Scenes from the UN Human Rights Council...
Here's what happened just in the last week...
o Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki called for the elimination of “the illegitimate Zionist regime” and support for “the legitimate resistance . . . of Hamas.” He also declared that “in accordance with its Constitution . . . Iran makes every effort to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.” That would be the same constitution that allows stoning, amputation, and the murder of homosexuals for the crime of existing.
o Saudi Arabia’s Human Rights Commission chairman, Bandar bin Mohammed al-Aban, told those assembled at the Council that “the kingdom continues a consistent policy of promoting and consolidating principles of justice and equality among all members of society.” He didn’t mention that last week another Saudi woman was arrested for being behind the wheel of a car.
o The Egyptian minister for legal and parliamentary councils, Mufid Shehab, said it was paramount that “freedom of expression should not lead to abuse of religions and religious standpoints. . . . Societies should be obliged to punish acts of free expression when they damage the rights of others. . . . Opinions cannot be expressed freely if this affects . . . religious sensibilities.”
o Cuba’s justice minister, Maria Esther Reus González, ranted about U.S. “plans for global domination,” “wars of pillage and conquest,” and “twenty long years . . . of blockade and aggression.” (A Council decision of 2006 takes Cuba’s human-rights record permanently off the table.)
o Sudan’s justice minister, Abdel Daiem Zumrawi, gave an account of his country’s positive “endeavors in Darfur” — also known as genocide. He told the U.S. “to increase [its] contribution to a peaceful solution by exercising pressure on all of the armed groups” — excluding the government of Sudan.
o The “Palestine Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,” Ahmad Soboh, spoke warmly of “the outstanding progress” of the Human Rights Council as compared with the Commission. Over 40 years, 30 percent of all the country condemnations made by the Commission were directed at Israel. The Council has already directed over 50 percent of all condemnations at Israel.
o China’s representative, Li Saodong, made a nice speech about China’s “democracy” and “democratic institutions” and its “continued policy of ethnic equality . . . to protect religious [and] cultural identities, and heritage” — which of course would be news to the Dalai Lama and other Tibetans. He then called for states to “engage in dialogue and cooperation.” Sound familiar?
posted by GayandRight @ 10:52 PM
6 Comments:
I wonder if they mouth the words, just to feel them roll around on their tongue, and imagine what it would be like if they actually believed them , as spoken in a place and time where the people would hold them accountable for every utterance.
Seriously, the UN is a joke. Has been for years....actually, 'has been' is an appropriate word too.
Too many cooks...and all that...
Sean, I would disagree that the UN is ajoke. I think it could have a great deal of value. What I think this post illustrates is that the UN is very sick and the sickness in the UN is reflective of illness in much of our world.
I think the sickness is so bad it's causing some to become deluded and forget what the UN was really established for. What's needed is a reform that could reward those satates that have stayed "healthy," and for those states that have become ill, offer solutions for a cure and punishment for not caring for themselves.
Amongst the changes could be a reform that offers enhanced voting rights to those states with the strongest democracies and human rights records and a reduction of rights and privileges for delinquents.
I'm not 100% how a system like that could work, I'd have to think about it a bit more, but it's an idea...
For many years as I would drive south to Detroit I would pass a homemade sign on a plot of land just outside Marysville, Michigan. This sign read: "Get US out of the UN."
I first saw that sign in the early '60s. I hope it is still there. The sign painter was correct then and the message is still correct today!
The sickness of the United Nations is that being founded on the principle of democracy and freedom it chose to become a gigantic talking shop filled with every kind of dictators, assassins and hypocrites. They talk and achieve nothing, all the while wasting a humongous amount of money.
Luca, I agree with you that it's ironic to think that states which will not even allow their own citizens to vote, are considered the equals of western democracies at the UN. On the other hand, the UN has made valuable contributions. Bodies like the World Health Organization, for example, or UN development programs which have actually done good work for people are examples of what the UN can do when it functions properly.
I think there are advantages to keeping people at the table, rather than excluding them from the club. The point is, the club needs to be fair, and recognize that those that contribute most--in terms of recognition of human rights, good governance for their citizens, stewardship of the planet, etc.--need to be rewarded, while those that don't need to be penalized and encouraged to do more.
I don't have any quick solutions, but I don't think a sick man should be written off, I think he should be cured.
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