Libya Heads Up UN's Humanitarian Rights.....

Forums: International News
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Exsweeze me?
Libyan to head U.N. rights watchdog

Only 3 nations object after U.S. called for unprecedented vote

ASSOCIATED PRESS

GENEVA, Jan. 20 ?- The U.N. human rights watchdog elected a Libyan diplomat Monday as its president for this year, despite concern from the United States about the country's poor record on civil liberties and its alleged role in sponsoring terrorism.

THE UNITED STATES had forced the unprecedented vote in the 53-nation Human Rights Commission after Libya was nominated by African countries, who hold the rotating chair this year. The president had been chosen by consensus in previous years.
In a secret ballot, 33 countries backed Libyan Ambassador Najat Al-Hajjaji as commission president. Three countries voted against and there were 17 abstentions.
After the vote, U.S. Ambassador Kevin Moley told reporters he was "deeply disappointed" at the outcome.
"Libya's government continues to commit serious human rights violations," he said. "A country with this record does not merit a leadership role."
"We regret that more members of the commission did not join with us on this day in sending a clear message to Libya that human rights violators are not fit to occupy positions of moral or political authority in the United Nations system," he said.
Canada last week said it would join the United States in voting against the Libyan candidacy. Observers said Guatemala also voted against, although there was no immediate confirmation.
Advertisement

EU ABSTENTIONS
Although European nations were dismayed at the nomination, they chose to abstain rather than block Libya. Diplomats said this was because Europe didn't want to alienate Africa and other developing countries and thus poison the atmosphere for the commission's main work.
This was the first time the selection by a regional grouping has been challenged. Rules allow members to call for a vote for the chair, which rotates annually between the U.N. regional groupings.
"It is regrettable that the United States opted for this method," said South African Ambassador Sipho George Nene. "The previous, reliable practice has been violated."

Libya, as global leader in Humanitarian Rights?
The EU, not VOTING?

Interested to hear evaluative comments and opinions.

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 2,147 • Replies: 13

No top replies

I think the US was right to protest and that the EU was right to abstain.

0 Replies

I thought I'd float this boat down the Realm pike once more, to see if anyone else wants to share their opinions.

Craven, if you feel like it, why do you agree with the EU asbstintions (is that a word?)?

Their abstaining effectively gave a known terrorist leadership in global human rights. Is this patently absurd to anyone else?

How do the victims of Lockerbie feel about this?

As we believe individual voting is an important right and responsibility; are not the UN voters responsible to cast a vote on all issues facing this world?

0 Replies

Yup it's a misspelled word. :-)

I think they were right to abstain because I agree with their rationale. And no iu do not think it's a duty to vote. Abstention IS a vote, it plays a huge part in UN politics and we do it all the time (e.g. abstaining instead of voting against Israel, this way we don't impede the resolution but also don't vote against our ally).

Furthermore I do not think Libya is currently in bed with terrorism. It would have caused more problems to keep them from this position than them having the position does.

Our complaint highlights the fact that Libya still need to reconcile itself with the international community, the EU was right not to try to block them because that would just cause retaliatory action and would not bring Libya (and Africa) any closer to the level of human rights recognition that we desire of them.

Repecting human rights isn't just a matter of a choice, it's an evolution that needs to be coddled prodded etc. No nation has undergone that metamorphis overnight and a mix of the stick and the carrot helps.

In this scenario there was a good cop/bad cop routine and I think it's a reasonable situation.

0 Replies

Interesting comment, Craven - "Repecting human rights isn't just a matter of a choice, it's an evolution that needs to be coddled prodded etc. No nation has undergone that metamorphis overnight and a mix of the stick and the carrot helps." and as a matter of fact, I agree. There are some things that can't even be imposed by dictators or absolute monarchs.

It's a shock, Lash, but no more so than the inclusion of the Sudan a year ago - or was it two?

0 Replies

From Slate.

Canada's Globe and Mail noted that the commission is not a working agency and has no permanent staff. The chair's main task is to run a six-week annual meeting where human rights are discussed and "reports are tabled by investigators assigned to look into conditions in certain countries or into violations occurring in more than one country. Having a voice on the commission can help deflect such probes and water down or block resolutions condemning particular behaviour." Still, said the editorial, if the United Nations is serious about these resolutions, it should demand minimum qualifications for the chairmanship. "A democratic government that allows free speech and other basic rights would be a good start." (Emphasis mine.)

France's Le Monde said, "The event would be clownesque [where are the French language police when you need them?] if it were not also serious and full of implications for the current situation. Here is a nomination that affects the United Nations' credibility at a time when the organization must play a major role in the Iraq crisis." The editorial also fretted about the formation of two diametrically-opposed blocs: "We thought that such binary logic, which paralyzed the organization during the Cold War, was over. But the blocs have been reconstituted. On the side of human rights, international justice, the right to intervention, and the defense of the environment, the South, almost automatically, opposes the North (China and Russia abstain or side with the South, depending on the vote)." (Emphasis mine.)

I agree.The Slate article.
The gray area of playing politics in the UN, when their choices should be more about right and wrong makes me feel as though this is more evidence that the UN is a waste.

Appeasing Africa in their self-serving choice of Libya sends a loud message by the EU. We are more interested in popularity than doing what is clearly right.

Can't believe Slate and I are saying the same thing.

0 Replies

On the other hand, this COULD lead Libya in a whole different direction, so some good might come of it...

0 Replies

Having a voice on the commission can help deflect such probes and water down or block resolutions condemning particular behaviour.

Or, could be like letting the fox guard the chickens.

0 Replies

Suzy,

I was about to post that.

Lash,

I don't think Livya will get any special treatment from their position. In any case the US sanctions are what they are eager to have lifted and the sanctions don't depend on the UN.

0 Replies

Hmmmm - I was interested when I read about that - and I was aware that Gaddafi's status had been changing - does anyone knowof any good sources to reead about the background to this decision?

0 Replies

Human Rights Watch link. Multiple articles.

dlowen--

Above is a good place to start. Many articles accessed from here.

Interested in your assessment.

0 Replies

Thanks lash - when I get home again...

0 Replies

I found this: "Since its nomination by the African Union, Libya has indicated that it would invite U.N. investigators and international human rights groups to visit Libya. It has declared its intention to review the role of the grossly unfair Peoples' Courts, with a view to abolishing them, and announced several amnesties for prisoners.
While welcoming those initiatives as important indicators of Libya's intentions, Human Rights Watch called on Libya to formally issue a standing invitation to all the U.N. human rights monitoring bodies, following in the footsteps of forty-one member states that have done so already, and to promptly submit its outstanding reports to the U.N. treaty." http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/01/libya0117.htm
So we'll see what comes of it.
They don't call me Suzy Sunshine for nothin! I try to look on the bright side, and it's pretty much a given that sometimes having an important responsibility such as this, along with the perceived trust, or at least good graces, of much of the world, could be just the boost they need to improve their image by improving their behavior, if you know what I mean. Perhaps they will take pride in this and strive to become great role models for everyone. Craven, I'm glad that you had similar thoughts. I say they should have a shot at it. Not because they're currently a great model for human rights, but because they could become so.

0 Replies

Just like my little motto, as a matter of fact!
It's never too late to be what you might have been.

0 Replies

Libya Heads Up UN's Humanitarian Rights.....

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know