HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OPENS FIFTY-THIRD SESSION IN GENEVA
Press Release
HR/CN/757
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OPENS FIFTY-THIRD SESSION IN GENEVA
19970311 GENEVA, 10 March (UN Information Service) -- The Commission on Human Rights opened its fifty-third session this morning with a vow from Secretary-General Kofi Annan to be "a champion of human rights" and to ensure that they were fully integrated in the action of the Organization in all domains.In his message, the Secretary-General called on all participants in this fiftieth anniversary Commission session to renew their own determination to take action to give concrete meaning to human rights. The United Nations human rights programme rested now on very solid foundations as a result of the first High Commissioner for Human Rights, José Ayala-Lasso.
Mr. Ayala-Lasso also addressed the opening meeting, delivering what he called his last statement as High Commissioner before returning to Ecuador to serve as Foreign Minister. Taking stock of his three years in the post, he said the institution of High Commissioner had been consolidated and earned the respect of States and international and non-governmental organizations. Furthermore, the restructuring of the Centre for Human Rights was now in its final phase and positive results were already evident, according to the High Commissioner.
Mr. Ayala-Lasso then introduced Ralph Zacklin, Director and Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, who has been appointed by the Secretary-General to serve as Officer-in-Charge of the High Commissioner/Centre for Human Rights, ad interim, during the selection process for the post of High Commissioner. Mr. Zacklin would continue all the activities of the Office, in particular those related to reform and restructuring, the High Commissioner added.
At the start of the morning meeting the outgoing Chairman of the Commission, Gilberto Vergne Saboia (Brazil), condemned the brutal assassination of five members of the Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda last month. Mr. Saboia added that he hoped the session would succeed in producing a new agenda to replace the "outdated and congested" present agenda, but noted that political difficulties remained.
The Commission then went on to form its bureau for the fifty-third session, electing Miroslav Somol (Czech Republic) as Chairman. Also elected were Vice-Chairmen Lilia Bautista (Philippines), Christian Strohal (Austria) and Mounir Zahran (Egypt). Margarita Escobar Lopez (El Salvador) was elected Rapporteur. In his inaugural address, Mr. Somol noted that the current situation was still not favourable to the protection and promotion of human rights all over the world. The politicization of the work of the Commission could not always be avoided, but it could be diminished by facing facts, real situations and substantial arguments, and by accepting that the situation of human rights in many countries was influenced by factors which could not be overcome completely in the near future. However, those factors should not be used as an excuse for a policy of disregarding or neglecting human rights.
Message of Secretary-General In a message read out by High Commissioner for Human Rights José Ayala-Lasso, Secretary-General KOFI ANNAN paid tribute to the continued efforts of the international community in the field of human rights. Much had been accomplished in this field since 1948, when the noble principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights became a point of reference for all future efforts in that domain. As Secretary-General he would be a champion of human rights and would ensure that human rights were fully integrated in the action of the Organization in all other domains. In his message, the Secretary-General also called on all participants in this fiftieth anniversary Commission session to renew their own determination to take action to give concrete meaning to human rights. He added that the United Nations human rights programme rested now on very solid foundations as a result of the work of the first High Commissioner for Human Rights, José Ayala-Lasso. Statement by High Commissioner for Human Rights JOSÉ AYALA-LASSO, High Commissioner for Human Rights, said his recent decision to resign as High Commissioner to become his country's Foreign Minister had been the most difficult he had ever taken. He had had to choose between the commitment he had made to the international community three years ago and the inescapable responsibility of every citizen to serve his country. The situation in Ecuador was a very difficult and complex one, and the contribution of all the citizens was required to restore national unity. In taking his decision he had also taken into account that the institution of High Commissioner had been consolidated and earned the respect of States, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. Furthermore, the restructuring of the Centre for Human Rights was now in its final phase and positive results were already evident. The last few years had seen considerable progress in the area of human rights, the High Commissioner said. Although there were still differences in
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relation to the content of human rights, no one denied the need to improve respect for such rights. It was also recognized that it was the responsibility of the High Commissioner to represent the international community in speaking of the legitimate interest in human rights issues. For although the responsibility for promoting and protecting human rights fell primarily on States, it could not longer be considered that those rights were exclusively a matter of internal jurisdiction. Mr. AYALA-LASSO said he had adopted a method of work that favoured the search for consensus and confidence in the institution of High Commissioner. He had achieved his goal of guaranteeing for the High Commissioner the possibility of conducting a dialogue with the highest governmental organs. The universal recognition of the link between civil and political rights on the one hand, and economic, social and cultural rights -- including the right to development -- on the other, was another positive development. The United Nations must give equal priority to all human rights issues, added the High Commissioner. However, given the difficulties faced in applying such a principle in practice, he had established a number of basic lines to guide the work of the High Commissioner, including responding quickly and efficiently to emergency situations, acting to prevent human rights tragedies and cooperating with States to reinforce their national democratic institutions. That policy had led to two situations that would mark the future of the institution of High Commissioner and which could be grouped under the term "field activities". Such activities were carried out with the accord of the relevant State. There should be no dependence between protection activities -- carried out mainly through observation missions -- and promotion activities, executed through technical assistance programmes. There should also be no imposition on States of programmes or activities with which they were not in agreement. The High Commissioner said the experience gained in Rwanda, Burundi, Cambodia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Zaire led to, among others, the following conclusions: it was indispensable to ensure the necessary financial support for the Office of the High Commissioner; it would be worthwhile to consider leaving the coordination of United Nations field activities to a technical office; and there should be greater coordination among the organizations working in the field. The imminent opening of an office in Colombia was an eloquent example of the achievements of the policy of dialogue and consensus initiated with that country in December 1995, the High Commissioner went on. As for the reforms undertaken at the Centre for Human Rights, he was leaving his successor a new, modern and efficient institution, free of the defects that had caused so many problems in the past, problems which had not been of a personal nature. He wished to pay tribute to Ibrahima Fall, former Director of the Centre, for his contribution.
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Ralph Zacklin, Director and Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, had been appointed by the Secretary-General to serve as Officer-in-Charge of the High Commissioner/Centre for Human Rights, ad interim, during the selection process for the post of High Commissioner, Mr. AYALA-LASSO added. Mr. Zacklin would continue all the activities of the Office, in particular those related to reform and restructuring. Statements GILBERTO VERGNE SABOIA (Brazil), outgoing Chairman of the Commission, condemned the brutal assassination of five members of the Human Rights Field Operation in Rwanda on 7 February. He expressed "deep shock and condemnation for this cowardly and outrageous crime" and offered condolences to the families of the victims. He demanded that the authorities in Rwanda bring those responsible for the crime to justice. Noting that this session marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Commission, he hoped the international community could find ways to provide "necessary resources and political support" for the work of the Commission to adapt and strengthen human rights. The elimination of overlapping bodies could help. The Commission itself had been trying to restructure its agenda to improve its efficiency, as the present agenda was considered "outdated and congested". A proposed new agenda had been circulated at the last session but had not been the subject of consensus due to political difficulties. He hoped that some progress could be made on approving a new agenda following "fruitful dialogue" during the intersessional period. MIROSLAV SOMOL (Czech Republic), incoming chairman of the Commission, said that while the positive political changes that had taken place since the beginning of the decade had influenced the practice of human rights, the climate was still not fully favourable to the effective protection and promotion of those rights all over the world. Complications still lay on the path to the ultimate goal -- general recognition of and full adherence to the International Bill of Human Rights and other legal instruments in force. The politicization of the work of the Commission could not always be avoided, he said, but it could be diminished by facing facts, real situations and substantial arguments and by accepting that the situation of human rights in many countries was influenced by factors which could not be overcome completely in the near future. However, those factors should not be used as an excuse for a policy of disregarding or neglecting human rights. In view of the forthcoming celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he expressed the hope that this session of the Commission would be celebrated with concrete results and a reaffirmation by consensus of the whole complex of international legal regulations of universal human rights and fundamental freedoms.
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