The UN convention against torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment is an international treaty that prohibits torture and cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment. It defines torture as any act by which sever pain or suffering whether physical or mental is intentionally inflicted on a person by a state official or with their consent or acquaintance.
The funny thing is this convention or agreement, is not mandated and was only ratified in 1987! The other interesting thing is the US is amongst three other countries which have signed but not ratified the convention(!) but would that stop anyone doing so? Is anyone, particularly, a political prisoner, protected? What would the UN do, if someone complains about such an act being performed on their person? Is that why we have some international courts known as The Hague? This would be the subject of another post, if I would want to go deep in this subject. I just point at some examples of torture which I have come across in the past few years:
1) CAF was accused of torturing some Taliban detainees at the time the mission was on. It was at the time Harper was the PM, no offence to him or anyone at any rank but accusations, seemed proven, I think.
2) Russia and Iran, probably not in this order(!), I don't know exactly, are amongst the biggest violators of the convention.
3) The US has been accused of torturing many suspects (of aligning with terrorism) in Guantanamo Bay prison and it was proven. I think that is why they wanted to close it and it hasn't happened, although there are not many prisoners left. It was even shown in a few scenes in Zero Dark Thirty.
Now we're going to the main subject: Why do I have a post about torture?! This goes back to this recent job application. I was interviewed, or some might want to say, screened, over the phone once and then was interviewed by a panel, in person. I was supposed to have a formal chat, I'd like to call it, with one of the managers, and then it was postponed. I had then to go back all the way to the same location, in a few days. I had the conversation and then my buddy told me that I'd most likely am hired.
If you ever have been laid off and have had a few interviews led to nothing and then you lived by yourself and had nothing to do and then had recently finished a certificate, passed the exam and received congratulatory message, you know what I mean by waiting when someone tells you that you'd be hired!
Now the situation gets worse and I have this offer! I don't know what the hell to do and I don't want to be in a position that when the music stops, I'm the one with no chair, although this might not be applicable here! I started writing the thank you notes and after that and to my surprise, the said manager responded and said that he had instructed his people to process my file, meaning that I'm hired. Now I'm sitting on my butt and try to be calm until the damn offer arrives but this is a torture! The weekend passes without any message and I have to go through it with mental torture!
Mon. is then the day. I check the e-mail twice, once around 08:00 and then around 09:00. Nothing! There in fact is a bad news! From someone else and there's no need to share it here! Now I'm really pissed and uncomfortable! It's shortly before noon that someone calls from their HR and says that the company would like to offer me a position! I finally am relived. Right? No! Because they say I would receive the offer within half an hour and when I check, it's not there! Now you probably feel what I feel! I check after another 15 minutes and finally see a few e-mails!
The offer is in 11 pages and way more attractive than what I received last week, both in terms of the salary and benefits. In fact if I can manage my behaviour and keep up a good job, it might be easily a place to retire or in worst cases, work for at least 6 next years. However I will have to see how everything goes and what my friend says as he's a much ambitious person, in comparison to what I am. I signed the offer and sent it back and now I will be starting soon, according to the terms of the offer. I have a lot to do. From planning for career advancement to trip and hikes. It looks like I'm back on the horse!
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