India, Nation, home New Delhi: Expressing India's concern over the world never taking notice of the cross-border terrorism faced by it, President A P J Abdul on December 10 said though the proxy-war waged by Pakistan was far more serious as it defied even the ethics prescribed by the United Nations for a conventional war.

At least there were war ethics outlined by United Nations and other human rights watch groups but in a proxy war, there was no code of conduct resulting in several innocent people becoming the victim of it and suffering due to it, Kalam said here without naming Pakistan.

The function was organised jointly by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and UN Information Centre (UNIC), New Delhi to mark International Human Rights Day here.

Outlining a four-pronged strategy for creation of "standard human beings" which was the only solution to deal with unwanted conflicts and terrorism, which the world was facing in the present scenario, the President said they are education with value system, religion graduating to spirituality, economic power and responsible judiciary.

If children, who are future of any country, are imparted value-based education, they will perform and will have good base for growing into "standard human beings", he said adding religion and science both together should work for the betterment of society.

Emphasising that empty stomach cannot sustain standards for responsible citizens; the President also stressed the need for their economic empowerment.

Pointing out that the role of the judiciary was not only to pronounce orders, the President said it should analyse fundamental, social, economical and other rights of a citizen in a society for a wholesome life.

The increasing credibility of NHRC could be gauged from the fact that many of those who criticise it, rush to the NHRC for protection, once out of power, for protection as victims, or against any move to violate their human rights, NHRC chairman J S Verma said at the function.

It was also significant that despite the seeming opposition to the commission's views, and resistance, at times, to its recommendations, the concerned authorities rely on the commission's recommendations for improving their performance, and on its visible presence for refuting criticism of their actions, within and outside the country, Verma said.

Pointing out that NHRC had sent a proposal to the government for giving it powers, Verma said the commission without waiting for the outcome thereof, continues to discharge its duty and its interventions in Orissa and Gujarat, after the natural and manmade calamities, were, due to the extent of its role in the prevention of violation of human rights or abetment thereof.

Similarly, the limited scope of the commission's jurisdiction over the armed forces has been made effective by interpretation of its act in conjunction with the other laws governing the conduct of all public servants Verma said.

The commission also thanked Kalam for his intervention as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces in a case where a woman, Meena Khatoon of Manipur alleging that her husband was picked up by forces in the state and she was apprehending that he had died in the custody, got Rs 3 lakh as compensation by the Defence ministry recently. A message by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was also read out by an information officer of UNIC at the function.

PTI