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25 Nordisk Tidsskrift for Menneskerettigheter 1 (2007)

handle is hein.journals/norjhur25 and id is 1 raw text is: To DISCOJNT HJMAN RIGHTS AND INSCRIBE THEM WITH FAKENESS AND UNRELIABILITY, OR TO UPHOLD THEM AND ENGRAVE THEM WITH INTEGRITY AND RELIABILITY? - UK EXPERIENCES IN THE AGE OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM By BEN CHIGARA* Human beings owe to each other help to distinguish the better from the worse, and encouragement to choose the former and avoid the latter. They should be forever stimu- lating each other to increased exercise of their higher faculties and increased direction of their feelings and aims towards wise instead of foolish; elevating instead of degra- ding objects and contemplations. John Stuart Mill Abstract: The article tests the validity of the argument that the increasing of threat of inter- national terrorism that is managed and dispensed by non-State actors authorises States to backtrack on their human rights commitments in order to ensure national security - the human rights/national security dichotomy. The article weighs this argument against the logic that underpins the human rights project. The article argues that human rights have become both the DNA of human dignity and index for the rule of law in democratic States. Therefore, whatever strategies States adopt to combat international terrorism ought always to comply with States 'international human rights obligations. Considerations of national security that seek to undermine the dignity inherent in individuals qua human beings are misguided and inconsistent with the rule of law upon which democratic States are premised. Consequently, they are not logically sustainable. Keywords: human rights, rule of law, national security, international terrorism A. INTRODUCTION The growing threat of international terrorism has consumed local and international attention like no other subject in recent times. Consequently, the attention of human rights lawyers and * Ben Chigara, Ph.D. (Nottingham), Professor of International Law & Deputy Head of School (Operations), Brunel Law School, Brunel University, West London, UK. Email: ben.chigara@brunel.ac.uk NORDISKTIDSSKRIFT FOR MENNESKERETTIGHETER- VOL. 25, NR 1, S. 1 16. ISSN 1503-6480 (C) UNIVERSITETSFORLAGET 2007

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