An Issue of Human Rights

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In the last few years, the yellow and green signs of the 'Human Rights' party have become more numerous, especially in rural Cambodia. When asked to explain what this term means to them, it's apparent that such an unfamiliar concept continues to defy comprehension.

In America, there's more agreement as to the general meaning of the term, but opinions differ when asked to name specific rights. There are conditions necessary to sustain human life, such as air, water, food and shelter but beyond that there must be some individual rights that benefit communal living as a whole and these will differ according to, for example, a society's collective values and goals.

Cambodia lags far behind it's neighbours in more commonly accepted current and potential quality of life indicators. There are few laws that can be enforced at all throughout much of the country, let alone enforced in a fair, impartial manner, palcing people at the whimsical mercy of the local governor and his hand picked entourage.

It is often a system of benefit to the highest bidder, or persons of preference when it comes to property ownership, personal safety, equality of opportunity and so on. Many basic rights are absent. The delays to building infrastructure or establishing communication systems to connect the people and provinces is inexplicable other than it makes opposition to Government indifference difficult to organize..

Even if Cambodia had solid foundations in place to develope it's economy, it would still be lacking in the ability to provide an educated, healthy work force. During the current malaria and dengue fever epidemic, inadequate healthcare transforms the problem into a crisis!

Four of the eight full time members of this household have malaria, and the last two evenings have had the peace shattered by something akin to the leaf blower, pumping pesticides into the front yards and homes along this narrow street. So far this side of the street has not been "treated", and the numerous mosquitos are alive, well and full of my blood. In fact, when I have nothing much better to do, and even when I should be doing something better, I let my fingertips run over my body to count lumps as if reading Braille, but I can't keep track of the ever increasing number.

A brief stop at cousin Mr Till's clinic provided me with some idea of the number of people seeking care for these diseases on a daily basis. The ground level cots are occupied with patients receiving IV fluid rehydration, while outside the clinic entrance, the smallest of the infected children scream and twist about while their parents hold the IV bag high with one hand, and comfort the child with the other.

I'm unsure how many clinics ST has that offers care on this First Aid basis, but I'm aware that the hospital has less than a glowing reputation and patients suffering from any number conditions that require more than emergent care must be transferred to PP.

For those in the surrounding countryside unable to make the journey to town, there are outreach workers who can provide immediate care, and Siem Pang, a few hours drive away on unpaved road, has a Christian missionary clinic offering Midwifery services in the main.

Annette, originally from England, has spent nine years heading the project in the SP district, spreading the hope of western healthcare intervention, rather than (in her early days) the word of Christ

This afternoon in the ST house, Yiay joined the ranks of those needing IV rehydration, and slept on the living room floor while Hartmann's solution slowly dripped, replacing the fluids she would not willingly ingest.

If Americans have anything to learn by reading this, I hope that it is to realize the need of healthcare as a human right. As human beings we cannot place value on one life above another by concentrating healthcare facilities where the most profit is to be made, and by linking service quality to an individuals ability to pay.

To do so, raises the question of a US human rights violation in this respect? The difference between Cambodian and American healthcare delivery looks suspiciously close to being a difference perhaps not so much in 'kind', as it may be a in 'degree'. I'm thankful for that difference but hopeful too that the new President may help lead the US back to a more humanitarian path.

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