Impacts of Security Issues on Civil Rights in Britain Post 9/11 - Essay Example

Impacts of security issues on civil rights in Britain post 9/11 A turning point in history that changed the world for everything that was to come andis to come in recent times: September 11, 2001. This day alone marked a pinnacle in terrorism, giving new heights to national security, information surveillance and alien control as well as how nations prepared themselves and their readiness to deal with acts of terrorism. No one can forget the blood stained day, when one of the most ferocious mass murders of innocent people in recent human history, was viewed by almost every habitat on this planet, thanks to the live broadcasters around the world. 3000 innocent civilians, of diverse backgrounds, cultures, civilizations lost their lives in this grotesque act. The pain, suffering, fear in the eyes of those inside the Twin Towers as well as those watching, in front of them or around the world through TV, related or not, was evident. As the towers fell and turned into rubble, so did the hope of life of those inside, in the minds of their friends and families. This day alone changed the entire picture of how national security and terrorism were viewed, the threats it offered and how to deal with them. The wounds of those who suffered loss had not healed up that another terror struck on July 7 2005 inside our home. Innocent lives were still at risk. More needed to be done. This resulted in revised security measures, dealing with terrorism and threats to national interests, domestic and foreign. Although the wisdom of the so-called War on Terror is a hot topic for debate, let's discuss how these revised security measures, instruments, regulations and others have impacted the lives and rights of common citizens in Britain. Every nation has interests to protect. However, in an attempt to wage war on terrorists, real and imaginary, our nation is chipping off basic civil rights of its citizens including the right to privacy, while assigning extra powers in the name of national security. There is large ground to cover, as this has been done in various different parts as new rules and amendments in documents serving as the foundation of our nation. In light of these new amendments, UK authorities can detain suspects for 28 days under the Terrorism Act 2006, from 14 days previously, as stipulated in Criminal Justice Act 2003, without filing charges. Although authorities have been asking for an indefinite detention period, it is largely opposed. The government's request to increase this period to 90 days has been opposed by the parliament, subsequently marking earlier Prime Minister Tony Blair's first defeat in the House of Commons in 2005 (Civil Rights Movement, UK, 2008). New revisions to Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2003, termed stop and search, now empower police authorities to stop and search anyone, with or without any reason for suspicion, in an allocated area, the whole of Greater London at this point. Since this revision, there has been a significant increase in the number of stop and searches by the police, rising by 300% for Asians only soon after the effectiveness of this law, having highly negative impacts on the overall community relations. Under new amendments in the security stratum, surveillance has been increased on British nationals in many aspects. From recent accounts, there are now 4.2 million CCTV cameras operational in the United Kingdom, proportionality 1 CCTV on every 14 citizens. Statistics show that a single British citizen can be captured on various CCTV screens across UK approximately 300 times per day, inferring that you might be viewed while having lunch, waiting, talking on the phone anywhere across UK. The government has plans to create a centrally administered database containing voice messages, texts, emails, and browsing patterns under the new Communications Data Bill, to be proposed in 2009. Telecommunication companies are now required to keep records of phone calls and text messages for twelve months(British Broadcasting Corps, 2008). Security issues have severely affected nations in the frontline on the war on terror. Although, it is positive that the amount previously spent on defense is now actively dedicated to handling internal as well as external security, with significant contributions towards measures to control terrorism, however this appears more towards infringing on the basic rights of the citizens, and has resulted in somewhat a decreased reputation across the globe. It is often said that what are you be afraid of if you have nothing to hide. However, most civil liberties organizations contend that it is the right of basic privacy and confidentiality of every citizen to protect their individualism, their freedom of speech and their basic civil rights. Convincing evidence has been a case receiving wide publicity in newspapers of a Muslim man detained by the police under Section 44, forced to prostrate with handcuffs and asked 'Where is your God now' and allegedly receiving over forty injuries including a black eye and severe bruising.(2004) "A suspect community has been constructed against a backdrop of anti-Irish racism. The community has suffered widespread violation of their human rights and civil liberties. As a consequence, the United Kingdom's reputation throughout the world in upholding human rights and civil liberties has been constantly compromised."(Hillyard, 1993) Substitute 'Irish' for 'Muslim', and this would hold true for the current scenario in UK, in light of the operation of the Terrorism Act 2006. Meant to provide more security and ways of fighting terrorism, these amendments have taken in a turn for the worse, reducing public confidence in security and the governing apparatus. Most of these regulations have been widely criticized by civil rights associations, public bodies and the general population in common. To subdue this negative emotion, the government employs mass media as an effective weapon. Used as a widespread propaganda model, the media is fabricating stories and issues that serve an upper group, far above the general public, to their specific purpose, in introducing and justifying these laws and regulations to meet their own personal objectives. In view of my opinion, security is crucial for every nation, however there is a fine line between the security of its nationals and respecting their privacy. Although there is definitely a tradeoff involved in the name of national interest, any measures devised should be within the governable boundaries respecting the privacy of its citizens, their ethnicities and their backgrounds. Freedom and independence in actions must be lived with responsibility ensuring the interests of anyone are not hampered. Works Cited Anonymous (2004) The Guardian. March 29, 2004. British Broadcasting Corps (2008) Giant database plan 'Orwellian'. BBC News. [Online] available from British Broadcasting Corps , October 15, 2008. [accessed January 24, 2009.] Civil Rights Movement, UK (2008). Civil Rights and Security Issues. [Online] available from [accessed January 23, 2009]. Hillyard, Paddy (1993). Suspect Community - People's Experiences of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts in Britain. Liberty. s.l.: Pluto Press, 1993. Read More