Archive for October, 2007

Urgent Message on Darfur: Killings Reported at Kalma IDP Camp

Published by
UN Watch
- at October 21, 2007 in Darfur and Security Council. 0 Comments

Gibril

(Gibreil Hamid, left, at UN Watch’s March 2007 activist summit for Darfur, at UN Human Rights Council)

Our friend Mr. Gibreil I.M. Hamid from the Darfur Peace and Development Centre has just sent UN Watch the following urgent message: 

Dear Friends and Human rights Defenders.

As we all read these days, the Government of Sudan has intensified attacks against the civilians in the IDP Camps all over the Darfur region. The newest was on Friday, Oct. 19, 2007, at Kalma Camp, which is about 17 km from the South Darfur Capital of Nyala. Three people have been killed and more than ten injured — all of this at a time when the international community is trying to send peacekeeping troops to Darfur.

I don’t know how long it will take them to reach Darfur, or how many people will die until they respond. We all know how difficult is the situation of the IDPs — these people need protection from the Sudanese regime.

Right now as I’m writing this news there is an attack in Zalinge, in western Darfur.  I was talking to some people in the IDP camp, where the attackers are still in the camp.  I was told that the Sudanese Forces were killing four men and many others were injured.  I have asked the IDPs to tell me the names of the people who have been killed but they cannot go out because the police and the Janjaweed are still in the Camp.  It’s very sad.

This is happening as the international community is preparing for the Libya Final Settlement talks between Darfur’s rebel groups and Khartoum. I’m asking you all to spread this news wherever you can. Help us to stop the suffering of these people.  Also, I’m calling on the international community to stop the ongoing genocide in Darfur.                        

Thanks a lot — God bless you all, Amen.

Best regards,
Gibreil

Libyan Head of “Durban II” Anti-Racism Conference to Address General Assembly

Published by
UN Watch
- at October 20, 2007 in Durban 2009, Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Libya and Racism. 0 Comments

Guess who’s coming to town?  The Libyans, of course.  Fresh from his uncontested victory at the Security Council (see our previous blog), Colonel Qaddafi will be smiling again as Mrs. Najat Al-Hajjaji — the Libyan envoy who in August was appointed to chair “Durban II,”  a series of major UN anti-racism conferences through 2009 — heads to New York soon to address the General Assembly about her progress. The Human Rights Council President made the formal request on behalf of Al-Hajjaji in this October 15th letter.

UN Watch condemns election of Qaddafi’s Libya to UN Security Council

Published by
UN Watch
- at October 16, 2007 in Libya and Security Council. 0 Comments

Geneva Oct. 16 –  UN Watch condemned the election of Libya today to the UN Security Council. “Electing Colonel Muammar Qaddafi to maintain international peace and security is like naming Jack the Ripper to fight sexual harassment,” said Hillel C. Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based monitoring organization. “We’re also concerned with the election of Vietnam, a country that continues to deny its citizens fundamental political and religious liberties.”

Neuer expressed concern that “the West is silent as Libya is quickly acquiring a series of new and important UN posts — including its unanimous August election as head of the UN’s “Durban II” anti-racism process through 2009 – even as its record on human rights remains appalling.” The UN and African Union will meet in Libya at the end of the month for Darfur peace talks.

Timeline: How the UN Human Rights Council Was Born

Published by
Hillel Neuer
- at October 11, 2007 in Belarus, Cuba and Human Rights Council (UNHRC). 1 Comment

No one’s talking about it, but soon — perhaps in early November — the UN General Assembly will be asked to approve the new configuration of the UN Human Rights Council. If you want to know how it was all conceived, see the compelling new timeline (with photos!) released today for the first time by UN Watch: How the Human Rights Council Was Born. It’s an eye-opener into the dark side of diplomacy that sometimes lurks behind international law and its institutions.

And now, a contest. If you can identify any point at which the council legally adopted the June 2007 draft institution-building package — purporting to establish the council’s rules of procedure, governing agenda, country and thematic investigatory mandates, and the much bally-hooed universal periodic review mechanism — I will buy you dinner at one of Geneva’s finest restaurants. (To try your luck, enter the contest by posting a comment below.) Continue reading ‘Timeline: How the UN Human Rights Council Was Born’

What This Council Can Do For the People of Burma

Published by
UN Watch
- at October 3, 2007 in Burma (Myanmar), Democracy and Human Rights Council (UNHRC). 0 Comments

What This Council Can Do For the People of Burma

UN Watch Speech before UN Human Rights Council
Special Session on Human Rights Situation in Burma
2 October 2007

Delivered by Leon Saltiel, Director of Communications, UN Watch

_______________

            Thank you, Mr. President.

            We gather here today to discuss the emergency situation in Burma.  The military regime cloaks its acts — and its shame — behind an iron curtain, and so we have no exact numbers of what has gone on in the past week.  But all of the smuggled reports confirm one thing:  a great many have been arrested, a great many have been killed.  We know that we are dealing with crimes against innocent civilians on a massive scale.

            But what can this Human Rights Council do?  This body has no power to send boots on the ground. It has no physical power whatsoever. One is reminded of the famous story told about Joseph Stalin.  On being warned that persecution of Catholics would anger the Pope, the Soviet dictator reportedly replied: “The Pope? And how many divisions does he have?” Continue reading ‘What This Council Can Do For the People of Burma’

UN Human Rights Council Special Session on Burma

Published by
UN Watch
- at October 2, 2007 in Burma (Myanmar) and Human Rights Council (UNHRC). 1 Comment

See UN Watch’s powerful speech, delivered by director of communications Leon Saltiel. 

The Human Rights Council special session on Burma went relatively well. Most of the countries taking the floor condemned the recent violence and urged democratic reforms in Burma.

The most outrageous statement was made by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Ambassador Masood Khan said that “more innocent civilians have died in Palestine a few days ago in twenty four hours as a result of Israeli military action than in the whole of Myanmar” but this “has not received the same degree of attention from the media or this Council.”  See full text: Pakistan on Burma

Observers reported seeing the British ambassador approach the Palestinian representative to question him on the absurdity of this statement.

Russia said that the events in Burma are not a direct threat to international peace and security and should not be used as an excuse to interfere in internal affairs. The humanitarian situation is far from urgent and needs no special measures.

Myanmar (Burma) said the international media “blew the situation out of proportion” and accused the West of manipulating events in order to intervene. Click for full text:  Myanmar speech.

EU Consultations on Draft UNHRC Resolution on Burma

Published by
UN Watch
- at October 2, 2007 in Burma (Myanmar) and Human Rights Council (UNHRC). 0 Comments

Below is a summary from consultations held by the European Union on a draft text on Burma (Myanmar) to be presented at today’s Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council.

  • The EU has proposed a strong text and they are striving for consensus. In order to achieve this, they may need to water down the text considerably.
  • Russia opposed the fact that NGOs could participate in the consultations and submit proposals. The Ambassador of Portugal (current EU president) said that these were open consultations and all could participate.
  • India, China, Cuba, Brazil, Pakistan and Russia called for a balanced, forward-looking, concise, focused, action-oriented, constructive text, that would not contain controversial or inflammatory language, that would call for the engagement of the government of Myanmar and that would only focus on the recent events. In contrast, the US, Canada, Japan and Australia praised the text.
  • Cuba asked for the resolution to call for restraint from “all parties.” Australia responded that there was only one party that needed to show restraint.
  • Russia offered a number of amendments to water-down the text. One of the most important was changing “strongly condemns” to “gravely concerned.”
  • Russia also wanted to delete a paragraph on the humanitarian situation, as being not in the scope of the HRC. Canada said that it is relevant as it affects the fulfillment of human rights, such as the right to food.
  • Cuba asked to insert a mention that freedom of expression and the freedom of assembly are not absolute and can be limited with national legislation. Portugal responded that this is language directly from the UDHR.