How Lucky We're!

"Do we have a choice as to when and where to be born?" I ponder. If we were born 2.5 million years ago in Africa, we would be about 1.2 m (4 feet) tall and weigh about 45kg (100 pounds). We would be hunted by predators, have to adapt to survive and find temporary shelters while on the move.

If we were born several thousand years ago, we would be living in primitive societies. Authorities could arbitrarily terminate life, inflict torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Discrimination (eg on race) and persecution (serious targeted mistreatment) were common.

One year before I was born, the European human rights regime came into effect. When I was in my 20s and 30s, a string of human rights treaties came into force. As the rule of law is much stronger than my limited might, I have been taking international protection of human rights seriously.

Hong Kong has been a sanctuary for human rights protection. Elsewhere, certain authorities might still discriminate and persecute, terminate lives or inflict torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment on others. Some flee to Hong Kong to claim protection - how lucky we're!