'Themis' of Human Rights No More than a Bandit Bully

Published in Wen Wei Po
(Hong Kong) on 24 June 2013
by Huang Haizhen (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Iman Ng. Edited by Jane Lee.
American CIA officer Edward Snowden recently revealed in Hong Kong that, unbeknownst to the masses, Washington had collected, stored and eavesdropped on the public's calls and scooped up text messages in large quantities. It illegally hacked network systems, including those of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Chinese government on a massive scale; its heinous modus operandi was anathema. The case not only ignited an uproar in America, but also captivated global attention. No matter how eloquent the White House's rhetoric is, it cannot reverse the fact that the “Themis”* of human rights is no more than a bandit bully. When the public's most basic rights to privacy and speech aren't upheld, what's the point in even talking about freedom of speech, human rights and democracy? Because Snowden could no longer tolerate what has been happening, he decided to have Washington, in all its embarrassment, exposed to the whole world.

Violating Human Rights Already a Fixture

America has conclusively determined that the number of terrorists it is pursuing already exceeds 1 million. The CIA now routinely uses modern technological and electronic methods for monitoring its targets. Everyone from politicians to the average Joe have no choice but to accept that they are being secretly followed. The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) is building a mega data center in Utah to store and analyze the 2 billion pieces of electronic correspondence collected daily. Not only does the CIA “grab” people's calls, along with electronic communications from telecom and Internet companies, but it also uses GPS to track citizens' movements, which severely violates civil rights. Even American citizens themselves no longer have a sense of personal privacy, thus highlighting the falsity of Washington's advocacy for human rights and the verity of lawlessness in its place.

President Obama said Congress passed a law last year that grants the government powers like eavesdropping to intercept personal messages without permission, enabling telecom and Internet companies to actively cooperate with the CIA and ensure national security. The U.S. Department of Justice and the CIA even use technologies such as electronic recorders, cyber army equipment and predatory tracking devices to secretly track civil servants, CEOs of multinational companies, executives of securities firms, foreign tourists, etc. Meanwhile, the number of people monitored by “Themis” skyrockets yearly. Each and every American's normal communications and network contacts are all stored in the mega data center in Utah for review at any time.

Bugs Also Installed on Sold Aircraft

Relevant departments of the U.S. government can indefinitely detain American citizens without charge or trial. The CIA can suspend the constitutional rights of any American citizen at will whenever the need arises. A standard answer in response to any of the media's inquiries will always be that "'X' constitutes a threat to national security." No matter how bizarre or unconvincing the reason is behind a police arrest, citizens are left with no choice but to completely oblige. Legal experts think that the legalization of civil rights violations with acts like indefinite detention, warrantless searches and citizen monitoring is a misfortune — and that it is the reason why there is more terrorism the more America tries to counter it. The increase in arresting and interrogating civilians also comes with a rise in discontent and litigation against the government, contributing to the destabilization of society.

America is militarily the world's strongest country. Its invisible high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft conduct illegal missions in any country at will; its spy satellites snoop on foreign military bases 24/7. In using its advanced technology to help monitor communications of foreign leaders as it pleases, America poses a significant threat to global security. The 200,000-strong U.S. Internet army, monitoring every other country non-stop, can cripple and annihilate foreign satellites at any time. It can invade through cyberattacks, cut off optic cables, release viruses and mix into and shut down target networks to paralyze foreign countries. America's eavesdropping on China stands in full disregard for global conventions and basic international norms, and how dare the country install numerous bugging devices on commercial airliners sold to China.

*Editor’s Note: Themis is a titaness from Greek mythology associated with divine order and law.


美國中情局職員斯諾登近期在香港爆料,華盛頓政府在民眾完全不知情的情況下大量搜集、儲存、「偷窺」民眾的通話、通郵信息;非法入侵包括香港中文大學和中國政府等網絡系統,規模之大、手段之下流令人髮指。事件不僅在美國引發軒然大波,也成為全球關注的焦點。無論白宮官員如何能言善辯,都改變不了當今世界的「人權法官」是「欺世大盜」這個事實。百姓連最起碼的「隱私」、「說話權」都沒有保障,還談什麼「言論自由」、「人權」、「民主」?斯諾登因為太看不下去,才讓華盛頓在世人面前「尷尬難堪」。

侵犯人權已成「家常便飯」

美國目前鎖定、追蹤的「恐怖分子」人數已經超過100萬人。中情局利用現代科技、電子手段對相關人士實施「監控」和「偵察」,已經成為「家常便飯」。無論是政客或是平民,都無奈接受被暗中「跟蹤」的事實。美國國家安全局在猶他州建立的巨型數據中心,用於存放和分析每天截獲的20億條電子通訊。中情局不僅從電訊、網絡公司「竊取」民眾通話、通郵信息,還利用GPS定位系統監控公民行動,嚴重侵犯了公民權益。連美國公民都已經沒有個人隱私可言,凸顯華盛頓政府鼓吹「人權」是假,無法無天是真。

奧巴馬說,美國國會已經於去年通過「法律」,允許政府在未經任何許可的條件下,利用「竊聽」等手段截獲個人信息,使中情局可以利用電訊、網絡商「積極配合」「國家安全」。美國司法部、中情局還使用「電子筆錄器」、「網軍設備」和「誘捕追蹤裝置」等現代科技手段對公務員、跨國企業老闆、證券公司高管、外國旅遊人士等進行秘密「跟蹤」。被「人權法官」實施監控的人數,每年以幾何倍數激增。所有美國人的正常通訊信息、網絡往來全被「存放」在猶他州的巨型數據中心,隨時可以翻閱。

出售的客機也安裝竊聽器

美國相關部門在不需要任何指控和審判的情況下,可以無限期拘禁美國公民。只要中情局有需要,就可以隨意中止任何一個美國公民的憲法權利。如果有媒體尋找理由,答案則是「XXX對『國家安全』構成威脅」。無論警察拘捕人的借口是多麼離奇和勉強,公民都要絕對服從。法律界專家認為,無限期羈押、無證搜查、監視公民等侵犯公民權利被合法化,既是美國的悲哀,也是美國「越反越恐」的原因。隨著逮捕、審訊平民百姓事件變得越來越多,不滿政府、控告政府也隨之而來,並成為社會的不穩定因素。

美國是世界上軍力最強的國家,隱形高空偵察機隨意進入世界所有國家進行非法偵察,間諜衛星全天候「偷窺」他國基地。利用自己擁有的先進科技隨意監聽各國政要的電話,對世界安全構成巨大威脅。20萬名美國網軍,對全球所有國家進行24小時監視,隨時可以麻痹、擊毀他國衛星、黑客形式攻入,切斷光纖、釋放病毒、混入和關閉對方網絡等手段癱瘓別國。美國對中國的竊聽活動,完全置國際法公約和基本國際準則於不顧,竟然敢在出售給中國的民用客機上,也安裝了大量竊聽裝置。
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