Ngomhla ziyisi-9 ku-Agasti, uMkhandlu waseCalifornia wathatha isinyathelo esiyingqopha-mlando sokuba umbuso wokuqala owavuma ukukhangisa umbhalo wezivumelwano ezintathu zamalungelo abantu ze-U.N. ezigunyazwe, futhi uhambise imibiko edingekayo eMnyangweni Wezwe ukuze icutshungulwe amakomiti esivumelwano se-U.N. UMkhandlu Kazwelonke uvotele ukuphasisa i-ACR129 umthetho Wokubikwa Kwamalungelo Abantu, ngevoti lama-52 kwayi-11, kwathi abangu-16 bangezi. Umthetho manje uzodlulela eSenethi yezwe.
I-International Convention on Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination idinga ukuthi i-United States imemezele umbhalo ezingeni likahulumeni, isifunda kanye nelendawo, futhi yenze imibiko ngezikhathi ezithile eKomitini Le-U.N. Lokuqeda Ukucwaswa Kobuhlanga njalo eminyakeni emibili ngezikhalo zokucwaswa ngokobuhlanga. kuzo zonke izici zokuphila, kanye nenqubekelaphambili ekuqedeni ukucwasa okunjalo.
I-U.S. yasigunyaza lesi sivumelwano ngo-1994 futhi yakhipha eminye yemibiko edingekayo, kodwa ayikaze imemezele umbhalo futhi ayikaze ifune, noma ifake, ulwazi oluvela esifundeni ngasinye, njengoba kudingekile. Manje uMkhandlu waseCalifornia uvotele ukukhangisa nokwenza imibiko edingekayo.
I-International Convention Against Torture kanye nokunye Okunonya, Okunonya noma Ukwehliswa Isithunzi noma Ukuphathwa Kwabantu yagunyazwa yi-United States ngo-1994. Idinga ukuthi kubikwe njalo ngemva kweminyaka emine mayelana nokungaziphathi kahle nokuziphatha okufanele kwamaphoyisa, onogada basejele, ama-ejenti emisebenzi yabantu, nawo wonke umuntu kuhulumeni, kanye yiziphi izinyathelo uhulumeni azithathayo ukulungisa izinkinga ezibikiwe.
I-International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights idinga ukuthi kubikwe ku-U.N. Human Rights Committee njalo ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu mayelana nokuphulwa nokuqiniswa kwenkululeko yokuhlangana, amalungelo enhlangano yabasebenzi, amalungelo ezingane, abokufika, kanye ne-LGBT. Lapho iSenethi iphasisa lesi Sinqumo Esifanayo SoMhlangano 129, ama-ejensi ase-California azoqoqa ulwazi asebeluqoqile futhi aluthumele kuMnyango Wezwe ukuze luhanjiswe ku-U.N. Human Rights Committee.
Idolobha laseBerkeley ngoSepthemba 2009 livotele ukuba yidolobha lokuqala lase-U.S. ukwenza imibiko ngaphansi kwalezi zivumelwano. Izikhulu zedolobha manje zithi ukuqoqwa kwemininingwane yemibiko sekukhulise ukukhathazeka ngamalungelo abantu eCity Hall.
Umfundisi Daniel Buford, uMongameli we-Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute kanye noNgqongqoshe Wezobulungiswa Besiprofetho e-Allen Temple Baptist Church e-Oakland, wethula ubufakazi phambi kweKomidi Lokwabiwa Komhlangano ngaphambi kokwamukelwa kweSinqumo. Ubike ukuthi uthole lezi zivumelwano ezintathu ziwusizo kakhulu ekusebenzeni kwezobulungiswa ekubulaweni kuka-Oscar Grant yiphoyisa le-BART uJohannes Mehserle ngonyaka odlule.
Ummeli u-Ann Fagan Ginger, umsunguli we-MCLI, ubika impendulo enentshiseko lapho echaza izivumelwano nezinhlangano zamalungelo abantu base-African American, Asian American, Latino kanye namalungelo abantu, abafundi, izinyunyana, kanye nabantu abasebenza kwezokunakekelwa kwempilo, izimo zasejele, abangenamakhaya, amalungelo abokufika, izindaba zemvelo, kanye nazo zonke ezinye izindaba eziphathelene namalungelo abantu.
Lapho i-United States yamukela isivumelwano, siba yingxenye yomthetho wase-U.S. ngaphansi kweSigatshana Somthetho Ophakeme Somthethosisekelo. I-United States ayizange ihambisane ngokugcwele nezibopho zayo ngaphansi kwezivumelwano zethu zamalungelo abantu ezigunyaziwe. Nakuba uhulumeni wethu engananazi ukugxeka amanye amazwe ngokwephulwa kwawo kwamalungelo abantu, uye wenza iphutha ekuhambisaneni nezibopho zethu zamalungelo abantu. Sethemba ukuthi iSenethi yaseCalifornia nayo izowuphasisa lo mthetho obalulekile ongathumela umyalezo oqinile kwezinye izifundazwe kanye nohulumeni wobumbano wokuthi leli zwe lizimisele ngokuvikela amalungelo abantu.
UMarjorie Cohn, uprofesa eThomas Jefferson School of Law futhi owayengumongameli wangaphambili weNational Lawyers Guild, useBhodini Labaqondisi le-U.S. Human Rights Network. Bheka ku-www.marjoriecohn.com.