Sujit Chowdhury, a forward thinking global trade activist and an expert on human rights, was the keynote speaker on Friday night at the Human Rights Day Celebration put on by the Bermuda Human Rights Commission. Mr. Chowdhury is himself a political refugee of Bangladesh, where he was brutally tortured for his political beliefs. Today he is the president and CEO of World Trade University. This past weekend he talked extensively with The Royal Gazette about the human rights fight here in Bermuda that he says is yet to be fought.QUESTION> How will you make the topic of human rights resonate with BermudianB>

ANSWER: "What I want to emphasis is: look at human rights from a different perspective. Not looking at human rights at the exclusion of other concerns. I'm talking about looking at human rights from an economic freedom perspective. I think it's one of the things we're avoiding in the human rights debate.

"But I think prosperous societies like Bermuda, a society that is privileged and prosperous intelligent and educated, I think you have the luxury at looking at human rights beyond the traditional perspectives. So I'm talking about economic freedom as a human rights issu

How do you achieve economic freedomI>

A: "I'm talking about creating a nurturing environment. And it can only be done by converging the frameworks between the people and the Government. It cannot be done by Government alone. And it certainly can't be done by people alone.

"It can only be done through policy framework. Government has to accept that economic freedom has to provide larger opportunity to the people in the community who have been left behind. I'm talking to those people in Bermuda.

"Look at your Bermudian community how far they've been left behind by Caucasian Bermudians. I'm not trying to create or draw a line of division. Not at all. It is one of the most harmonious societies. 'The envy of the world' as your Premier calls it. It is true, Bermuda is the envy of the world in every sense.

"So here you have the luxury and opportunity at a time when you have political rights and you can speak freely, you have the right to vote, the right to basic necessities for example, you enjoy many privileges that would be the envy of many parts of the world. Here you have an opportunity and privilege to talk about economic freedom and what it can do for all Bermudians. That's what I'm talking aboutI>

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Q: How does a community of privilege convince itself that there's a struggle for economic free?

A: "To Bermudians I want to propose a new notion: global human rights and prosperity index. All of this is under a broader umbrella of human rights in the century of global leadership.

"What do I mean by global leadership?

"In a nutshell I'm talking about character, commitment and communication. That's what I'm talking about. We need to redefine global leadership.

"Economic freedom is like democracy. In many societies it will mean different things. Our choices and options and demands will change as we grow. Addressing income gap, employment gap, addressing education gap... when the threshold seems impenetrable. That's what I'm talking about.

"It can only be done through policy framework. Government has to listen and work with the people. And people have to compromise to develop the policies. It's not going to be done overnight. These are long term initiatives. But it ought to bn.

Q: If economic prosperity isn't shared equally who is responsible to take the first step — the Government or the ple?

A: "Leadership is mostly provided by the people. Leadership is mostly provided by the people. An intelligent political leader follows the people's lead. He tells them to go somewhere that people want to go. That's the greatest nuance of leadership - helping people where people want to go.

"Where should this begin?

"It should begin with people. If the Government is intelligent, government will respond to it."