Speaker: Payam Akhavan
Professor of international law
UN
Human rights lawyer
Lecture 1: The knowledge of suffering
Sanctity of human dignity is at the core of our conception
UN declaration: all are free equal in dignity and rights; act to one another in
brotherhood
Akhavan says this is a naive aspiration: “In light of our appalling cruelty in the past, this
would seem a naïve aspiration than a logical proposition.”
Edward Gibbon: History is little more than the record of the crimes, follies, and
misfortunes of humankind.
Yet human rights remain at the core of our self-conception. Today, we demand justice
for the oppressed. We no longer accept atrocities as the inescapable fate of the
defenseless. We desire and expect a better future. But when confronted with the
enormity of injustice and what it demands of us, we retreat into the familiar ritual of
intellectualization and moral posturing, recycling lofty liberal sentiments from a safe
distance. We avoid the intimate knowledge of suffering without which we will never
understand the imperative of human rights.
The problem is not the shortage of ideas. The problem is we confuse theoretical with
empathy and engagement. We say the right things because we want to feel virtuous
without paying a price.
“We confuse proliferation of terminology with empathy”
“There will be no meaningful change if we only look at the arena of anguish from 30 000
feet”
Human rights are a thousand humble stories
Sufferings are lived experiences
“I love going on journeys only if at the end i get to go home”
Intellectual ideas would substitute experiences, and reason rather than reflection would
discover reality by detached observation
The cornerstone of the postwar civilization was the idea of human rights, of a being with
an intrinsically noble essence: in a secular world, it is a reminder of that which must
remain sacred.
Iran that I (speaker) knew was filled with prosperity
1973: Czar of Iran persuaded OPEC petroleum cartel to increase oil prices
Petrodollars poured in
dramatically changed living of Iranians
profound transformation of culture
not everybody liked Westoxication
included in alienation in Mosque and Bazar
· Akhavan belonged to the Baha’i minority
Believed in democratizing spiritual knowledge free from meddling mystical middle man
rapid spread became a threat
branded as apostates, incited ruthless massacres
During Akhavan’s time they were still tolerated by the monarchy
Prime example of religious tolerance: Cyrus the great
Cyrus cylinder (clay tablet from 539 BC)
first declaration of HR
called for repatriation of religions
can worship their own gods
influenced the US declaration of independence (studied by Thomas Jefferson who
admired it)
Human rights only a Western idea, the unique product of European enlightenment
Social modernization: conservatives didn’t like it; they incited mobs to attack the Bahais
Constitutional movement
petrol and monarchy conspiracy
secular PM nationalized Anglo-Iranian oil company
1953: overthrown by CIA operation ajax
secular dem is threat to conservative clerics
White revolution against Islam
Exile is a longing to belong: it’s an emotional space often confused as physical space
Transcending prejudice requires listening to those who are far into us, but it also
requires a shared humanity. Universality of human rights: we all deserve to be treated
with the same respect and dignity. In celebrating diversity, we must not become
apologists for those who abused others in the name of tradition. Should we tolerate
culture of hatred? Depends on the perpetrator.
Religious exceptionalism: Islam does not recognize other gods, and no other legal
tradition than that of Islam
Sharia = whatever Iran’s rulers wanted it to be. Toxic fusion of religion and populist
hatred: modern tyranny dressed in traditional clothes
Most important Bahai principle: oneness of humankind
Bahai view on gender and equality: source of anger for other people (Bahai believed
that men and women are equal)
Clash civ is a convenient escape of the viceral fear of embracing others
Hatred is the cowardly way of growing and learning
Multi culturalism is a messy affair
Universality of HR despite differences we deserve to be treated with the same dignity
1983 religous exceptionalism
represented a secular understanding that can’t be used by Muslims
Hijacking of the divine for diabolical means (using religion to persecute others)
Mona-outspoken defender of HR
Freedom is the most brilliant word so why can’t I be free
Fighting for human rights is not a choice but a must
o Interlude:
§ Q: Trump’s immigration ban: people think that they (immigrants) are
bad, they raise crime, etc., what does he (speaker) think about it?
§ A: Refugees and immigrants are different because under international
law, there is an obligation to accept refugees, and refugees are
people who are fleeing persecution, while immigrants are people who
come in search of a better future. Canada is an immigrant country:
the reason why Canada is prosperous because of immigration; the
Canada model is good for rebutting xenophobic arguments. The point
is that we have migrated throughout history, we all have migrated.
No matter how high a wall you built, if there are extremes of bombing
and persecution (like Aleppo), people will risk their lives and safety to
leave. Instead of immigration and refugees moving, we need to think
about what causes those population flows: why are people desperate
to leave? Once we address those problems, then we can control
immigration in a very rational(??) way.
§ Q: I really like what you said about being a visionary not being naïve,
but about being realistic.
§ A: It’s easy to be idealistic during discussions, but hard when you get
hurt and disappointed, but that’s when being idealistic really matters.
Despair and cynicism is easy, but you must challenge yourself, what
are you gonna do about it? The greatest power you can have is to
know yourself in a deep way, and not be satisfied with superficial
validation. Knowing yourself in a deep way is your true source of
power. That’s when you won’t be easily discouraged. Don’t be afraid
to be disappointed! That’s what will give you motivation.
