Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Sanctions and rights: On U.S. move to sanction RAB

Sanctions and rights: On U.S. move to sanction RAB

The action against RAB should deter (रोकना, मना करना) overzealous (अति उत्साही, ज्यादा) law enforcement agents

The U.S. move (action, step) to sanction (प्रतिबंध, दृढ़ीकरण, दण्ड) a paramilitary (अर्द्धसैनिक, सह सैनिक) unit in Bangladesh, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) (Bangladesh’s elite paramilitary unit (established in April 2004)), has apparently (जाहिरा तौर पर, प्रतीत होता है) caught the administration (प्रशासन, सरकार) in Dhaka off-guard (by surprise), prompting a diplomatic (कूटनीतिक, संवेदनशील, सूक्ष्म) pushback (resistance, opposition, disagreement) including Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen summoning U.S. Ambassador to Dhaka Earl Miller to protest the action. Fresh on the heels of (close behind, soon after, right after, following closely) the U.S. President Joe Biden’s Democracy Summit, which Dhaka was not invited to attend, the U.S. Treasury (The Treasury Department is the executive agency responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States. Treasury’s mission highlights its role as the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, and as an influential participant in the world economy) said that as per the allegations (आरोप, अभियोग) made by various NGOs, the RAB and other Bangladeshi law enforcement units were responsible for “more than 600 disappearances (a fact of someone going missing) since 2009, nearly 600 extrajudicial (न्यायेतर, वादेतर, अतिरिक्त न्यायिक) killings since 2018, and torture (कष्ट पहुंचाना, दुर्व्यवहार, कठोर व्यवहार)”; there were also reports suggesting that the targets of these actions were Opposition party members, journalists, and human rights activists (सक्रिय प्रतिभागी, कर्मण्यतावादी). The sanctions (प्रतिबंध, अनुज्ञायाँ) were invoked (आह्वान करना) under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. The RAB is a joint task force (कार्य बल, सशस्त्र बल) founded in 2004. Under the RAB’s mandate (instruction, directive, decree, order, ruling, ordinance, law, statute) of ensuring internal security, intelligence ((military/political) information, facts, details, particulars)-gathering on criminal activities, and government-directed investigations, principally relating to Bangladesh’s war on drugs, there have been “widespread allegations of serious human rights abuse” by the RAB, to the extent that they threaten U.S. national security interests (common concern, particularly in politics or business) by undermining (weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage) the rule of law (it is described as “a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards) and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, according to the U.S. Treasury.

The broader picture of the U.S.’s application (implementation, use, exercise, utilization, putting into operation/practice) of sanctions to alleged (supposed, claimed, professed, purported, reported, ostensible) human rights violators across the globe is that the latest list of allegations includes not just the RAB, but also government officials and administrators in the Xinjiang region of China, where the minority Uighur community is reported to have faced rights violations; citizens of North Korea suspected to be engaged in earning illicit (illegal, unlawful, against the law) incomes abroad (overseas, in a foreign country) to support the country’s arms (weapons of war, weaponry, firearms, guns, artillery, armaments) trade and Russian institutions that have aided them; two military officials from Sri Lanka alleged to have committed gross (flagrant, overt, blatant, glaring, obvious/ evident; total/complete) rights violations against ethnic (relating to a population subgroup (cultural, national, traditional/folk) with a common national or cultural tradition) Tamils; and Chief Ministers of States in Myanmar who are alleged to have facilitated (make easy, make possible, enable, assist, help/aid) “ongoing brutal crackdowns (getting tough, severe/stern measures, restriction, suppression/repression, clampdown) against the people of Burma, including children and members of ethnic minority groups.…” A knee-jerk (unthinking, unintentional, unplanned) response to such sweeping (extensive, comprehensive, all-inclusive, all-embracing, far-reaching; overwhelming, decisive, thorough, complete, total, absolute, unconditional, unrestricted) sanctions is to either question their effectiveness (efficacy, potency, power) or challenge their moral authority (The quality or characteristic of being respected for having good character or knowledge, especially as a source of guidance or an exemplar of proper conduct) given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) that minorities in the U.S., such as African-Americans, are also periodically (at regular intervals) at the receiving end of rights violations. However, given the rampant (widespread, present everywhere/pervasive, unrestrained/out of control) degree of such violations worldwide, there is a case to be made for any policy by any country that highlights (underline, underscore, emphasize) the role of specific individuals alleged to be involved. Especially across South Asia, it might be salutary (practical, valuable, helpful/useful, beneficial) for the broader cause of human rights if there is a ripple effect of the sanctions on the RAB. Indeed (in fact, actually, undeniably), if this action gives pause for thought to overzealous law enforcement agents who violently act out (behave, perform badly) their prejudices (bigotry, bias, partisanship, partiality, intolerance, discrimination, preference, one-sidedness, unfairness, inequality, inequity) against ethnic or religious minorities, that would be welcome.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.sanctions (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध, अनुज्ञायाँ
English Meaning - action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

2.sanction (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध, दृढ़ीकरण, दण्ड
English Meaning - ban, prohibit; punish, discipline someone for.

3.paramilitary (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अर्द्धसैनिक, सह सैनिक
English Meaning - (of semi-militarized force) organized like a military force.

4.deter (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रोकना, मना करना
English Meaning - prevent, stop, block, check, inhibit, impede, restrain, fend off.

5.overzealous (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अति उत्साही, ज्यादा
English Meaning - extreme, fanatical, overzealous, over-enthusiastic, extremist, violent, wild, passionate, fervent, uncompromising.

6.apparently (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - जाहिरा तौर पर, प्रतीत होता है
English Meaning - seemingly, evidently, ostensibly, outwardly, allegedly, supposedly.

7.the administration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रशासन, सरकार
English Meaning - the government.

8.diplomatic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कूटनीतिक, संवेदनशील, सूक्ष्म
English Meaning - tactful, sensitive, subtle, delicate; consular, foreign-policy.

9.allegation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप, अभियोग
English Meaning - charge, accusation, indictment.

10.non-governmental organization (NGO) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गैर सरकारी संगठन
English Meaning - it is generally defined as nonprofit entities independent of governmental influence (although they may receive government funding). A not-for profit, voluntary citizen’s group that is organized on a local, national or international level to address issues in support of the public good.

11.extrajudicial (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - न्यायेतर, वादेतर, अतिरिक्त न्यायिक
English Meaning - out-of court, private, unauthorized/unwarranted (by law).

12.torture (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कष्ट पहुंचाना, दुर्व्यवहार, कठोर व्यवहार
English Meaning - abuse, ill treatment, maltreatment, harsh treatment, punishment, persecution.

13.activist (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सक्रिय प्रतिभागी, कर्मण्यतावादी
English Meaning - a person who supports a political or societal change/cause.

14.invoke (verb)

Hindi Meaning - आह्वान करना
English Meaning - cite, refer to, adduce, make reference to.

15.task force (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्य बल, सशस्त्र बल
English Meaning - armed force.

16.off guard (phrase)

English Meaning - by surprise.

17.catch someone off guard (phrase)

English Meaning - surprise someone by doing something they do not expect.

18.Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)(noun)

English Meaning - Bangladesh’s elite paramilitary unit (established in April 2004).

19.move (noun)

English Meaning - action, step.

20.pushback (noun)

English Meaning - resistance, opposition, disagreement.

21.summon (verb)

English Meaning - request the presence of, demand the presence of.

22.on the heels of (phrase)

English Meaning - close behind, soon after, right after, following closely.

23.Summit for Democracy (noun)

English Meaning - On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden will host the first of two Summits for Democracy, which will bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action.

24.The U.S. Treasury (noun)

English Meaning - The Treasury Department is the executive agency responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the financial security of the United States. Treasury’s mission highlights its role as the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, and as an influential participant in the world economy.

25.disappearance (noun)

English Meaning - a fact of someone going missing.

26.Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, 2016 (noun)

English Meaning - The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act authorizes the President to impose economic sanctions and deny entry into the United States to any foreign person identified as engaging in human rights abuse or corruption.

27.mandate (noun)

English Meaning - instruction, directive, decree, order, ruling, ordinance, law, statute.

28.intelligence (noun)

English Meaning - (military/political) information, facts, details, particulars.

29.interest (noun)

English Meaning - common concern, particularly in politics or business.

30.undermine (verb)

English Meaning - weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.

31.rule of law (phrase)

English Meaning - it is described as “a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards.

32.picture (noun)

English Meaning - situation, condition, circumstances.

33.application (noun)

English Meaning - implementation, use, exercise, utilization, putting into operation/practice.

34.alleged (adjective)

English Meaning - supposed, claimed, professed, purported, reported, ostensible.

35.illicit (adjective)

English Meaning - illegal, unlawful, against the law.

36.abroad (adverb)

English Meaning - overseas, in a foreign country.

37.arms (noun)

English Meaning - weapons of war, weaponry, firearms, guns, artillery, armaments.

38.gross (adjective)

English Meaning - flagrant, overt, blatant, glaring, obvious/ evident; total/complete.

39.ethnic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a population subgroup (cultural, national, traditional/folk) with a common national or cultural tradition.

40.facilitate (verb)

English Meaning - make easy, make possible, enable, assist, help/aid.

41.crackdown (noun)

English Meaning - getting tough, severe/stern measures, restriction, suppression/repression, clampdown.

42.knee-jerk (adjective)

English Meaning - unthinking, unintentional, unplanned.

43.sweeping (adjective)

English Meaning - extensive, comprehensive, all-inclusive, all-embracing, far-reaching; overwhelming, decisive, thorough, complete, total, absolute, unconditional, unrestricted.

44.effectiveness (noun)

English Meaning - efficacy, potency, power.

45.moral authority (noun)

English Meaning - The quality or characteristic of being respected for having good character or knowledge, especially as a source of guidance or an exemplar of proper conduct.

46.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

47.periodically (adverb)

English Meaning - at regular intervals.

48.be at the receiving end (phrase)

English Meaning - be subjected to something (criticism/attack).

49.rampant (adjective)

English Meaning - widespread, present everywhere/pervasive, unrestrained/out of control.

50.highlight (verb)

English Meaning - underline, underscore, emphasize.

51.salutary (adjective)

English Meaning - practical, valuable, helpful/useful, beneficial.

52.ripple effect/domino effect/knock-on effect (noun)

English Meaning - an event (or a process/action) that causes several other events to happen indirectly one after the other; secondary/indirect effect, consequence/implication, chain of events.

53.indeed (adverb)

English Meaning - in fact, actually, undeniably.

54.give pause (phrase)

English Meaning - make serious; cause someone to think carefully before doing something.

55.act out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - behave, perform badly.

56.prejudice (noun)

English Meaning - bigotry, bias, partisanship, partiality, intolerance, discrimination, preference, one-sidedness, unfairness, inequality, inequity.