Bureaucracies the world over have in-built cruelties, something which Palestinians in particular know all about, writes Professor Stuart Rees.
The humiliation experienced by the citizens of many countries occurs in encounters with officials who represent bureaucracies. When inquiring about their entitlements, these citizens may be ignored, belittled, told to wait, referred elsewhere, or, in the latest well-crafted indifference, told to go online.
Australian examples of failure to treat people with even a semblance of dignity can be seen in Centrelink’s robo-debt recovery scheme and in ASIO’s deceitful practice of refusing to explain why applicants have been denied refugee status. Such practice has become a ‘taken for granted’ feature of a culture concerned with power to protect secrecy, abuse human rights, keep officials invisible and never be held accountable.
These observations highlight a universal interest in humiliation, even in democracies. Such practice becomes even more systematic in parts of the world where human rights could be considered a joke, and vulnerable people of little consequence.
Read the full article by Stuart Rees at newmatilda.com.