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Tanzanian Catholic scholar speaks on human rights in Africa

A Tanzanian Catholic priest and scholar has published a book on human rights issue in Africa, reports CISA.

In his new book: Ethics of Human Rights: The African Contribution, Fr. Richard Rwiza, currently heading the Moral Theology Department at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Langata, Kenya suggests that while handling the issues of human rights, the emphasis, must be on addressing the responsibilities of the individuals and the State instead of a mere focus on the individual claims.

The rights of people may be conceived as a modern solution to the African socio-political dilemma, he has observed, while emphasizing that that the notion of an individual who is utterly free, totally irresponsible and opposed to society is not in harmony with African communitarianism.

In the 284-page volume, he recommends that the move towards deconstruction of the concept of human rights in Africa must take into account the interface of rights and duties.

The Author emphasizes that in the African concept of human rights, the community’s rights are ranked above those of individuals.

“This is rooted in the communal model with its relevance on life as a basic virtue,” the author has further observed in his new book.

The new book has seven chapters namely: Concept of Human Rights, Models of Human Rights, Universality of Human Rights, and Contextualization of Human Rights in Africa, African Concept of Human Rights, Generations of Human Rights and Ethics of Human Rights Reconsidered. The book has been published by the Catholic University of Eastern Africa Press.

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TAGS: Tanzania human rights Fr. Richard Rwiza socio-political dilemma Catholic University of Eastern Africa

[10/07/2010]

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