The progress in every field of life has not affected the human instincts. Man is still hungry of pelf and power. The governments are still hungry to grab more and power and territory. The rights of different kinds are just safety valves to appease the furious publics and save the governments.
It is mere a slogan that people of the civilized world have been awarded the right to access the secret information. In spite of the claims of transparency, the governments all over the world are involved in such acts that are never divulged to the general public. Even the most resourceful journals and newspapers are ignorant of the information. The best illustration is the Guantanamo bay terror centre.
The US administration did not allow access to the human rights organization in the name of security. What the government is doing as far as the Muslims are concerned is always kept secret. Moreover the different official deals are also kept in tight control. The next example of information exploitation is the Black Water.
Why the black water is in Pakistan? Who is going to reveal the story? Would the right to know be applied here? Not! Never! It is policy matter and the public is not wise enough to be involved in such policy matters that are targeted against the innocent people of the third world countries.
Man is born free but when he comes in this world he finds himself in the shackles. The shackles of norms and principals, the shackles of rules and regulations those are just against his freedom. A constraint to run the society smoothly is necessary but the situation that is being observed in the world even in the countries that are said to be the fountain of the civilian rights is apprehensible.
The basis of all the exploitation is ignorance of the people from the rights .If a man knows that it is his birth right to get the education or it is the right to benefit equally from the sources of the government he would never yield to the hooliganism of the despotic rulers or governments. International Right to Know Day is for the same purpose. It was established by the people who want to have a close access to the information. 28th of September 2003 was the first day celebrated as the international right to know day, and in 2009 it is the 7th International Right to Know Day. The day is aimed at the Right of every individual to know about the working of his government, to have an access to the information about the elected representatives. He has the right to know each and every thing about the people to whom he sent to the office for solving his problem. Right to Know is the recognition of every body’s right of access to official information. He has the right to know how elected officials are using their mandate and how tax revenue is being used.
Every citizen where ever he works or lives should do something to know more about the policies and working of his government. Being a responsible citizen of your state you should celebrate this day with greater confidence. You can celebrate this day by holding seminars, debates, press release, by printing posters, and above all by submitting the request for right to know. More over you can celebrate this day collectively as well as individually. You can write a letter to a newspaper, you can request your local government representatives to paste all the official notices outside the office, and tell more and more about the working of the government.
Not the United Nations but the people who might be called freedom lovers are constantly struggling to know about the atrocities. On 28 September 2002 Freedom of Information organizations from various countries around the globe meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, created a network of Freedom of Information Advocates (FOIA Network) and agreed to collaborate in promotion of the individual right of access to information and open, transparent governance. The aim of having a Right to Know Day is to raise awareness of the right to information.
