From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 4/30/2005 2:11 PM
30.04.2005
Selective indignation
Zimbabwe was re-elected Wednesday to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, a panel that Secretary General Kofi Annan has proposed abolishing because of its practice of naming known rights violators to its membership, AP reports. The other countries named Wednesday were Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Germany, Japan, Morocco, the United States and Venezuela.
Zimbabwe’s selection as one of the 15 countries winning three-year terms drew protests from Australia, Canada and the United States, with William J. Brencick, the American representative, saying the United States was «perplexed and dismayed by the decision."
In a speech to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Brencick said Zimbabwe had repressed political assembly and the news media, harassed civil society groups, conducted fraudulent elections and intimidated government opponents. «How can we expect the government of Zimbabwe to support international human rights standards at the Commission on Human Rights when it has blatantly disregarded the rights of its own people," he said.
Annan, in his proposals made last month to bring broad changes to the United Nations, recommended scrapping the commission, which is based in Geneva, saying its practices «cast a shadow on the reputation of the United Nations as a whole." He said the commission had been undermined by allowing participation by countries whose purpose was «not to strengthen human rights but to protect themselves against criticism or to criticize others." In recent years, members have also included Cuba, Libya and Sudan.
Annan proposed replacing the 53-nation commission with a smaller council, whose members would be chosen by a two-thirds vote of the 191-nation General Assembly rather than by regional groups, as is the current practice. Zimbabwe won re-election automatically because it was the choice of the African group.
Boniface G. Chidyausiku, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the United Nations, said that no country was above reproach when it came to human rights and «those who live in glass houses should not throw stones." He said the United States has «a lot of dirt on its hands» because of prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Well, such indignation at the reelection of a small African country, which can hardly be considered an adherent of high human rights standards, seems quite rightful. But will Zimbabwe’s reelection undermine the Commission? However, there is nothing to be undermined. The Commission includes Azerbaijan, a country with political prisoners and problems with the freedom of speech. China was also reelected to the Commission – a country which is known for mass human rights violations is a member of the Commission again! Russia also remains a member of the Commission. Russia regularly astonishes the world with new politically motivated court trial and has consistently exterminated the Chechen civil population.
But if expressing indignation, we shall be conscientious, and express it in all necessary cases! Selective indignation brings no honor. However, charging the US with double standards has come into fashion in Russia. But this time Russia is keeping silence. Clearly, its reputation can hardly be considered stainless in this respect.
The Chechen Times
http://www.chechentimes.org/en/comments/?id=28544
