DICTATORIAL REGIMES, INTOLERANCE REMAIN MAJOR SOURCES OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF US TO UN TELLS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Press Release
HR/CN/709

DICTATORIAL REGIMES, INTOLERANCE REMAIN MAJOR SOURCES OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF US TO UN TELLS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

GENEVA, 20 March (UN Information Service) -- No one had a greater claim to the protections of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights than the targets of repression -- the political prisoners of Cuba or China, those doing forced labour in Burma, the victims of torture in Nigeria or Iraq, or the subjects of religious persecution in the Sudan or Iran, the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, Madeleine K. Albright, told the Commission on Human Rights this afternoon.

According to Mrs. Albright, dictatorial regimes and intolerance remained major sources of human rights violations around the world. The policies of countries bucking the world democratic trend warranted the interest of the Commission, which was established to provide a voice for those denied by their own governments the right to speak. No government should be surprised by its interest in the human rights situation in specific countries.

Mrs. Albright's statement prompted reactions from the delegations of China, Cuba and Iraq. The representative of China said guest speakers had been generously accommodated by the Commission and incorporated into its tight schedule. Such speakers should cherish that privilege and help the work of the Commission. But the United States representative had abused her status as a guest speaker and ignored the requests of most members for dialogue and cooperation.

Mrs. Albright's statement, and the reactions to it, came as the Commission continued to discuss the question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine, and the right of peoples to self-determination. A number of speakers warned against letting recent terrorist attacks in Israel derail the peace process for the Middle East. Representatives of non-governmental organizations denounced reported violations of the rights of Palestinians by Israeli authorities in the occupied territories.

The Commission also continued its discussion of the right of peoples to self-determination. Non-governmental organization representatives claimed that right was being violated in Chechnya, East Timor and Western Sahara.

Participating in this afternoon's debate were the representatives of Algeria, Italy, Morocco and Norway. Representatives of the following non-governmental organizations also took part: World Islamic Society, France Libertés, International Human Rights Law Group, International Commission of Jurists, American Association of Jurists and the World Muslim Congress.

Rights of reply were exercised by China, Cuba, Iraq and the United States.

Statements

MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, said that "no one had a greater claim to the protections of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights than the targets of repression -- the political prisoners of Cuba or China, those doing forced labour in Burma, the victims of torture in Nigeria or Iraq, or the subjects of religious persecution in Sudan or Iran". The Commission had become an indispensable forum for information and dialogue in support of human rights. "No nation, no matter how powerful, can justifiably reject the scrutiny of this Organization".

Violations of human rights were not inevitable, or unavoidable, she went on. "For the torturer, cruelty is a choice; for the abuser, violence is a choice; for the bigot, intolerance is a choice." And what we have the power to choose, we have the power to change.

The totalitarian or authoritarian impulse remained a dominant source of human rights violations in the world today, she continued. It was an enemy, not only to political freedom, but to economic and social development as well. Democratic practices not only protected individuals, they allowed whole communities to flourish and grow. Within the past decade, almost 2 billion people, on five continents, in more than five dozen countries, had moved towards more open economic and political systems, but, unfortunately, the trend -- although widespread -- was not universal.

Dictatorial regimes remained a major source of human rights violations around the world, she said. A second major source was intolerance, in all its variations. "When pride in 'us' curdles into hatred of 'them', the result is a narrowing of vision and a compulsion to violence", she said. What will it take for us to understand that what matters most is not the small distinctions that divide us, but rather the common humanity that binds us? The founders of the United Nations did not view the nation simply as an end in itself, but as an instrument of law, justice, liberty and tolerance.

In preparing for the next century, she said, one of the central challenges would be to cool the embers of ethnic conflict and establish models for easing fears and reconciling ambition within a broader framework of

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support for human rights. To that end, the work of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and others should be continued to enhance respect for the rights of minorities. The United Nations and regional peace-keeping capabilities should be strengthened; the United Nations' growing emergence as a force for democracy around the world must be encouraged.

In conclusion, Mrs. Albright said that parties should be encouraged to live up to the letter and spirit of the Dayton agreement on peace in Bosnia. If they did not, the world would enter the twenty-first century with the problems of former centuries to resolve. Her Government appealed to all governments to work together "to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom", as the United Nations Charter suggested, and not rest until a framework of law and humanity had been devised that would secure for future generations the peace so often lacking in the past.

P. TORELLA DI ROMAGNANO (Italy,) speaking on behalf of the European Union and supported by the delegations of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic, said that the agreement which had established an interim regime and opened the way for general elections early in the year also gave the Palestine authorities the responsibility for the promotion and protection of human rights in the territory. The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and more recent terrorist attacks must not be allowed to interfere with achievements towards peace in the region. Security measures aimed at closing off territories were a particular cause for concern. The European Union placed particular importance on finding a solution to deal with the territory of the Holy City; it was to be hoped that one would soon be found that would ensure the rights of all parties.

HOCINE MEGHLAOUI (Algeria) underlined that it was indispensable to apply the peace plan concluded between the Palestinians and Israel. It was also essential to respect the timetable fixed in negotiating the final status of Palestine, he said. It was high time that international legitimacy prevailed in that region. Israel should evacuate its forces from all occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem; allow the return of refugees; and dismantle its colonies in the occupied territories. The people of Palestine should recover their legitimate national rights and enjoy full independence as a State, with El-Quds El-Sharif as their capital city. The international community had to help the Palestinians to reconstruct their country, which had been devastated and ruined by decades of occupation.

PER HAUGESTAD (Norway) said acts of terror threatened to reverse the peace process in the Middle East. It was important that the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories address the self-governing, as well as the occupied, areas. Close cooperation was needed between the Special Rapporteur and the Palestinian and Israeli authorities. The mandate should also be reviewed annually to take

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account of changing circumstances. The gravity of the current situation in the Middle East was a challenge to everyone, and it was vital not to let the forces of evil win over the peacemakers. The objectives must be to enhance the peace process, promote security and economic opportunity throughout the region, and combat terrorism.

NACER BENJELLOUN TOUIMI (Morocco) said the Israeli-Palestinian peace agreements remained a matter of great hope, despite the efforts of those who wanted to derail the process. It was encouraging that Israelis and Palestinians remained committed to peace. Patience, perseverance and constructive dialogue were the only way to advance. The international community must provide moral, political, and especially economic aid; Palestinians must be unleashed from the shackles of poverty. The human rights situation in the territories must be improved, as should the conditions of detainees -- they must no longer be held without charge and without trial.

ABDUL TABIBI, of the World Islamic Society, regretted that almost every day incidents inflicting suffering on the people were taking place in the world, particularly in the Islamic world. The Commission should deal with cases according to their merits. Afghanistan was first attacked by a super- Power; presently, the armed conflict was being fuelled by a neighbouring country. The suffering of people, be it in Rwanda or in other places, was of great concern to the international community.

MICHELE LAUWEREINS, of France Libertés-Fondation Danielle Mitterrand, said the illegal detentions, arbitrary disappearances, and arbitrary executions that had gone on for 20 years in East Timor must cease. International sources must cease supplying Indonesia with weapons to be used against the East Timorese. Human rights organizations must be allowed access to the region, and East Timorese must be allowed to participate in all discussions on their political future. In Western Sahara, inhabitants' human rights must be respected and they must be allowed to determine their own future without further oppression by occupying Moroccan forces. Freedom of movement and of expression must be allowed to Western Saharans.

EITAN FELNER, of the International Human Rights Law Group, said he was Deputy Director of B'Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. Violations in the territories included wide- spread use of administrative detention, land expropriations, construction of bypass roads, and a series of punitive measures that amounted to collective punishment. Israel had recently drafted a bill which would provide legal sanction for the methods of torture and ill-treatment routinely used by its security agents. Security considerations could not justify the stringent punitive measures recently taken by Israel. The Palestinian Authority, for its part, also committed human rights violations, such as holding many in detention for long periods without judicial scrutiny, and carrying out torture

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during interrogations. Lasting peace could only be established on the basis of mutual respect by Israelis and Palestinians for human rights.

ADAMA DIENG, of the International Commission of Jurists, said that, according to reliable sources, the Israeli authorities had detained over 1,000 people since February of this year. Several people arrested had been put under administrative detention without charge or trial. The Palestinian Authority had also arrested about 600 individuals. The International Commission of Jurists was fearful that those detained by both authorities might have been subjected to torture or ill-treatment. Palestinian non- governmental organizations had been a main driving force to provide services to the Palestinian society in the West Bank and Gaza during the period of occupation. He hoped that the Palestinian Authority would make use of that experience in the future.

ALEJANDRO TEITELBAUM, of the American Association of Jurists, said the referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara continued to be postponed due to lack of good faith on the part of Morocco. Tens of thousands of Moroccan settlers had been introduced to skew the results, while those in favour of independence were persecuted. The Commission should adopt a more energetic resolution than heretofore pointing out to Moroccan authorities their responsibilities. Greater action also was required to honour human rights and the right to self-determination in Chechnya; international loans to the Russian Federation should stop until troops were withdrawn from Chechnya. World Bank loans, in general, were skewed towards colonialist and neo- colonialist regimes, and that bias had to be corrected.

MAGBOOL AHMAD, of the World Muslim Congress, said the people of Chechnya had been struggling for their self-determination since they were colonized in the nineteenth century. The response to that legitimate struggle was bombardment and war of annihilation by Russia. Chechens were autonomous people. With regard to Kosovo, the Albanians, who constituted 90 per cent of the population, had been deprived of their civil, economic and political rights by the authorities of Belgrade. The situation in Kashmir was another cause of concern. India had continued to occupy the territory by military means, thus, preventing the implementation of the fundamental human right to self-determination.

Right of Reply

ZHANG YISHAN (China), speaking in right of reply, said the guest speaker from the United States had said China had no freedom of speech and that the Chinese Government had taken repressive measures and had taken political prisoners. Guest speakers had been generously accommodated by the Commission and incorporated into the Commission's tight schedule. Such speakers should cherish that privilege and help the work of the Commission, but this speaker had abused her status as a guest speaker and ignored the requests of most

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members for dialogue and cooperation. That super-Power had always acted that way and, on the slightest pretext, resorted to sanctions against sovereign countries, claiming it was safeguarding freedom and human rights. It was time to cease that behaviour. It was not too late to change.

AYMEE HERNANDEZ QUESADA (Cuba), referring to the statement made by the guest speaker from the United States, said that for 30 years the United States had been blockading Cuba and had been starving the population, including 2 million children.

GERALDINE FERRARO (United States), speaking in right of reply, said she was delighted to hear that delegates from Cuba and China had listened to the guest speaker, if not as closely as they might have. As all knew, human rights were universal and could not be denied on the basis of national sovereignty. The United States looked forward to a deeper and more thorough discussion of the human rights situation in China as the meeting progressed.

PANG SEN (China), exercising a second right of reply, said that his delegation was surprised that the United States called itself a law-abiding State -- one that would always safeguard human rights. History did not support that stance. In his delegation's view, the United States did not respect the Commission or its procedures. Hegemonists would one day come to a bad end.

MOHAMMED SALMAN (Iraq), speaking in right of reply, said the guest speaker from the United States had set herself up as a judge. Yet, the United States was foremost as a violator of human rights. The situation in Iraq was a prime example -- the United States, for more than five years, had used the United Nations to apply its own politicized policy in continuing the economic blockade against Iraq without any regard to the severe damage it had inflicted upon the health of children and women in his country.

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