindicated. Good ultimately triumphs over evil, and we shall finally see what we do in a moral universe after all. Despite the inequities of life, in the end the scales of God’s justice will be balanced. This influences our eternal life.

Ethics in Africa still have responsibility towards the political government of states. Christian ethics in the cotemporary age involve so much in the way and manner the law and order is executed against immoral devices and injustice. Waje Kunhiyop (2008) affirms that justice the state must provide goes beyond merely settling disputes and punishing wrongdoers. Justice also involves the way the state function and the way honours, wealth, burdens and benefits are distributed to individuals and groups. Freedom from political oppression is also essential. When groups feel that their freedom is threatened; there are often rebellions such as those in Nigeria, Sudan and other Africa states.

One reason for this is that African Christians have been very uncertain about the roles of the church (and individual Christians) should be involved in politics at all. Christian ethics in Africa is not firm enough due to argument on separation of state from the church. They believe that believer’s chief responsibility is evangelism; Christian ethics is only for Christians; Christ will soon return and solve all social problems; and the church risks repeating serous mistakes of corruption. A report on the genocide in Rwanda makes sad reading by Hugn McCullum (1995):

More than 90 % of Rwanda’s people were  baptized Christians (65% Catholic, 20% Protestants or Anglican, about 5% Adventist) … church leaders, who received patronage and lavish gifts from the ruling party, to often remained silent in the face of injustice, unwilling to exert the authority of their positions in the moral vacuum within Rwandan society in the Habyarimana’s last years. Their statements during the genocide and in the chaos that followed were inadequate and insignificant, often sounding as if they had been written acquiescence and lack of courage, the churches as institutions paid dearly. They will continue to live under a cloud of suspicion for years to come.

Church is still objective to uphold ethics in Africa. However, this paper will straeline into the place of christen ethics in Nigeria over the situation of fundamental human rights. The fault and solution of churches in the system

INTERRELATIONSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Carl F. H. Henry, founding editor of Christianity Today, used Warwick’s biblical argument for human rights in "The Judeo-Christian Heritage and Human Rights to state the relationship of Christian ethics with human right that it is undoubtedly Roman Catholics who have made human rights a central issue for Christian ethics around the world. John XXIII first broke ground with the encyclical Pacem in Terris (1963), which put human rights at the center of Catholic social teaching as the necessary condition for human dignity.

Thomas K. Johnson clarifies on his online article pages the position of church fathers on this issue of ethics and rights. He says that one of the earlier Christian ethicists to write on the topic of human rights was Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). Though what he wrote on the topic was brief, his incisive analysis provides a very constructive starting point that can be easily clarified and expanded by bringing it into dialog with recent theories and questions. St. Thomas asks, “Are we morally obligated to obey human laws?” His question assumes his distinctions between the four types of laws: (1) the eternal law which exists in the reason or mind of God; (2) the natural law, which is the reflection or image of the eternal law written by creation into human reason; (3) the divine law, which is the special revelation of God in the Bible; and (4) human law, the very fallible rules written and enforced in every society. The answer Thomas gives to his own question is very interesting. The ordinances human beings enact may be just or unjust. If they are just, then we have a moral obligation to obey them, since they ultimately derive from the eternal law of God.

David A. Noebel, (1991) notes that when the American Declaration of Independence claimed that people are endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights, a very important claim was being made. This is that certain basic rights cannot be lost, whereas rights that are alienable can be lost or given away. In some varieties of seventeenth and eighteen century philosophy, the individual was seen as the source and owner of rights, but these rights could be given away in exchange for security, since the rights were alienable. Once these rights were given away to the sovereign, or so it was claimed, the individual no longer had any rights over against the sovereign state, which begins to lay the theoretical foundation for totalitarianism. This made the claim that some rights are inalienable very important.

In Nigeria, Human Rights law is violated day in day out as justice is delayed and corruption increase everywhere. The law protects the poor and the rich from cross their human excess bridge to either side. The rich uses right to oppress the poor that struggle to sustain ethics. Ethics is seen as abnormality with the wealth while the poor are the custodian of good morals. The character flop of the indigence is seen as violence in the society when they arise to fight for their right. However, Christian ethics should be seen in the church as the mother of ethics through the western world civilization and Christianization of Africa. Nigeria has muddled up the relationship of Christian ethics with Human right when their tiny line of difference is not clear taught by doctrine, character and moral living. Leadership, to be objective, has caused the gap of making rights known through Christian ethics.

 EFFECTS OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN PROMOTION OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT IN NIGERIA

The impact of the church in making human rights possible is seen from the past involvement. However, the Church does not support any form of violence in solving social, political or economic problems. The Church will always be against any form of oppression or violence among people or between one society and another. Preaching the gospel values demand that Christianity return love for hatred, and prefer non-violent actions in the area of public opinion.

Victor Chendekemen Yakubu (2009) observes that the response of the Nigerian Church to Human Rights Issues: The Nigerian society is one that is bedeviled by all sorts of evils. What cannot be over- emphasized is that poverty and other ills in the Nigerian society as well as in other African nations are man-made. Nigeria is blessed with numerous natural mineral resources, but when it comes to equal distribution, the politics of sectionalism and tribalism dominate the scene. The poor continue to suffer exploitation and marginalization as results of power gambles under socio- political structures invented by the rich and the powerful.

The book, The Trouble with Nigeria by Chinua Achebe is a reminder of the woes inherent in the Nigerian society. The most serious ills are the mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds. Since Independence in 1960, according to Achebe, Nigeria has not found a qualitative leadership structure that will bring Nigeria out of her economic and socio-political depression. The basic human condition today in Nigeria is poverty and because of this there is a craze for quick wealth. Cardinal Francis Arinze identifies the poor as “the man who has nobody to speak for him, the town or group of towns which have no ‘big brother’ in a key position and the people who are not in power in the nation, state, school board, trade union, improvement union, club, society, etc.” Leadership in Nigeria has come to be equated with acquisition of wealth at the neglect of the led.

Victor Chendekemen Yakubu (2009) still notes the urgency of Christian ethics in managing situation like this in Nigeria. He further writes that the Church in Nigeria has to respond to this injustice according to the life-situation of the society. The Bishops after Independence in 1960 issued a 40-page pastoral letter, “The Catholic Church and Independent Nigeria.” In this letter, the Bishops explained the importance of freedom. They said, “Only a free people can look other people in the face, only an atmosphere of freedom makes possible the blossoming of . . . social institutions and cultural efforts that express

Miguel A. De La Torre (2007) explains the position of poor people when improper acts filled the society and poverty prevails. He says there will be increase in poverty directly affect the well-being of our societies: it leads to rise in crime, drug and alcohol addiction, family disintegration, child abuse, mental illness, and environmental abuse. Ethicists from the margins argue that communities that desire a just economic base must place the humanity of their members before economic development. Hardest hit are the children. The dismantling of safety nets has had devastating effects on the family

 OUR CRASH AS THE CHURCH IN NIGERIA HUMAN RIGHT DEFENSE AND DEVELOPMENT

            The Master of the church gave mandate to go and disciple the nations and teach them all things He commanded, but objectively, we ought to be taught again because we have ignored the Christian ethics; virtues that make us distinctive in the society. Moral decadence has resided fully in the church, leadership and doctrinal statements. Fundamental human rights are broken in the churches which jeopardize the strength of virtues in Christianity. The world still look into the church, but the church is looking into the world for modernization, corruption, murder, misunderstanding, covetousness, hatred, slandering, disloyalty and poverty. The current position of church reflects these causes that might objectively affect the Christian ethics functionality in the society over human right depravity.

Corruption

Boer (2003) identifies one of the major issues that impact on the Nigerian church, "the first is the corruption that has penetrated every level of society. The church is still guilty of many types of corruption that characterize the society as a whole. Many church mebers have failed in dipslying their Christian ethics in nation building. Jude Arogundade (2011), a catholic priest laments on that issues that, despite the fact that some Christians are in power, corruption still thrives in the country. There are many Christians in politics that are good and ready to do the right thing as well as very dedicated and selfless. We also have many of them too who are just out there to cause problems, make money and loot the treasury. He notes further that still on corruption, some of the indicted politicians still come to church immediately after serving their jail terms. Don’t you think the church should enforce some punitive measures on them as deterrence to others? To some extent, the church had been complacent in standing its ground against some (Christian) politicians who are corrupt, dishonest and indicted.

Idowu Samuel (2010) an online news writer quoted Justice Ayoola, the Chairman Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), saying that the leader of churches in Nigeria should start by preaching the value of integrity, which according to him had initially formed the cultural value of the citizens of the country, as he urged church leaders to begin the process by reflecting the value of integrity in their own conduct. However, church is corrupted by its fruits and the leaders. We have lost our responsibility by be charged again from political end reminding church its glorious duty to implant Christian ethics in its members as an ambassador of God and the church at large.

Growing Churches Without Standard

Oliver Harding (2005) from his findings discovers that at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was estimated that about three percent of the population of Africa, Christians and said that this number increased significantly, about fifty percent by the end of the century. There is every reason to believe that the Church continues to experience significant growth. This growth leads to planyig and growing of ‘Ministries’ without acknowledging or following the Christian standard. The heartbeat of the church should be the maintenance system of his name in the society, its model and development. Church grows every corner of the cities but what is the standard to measure their spirituality.

This development eradicates most Christian ethics that could not stand to fight and uphold human rights. Even the members have no human right access because of the dictatorial system of the leader called, ‘founder’ or ‘overseer’ whose voice must be honoured. Church should respect the human right of all as a citizen of this nation. Church growth should minimize crimes and suicide, violation and intimidation, defamation and libel etc.  Church of Christ must arise to protect what we have as human right through Christian ethics.

Prosperity Dispensations

Ignatius Kaigama (2010) notes the wretchedness of Nigerian despite the wealth witihn her. He says that how do we sum up such a vast country as Nigeria? The most populous in Africa with 150 million people and 400 ethnic groups, her borders holding together Muslims and Christians; the cities with their highways and clubs, versus the villages without water and electricity; the desperate poverty, despite the huge wealth generated by oil – it is a country of paradoxes.  However, church improvises means to calm the tension with prosperity theology that means materialism over spirituality which leads to wealth acquisition at all cost. Oliver Harding (2005) also observes a trend of the time, to avoid suffering at all costs which is the "Gospel of prosperity led", which affirms the belief in the blessing to argue, as they call them. At risk Simplification and distortion, the Gospel teaches, among other things, that: Every Christian is first created, physically and financially afloat. According to Christians who are in a state of prolonged financial difficulties, it is nothing of God's plan. For the third event of the overthrow of the turn, the candidate must demonstrate the blessing of his life "man of God" first. Christians are therefore encouraged to accept suffering as their part. All those who suffer or live in sin or not, are the promises of God for his blessing of rain. This doctrine was reflected in the Pentecostal Church while the number of casualties in the Pentecostal and Anglican churches had increased considerably.

Inability to understand Christian ethics of perseverance and patience as fruits of the Spirit makes the church to lose its hold in defending justice over human right violation. When the prosperity teachings even encourage do or die attempt to wealth that violates some people’s human right. Church needs to understand its theology with societal changes before presenting false identity to the world that incapacitated it in the social transformation process through its ethics.

 Sub-Standard Training For Leaders

The Church in Africa has made considerable progress during the twentieth century. It has grown from only a handful of educational institutions to hundreds of seminars. This is an Indication that the African Church, the church of the twenty-first century to be more educated. Christian ethics is found missing in some leaders despite the training and experiential knowledge cumulated for ministries. Why this result? The intensity of knowledge in ministries is not emphasized. Many churches promote only spirituality that only by worship and praying that lives changes. Relatively true, but having the knowledge of truth strength our worship. The academic portion in our seminaries is low to really imprint Christian ethics in detail into leaders.

There are lot of one thousand and one seminaries and bible colleges in Nigeria but some only offer sub-standard training to produce half-baked cake. Church suffers much from illiterate and ignorant leaders with less ability to intellectually discern truth from heresy. However, how will Christian ethics that has lower base defend and develop human right protection for its members and society? Comprehensive training is still indispensable.

 Poor Spiritual Growth

Undoubtedly, Oliver Harding (2005) in his research into the church discovers that there is a visible trend of a continuous and explosive growth of the African Church. However, there is a huge challenge associated with it. This has already begun to manifest itself in contemporary Christianity. The problem is numerically without a corresponding spiritual growth. For example, the association of church members, if unchecked, would lead to a serious problem in the church. In the Pentecostal church where the researcher was so happy when he occupied the place that had a special place for visitors since the association of the lady sitting in front of him was postponed indecent reserved. It was a trouser bandless securing a significant part of their pink underwear exposed. The sermon was very strong and emotional, but without substance. The Church needs to resist mediocrity with the same commitment that will resist compromise.

 Positive Confessionism of Miracle at All

In many churches today is the service without a few predictions, one or two incomplete recovery, and a few Cast out demons. Churches and ministries compete 'with the most dramatic displays, such as "Divine explosion," Mountain of Miracles'' feeling, Supernatural "and similar expressions. Although it is good, stress is supernatural, it must recognize the African church, that the presence daily miracles, not the center of the Bible. The construction of the Church in Africa about the miracle tends to lead to an incorrect value. The primary mission of Jesus is to preach the Gospel. Based on the miraculous in every service can therefore lead to fanaticism and the deviation from the truth.

 THE PROPER PLACE OF CHRISTIAN ETHICS IN NIGERIAN FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS

Some issues that relate to life should be paramount to the church as propagation of Christian ethics is embraced. In the community that poverty and loss self-worth prevails, suicide, homicide and murder happen. What is the position of ethics especially on life saving situation? Life is vital and essential to God, yet in Nigeria, many cases of suicide were recorded. The ethical arguments against suicide are cogent. Kath Barth quoted, “Life is a loan from God entrusted to man for His service. We do not own it, free and clear; we are stewards of life.” We must start with the unequivocal fact that when self-destruction is the exercise of a supposed and usurped sovereignty of man over himself it is frivolous, arbitrary and criminal violation of the commandment, and therefore self-murder. To derive a man of his life is a matter for the One who gave it and not for the man himself. Though, there is law that protects life; right to life, which is the first of all. Christian ethics place highest value on the sustenance of life no matter the hurdles and frictions. Our freedom as individual does not deny the sovereignty of God over all lives.

James M. Gustafson (1984) notes the requirement and possibility of his response is to attend to the patterns and process of interdependence, to attempt to discern from them the conditions that are necessary to mitigate despair, and to govern actions and relationship accordingly. However, one has to consent to the reality that the powers that bring life into being do not always sustain it but can lead to its untimely and tragic destruction.

The inflow of the church into the world makes the Christian ethics worthless and ineffective in the society. Stephen E. Fowl and Jones L. Gregory (1991) observe that our attempts to live in friendship with the ‘world’ undermine the vitality of Christian communities. And, in modern Western societies, we are left with bifurcated realm where the choices are individualism and collectivism. While in modern societies friendship often means a kind of well-wishing collegiality or a superficial affection for another. According to Aristotle, in the Nichomachean Ethics, friendship is at the very heart of the moral life; in and though friendship we become certain kinds of people rather than others kinds.

Another proper place of Christian ethics in human right defense is the issue of justice. Justice is one of the fundamental concepts of Christianity (and Judaism). This is a problem that needs given more weight in the African Church. A company may not be healthy without justice. In 1995, a group of Nigerian leaders concerned about the injustice in the Nigerian society. This led to Congress on Christian Ethics in Nigeria (COCEN took place) in Abuja in November 1997. Individual rights must be protected. The refusal to grant a person a job because he or she is the "wrong ethnic group" is a violation of fundamental human rights of the person.

The teachings of the Church should not give unnecessary by the community of the Church, but to stress the opposite. One of the clearest lessons and examples of Jesus was associated with compassion for the poor. Christianity needs to identify the causes of poverty are involved and solve these problems. God has called all Christians to be satisfied in Him as your joy is full. Prosperity teachers should take note. However, he has called us to contribute to the needs of the poor. Assistance to needy requires adequate housing which is not only a responsibility of government, but also a responsibility of the church.

 CONCLUSION

Christian ethics in protecting human rights in Nigeria must start from the church to the society. Church has the proper moral ethics to make its members a right people in the society. The violation of rights and injustice in the nation should be alleviated by the contribution of Christians that value ethics in the power and positions. Church has duty to charge and recharge its congregation on the positive needs in the system of societal transformation. As Robert Traer writes the universal declaration of rights, so also Church has the mandate to emphasis, protect and promote that .human beings, "born free and equal in dignity and rights," are entitled to human rights "without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. The rights set forth are primarily civil and political and include the rights to life, liberty, security, protection against torture and arbitrary arrest, equal protection of the law, freedom of movement, participation in government, religious freedom, freedom of assembly and association, and ownership of property. The declaration also affirms social and economic rights.

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