SIX HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DELIVER ADDRESSES

SIX HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL

OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DELIVER ADDRESSES

Commission on Human Rights Concludes "High-Level Segment"

(Reissued as received.)

GENEVA, 20 March (UN Information Service) -- High-ranking officials of Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sweden, Burundi and Botswana addressed the Commission on Human Rights this afternoon as the Commission completed a three-and-a-half-day "high-level segment" consisting of speeches by Government dignitaries on matters related to fundamental rights and freedoms.

The Commission also heard an address by Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health Organization, who appealed, among other things, for action on behalf of the most vulnerable citizens of Iraq -- the elderly, women and children, and people with disabilities.  With Iraq’s infrastructure already devastated, the most basic human rights to clean water and to basic health care could not be met, Dr. Brundtland said; everything must be done to mitigate this humanitarian disaster.  The right to health was a goal for which all Governments, rich and poor, must strive, she said.

Monique Ilboudo, Minister of the Promotion of Human Rights of Burkina Faso, said every man, woman, and child should be able to eat, to have access to education, and to enjoy all the basic socioeconomic rights that made up human dignity.  She noted that the fight against poverty included the fight for an effective right of access to health care, without which anonymous millions were dying of HIV/AIDS when they could be saved.

Alphonse Ntumba Luaba, Minister of Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said that while progress had been made in the territory of the country controlled by the Government, the human rights situation was more serious in the occupied areas in the east of the country.  He charged that massive human rights violations were being committed in the rebel-controlled territories, including summary executions, rapes, forced deportations, torture, ill-treatment and abductions for the purpose of forced labour.

Ylva Anna Maria Lindh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, said among other things that a resort to war was always a failure, and the war against Iraq apparently just commencing was deplorable as United Nations disarmament efforts

had not been given a final chance to succeed and the armed intervention was not occurring with United Nations approval.  She went on to call for improvements in human rights situations in a series of countries.

Alphonse Barancira, Minister for Human Rights, Constitutional Reform and Relations with the National Assembly of Burundi, said among other things that the population of Burundi was facing a series of difficulties -- devaluation of the monetary unit, bad food, deplorable sanitary and hygienic conditions, children leaving school due to lack of funds, street children, and looting.  Despite these problems, the Government of Burundi continued to undertake actions to ensure that every citizen could enjoy his or her rights, he said, and the country appealed to other nations to make good on past promises of aid.

D.K. Kwelagobe, Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration of Botswana, said Botswana had an ever-growing population of orphans as a result of the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS.  In order to improve the health of children and ensure that children from infected parents were free from disease, Botswana had introduced one of the region's most successful programmes in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.  The Government also had taken steps to help people who lived in remote areas, including the Basarwa, or the Sun, he said; it had committed significant resources to these rural communities to ensure that they were not left at the margins of social and economic development.

Representatives of Rwanda, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Commission will begin work under its regular agenda Friday morning at

10 a.m., changing its venue to Room XVII of the Palais des Nations.

Statements

GRO HARLEM BRUNDTLAND, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said steps had to be taken on behalf of the most vulnerable citizens of Iraq -- the elderly, women and children, and people with disabilities.  With Iraq’s infrastructure already devastated, the most basic human rights to clear water or to basic health care could not be met.  Everything must be done to mitigate this humanitarian disaster.  The right to health was a goal for which all governments, rich and poor, must strive.  All nations faced constraints, in many cases posed by limited resources.  This was why the principle of progressive realization was central to the achievement of all human rights.  This was not an excuse for inaction.  The right to health also contained immediate obligations to take concrete, deliberate and targeted steps towards full realization.

During her time as Director-General of World Health Organization (WHO), the thinking on human rights had continued to evolve, Dr. Brundtland said.  Human rights instruments were not just seen as legal obligations, but as useful tools that could help the WHO work with countries to achieve national development goals.  Human rights needed to be seen not just as an inspirational framework, but as a useful guide for analysis and action.  Health as a human right had been neglected.  Now health was becoming more central to the international human rights agenda, but too often it had not been given the same recognition as other human rights, particularly civil and political rights.  Ensuring that health was at the heart of the development agenda had been a central theme of the WHO’s corporate strategy.  Significant progress had been made, but it was important to continue making the case for health as a key to people’s well-being. 

The Millennium Development Goals provided important milestones towards the progressive realization of the right to the highest attainable standard of health, Dr. Brundtland said.  They covered areas that directly concerned the work of WHO: reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, improving access to water and sanitation, and improving access to essential drugs at prices that poor countries could afford.  The Commission for Macroeconomics and Health had showed that scaling up investments in health was feasible.  It had also showed that such investments would yield tremendous gains in economic development.  Discrimination against women manifested itself in inadequately targeted policies and access to health services.  The WHO recommended that all governments review their laws and policies to see whether they contributed to matters amounting to stigma and discrimination.  At the root of the concern for equality and freedom from discrimination in human rights thinking and practice, lay the notion of human dignity the equal and inherent value of every human being. 

MONIQUE ILBOUDO, Minister of the Promotion of Human Rights of Burkina Faso, said the Commission of Human Rights offered the opportunity to establish a yearly statement of the state of human rights throughout the world.  It allowed for a general self-questioning and a pause for thought on humanity in general's capacity to create a new form of humanism for future generations.  This fifty-ninth session was taking place in a difficult international context.  Many crises were shaking the world, and they constituted fertile ground for worrying lapses in the elementary rights of the human being.

The quest for democracy on the internal level should necessarily be accompanied by a democratization of international relations, Ms. Ilboudo said.  Justice on a world level should be a right for all, and particularly for the poorest.  This could only take place with a moral engagement and a call for a radical modification of behaviour and mentality at national and international levels.  The vision of humanity, she said, should be greater than the frontiers of the Nation-State, so that the preoccupation with human rights would become the same, whatever part of the globe.

Burkina Faso felt implicated in the situation of all those who suffered, all those whose human dignity was ignored because they were poor, because they were women, because they were black, because they were Palestinian, and the list could continue.  The fight against poverty should not stop at sloganeering; it should not be a fashionable phenomenon.  To fight poverty was to fight to make effective the most elementary human rights throughout the world.  It was to fight so that every man, every woman, every child on this planet would be able to eat, to have access to education, and to enjoy all the basic socioeconomic rights that made up human dignity.  The fight against poverty was the fight for an effective right of access to health care, without which anonymous millions were dying of HIV/AIDS when they could be saved.  Only the common will would ensure that the principles of equality and respect for human dignity contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights would find greater expression in the near future.

ALHPONSE NTUMBA LUABA, Minister of Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said that as the Security Council and various reports on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo had always stressed, the human rights situation was more serious in the occupied areas in the east of the country.  In her interim report to the General Assembly on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Commission's Special Rapporteur indicated that a positive trend could be observed in the area of the protection of human rights in the government-controlled territory, whereas massive human rights violations were committed in the rebel-controlled territories, especially in the east.  The report also mentioned summary executions, rapes, forced deportations, torture, ill-treatment and abductions for the purpose of forced labor and added that victims and witnesses mentioned several cases of mutilations followed by acts of cannibalism.  A climate of terror had reigned in the occupied territories for too long. 

Mr. Luaba said that in order to arrive at a lasting and true peace, the Government had signed two separate peace agreements with Rwanda and Uganda.  These agreements involved a cessation of hostilities, the withdrawal of foreign troops and the pacification of Ituri.  Unfortunately, these agreements were not being stringently complied with.  Foreign troops were redeploying in the country and there were fears of a confrontation between Ugandan and Rwandan troops in Ituri, which would be a repetition of the Kisangani massacre with thousands of victims.  Although international law prohibited any propaganda promoting war, Rwanda had not given up its bellicose language which fed on negative sentiments and disregarded the 3.5 million Congolese victims of the war of aggression.

The final report of the panel of experts of the United Nations on the illegal exploitation of the country's resources and other forms of wealth provided the real reason for the war imposed on the Democratic Republic of the Congo:  the pillage of its resources.  Other reasons put forward were merely pretexts.  The Government had made many efforts to consolidate the rule of law on the ruins of one of the most brutal dictatorships in Africa and in the world, a dictatorship that had lasted for several decades.  Measures had been taken to strengthen the rule of law, establish good governance and promote respect for and awareness of human rights.

YLVA ANNA MARIA LINDH, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, said war was always a failure.  A war outside the United Nations was a great failure.  There had been a good chance to disarm Iraq peacefully.  It was deplorable that the arms inspectors had not been allowed to fulfil their task.  Also deplorable was the haste in which decisions to use military action had been taken.  Sweden was not naive concerning the Iraqi regime.  Fifteen years ago, the Iraqi regime had used chemical weapons against Iran and its own Kurdish population.  Thousands had died in agony, and over the years Iraqis of all ethnic origins had been victims of Saddam Hussein's oppressive policies and human rights violations.  But a war without a United Nations mandate was not the right way to pursue democracy in Iraq.  The Iraq question must be brought back to the Security Council as soon as possible.

Everyone feared new terrorist acts, Ms, Lindh said.  International terrorism was a threat to societies and to security.  But the fight against terrorism must never be allowed to justify violations of human rights.  International humanitarian law and human rights had to be respected at all times, including in times of crisis.  In the Middle East, Israel had the right to defend itself against Palestinian suicide bombers.  But it had no right to violate human rights and international humanitarian law while doing so.  Nor was it acceptable that the Russian Federation used the fight against terrorism as a justification for violations of human rights and humanitarian law in Chechnya.  The establishment of the International Criminal Court was welcome, since it would strengthen respect for international law and human rights.  It was important to increase common efforts to combat human rights violations and injustices, wherever they occurred. 

In Belarus, Ms. Lindh said, the population was deprived of democracy, and the situation for the independent media, trade unions, politicians and journalists was worsening.  In Zimbabwe, several parliamentarians had been arbitrarily arrested.  Torture and degrading inhuman treatment of members of the opposition and members of civil society had increased.  In China, despite improvements in the legal field and in cooperation with the international community, the general situation of human rights and the situation of the Tibetan people remained unacceptable.  In Iran, the practice of torture was widespread despite attempts by the reform forces to curb its use.  Countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Iran and Iraq took the lead in provoking humanity by frequently using the death penalty -- a primitive expression of public vengeance.  It should be stressed that membership in the Commission entailed great responsibilities and that membership required guidelines, as suggested by the High Commissioner.  In order to be elected, States should have to undertake to cooperate fully with supervisory committees and with the Commission's special procedures. 

ALPHONSE BARANCIRA, Minister for Human Rights, Constitutional Reform and Relations with the National Assembly of Burundi, said that since the signature of the Arusha Agreement for peace and reconciliation in the country, many of the reforms stipulated in the agreement had been put into place, and others were under way.

The concept of human rights incarnated positive values founded on the principles of equality, freedom, dignity, and equitableness, and were recognized as proper to every human being, Mr. Barancira said.  Without respect for human rights, peace, security and development were not possible.  Human rights should consequently remain at the centre of Governmental preoccupations.  The help of partners was invaluable to succeed in this.  In this context, a vibrant appeal was made, he said, to the international community to fulfil the promises made in the past to provide such aid.

The population of Burundi in general was facing a series of difficulties that made their existence very vulnerable: devaluation of the monetary unit of Burundi, bad food, deplorable sanitary and hygienic conditions, children leaving school due to lack of funds, and looting.  The phenomenon of street children was becoming an ever greater humanitarian crisis, the consequences of which would be catastrophic for the future both for these children and for the country in general.  This prevailing situation in Burundi was only making living conditions worse throughout the country, and therefore gravely compromised the effective enjoyment of human rights.  But despite all these problems, the Government of Burundi continued to undertake actions with to ensure that every citizen could enjoy his or her rights.  He was convinced, that the people of Burundi, accompanied in their search for peace and national reconciliation by the country's international partners, would soon be able once more to live in harmony and be able to leave to their sons and daughters a peaceful land.

D.K. KWELAGOBE, Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration of the Republic of Botswana, said Botswana strongly believed in democratic institutions, the rule of law and the universality and indivisibility of human rights.  The Constitution of Botswana secured and guaranteed the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons irrespective of race, ethnicity, place of origin, creed or sex.  The Government believed that the full enjoyment of economic, political, social and cultural rights and the realization of the right to development were possible only in a free and democratic political environment.

Mr. Kwelagobe said Botswana had an ever-growing population of orphans as a result of the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS.  In order to improve the health of children and ensure that children from infected parents were free from disease, Botswana had introduced one of the region's most successful programmes in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.  Another vulnerable group was people who lived in remote areas.  These included the Basarwa, or the Sun.  The Government had committed significant resources to these communities to ensure that they were not left at the margins of social and economic development.  The Basarwa must, like all other Botswanans, be able to send their children to school, partake in adult literacy classes, participate in the economic activity of the country and have access to health and social services.  It was for these reasons that Botswana strongly rejected all attempts at preventing this by the manipulative efforts of some foreign non-governmental organizations.  The real object of these non-governmental organization s was to see the Bawarwa continue to live in the bush and, together with wildlife, provide a source of entertainment and amusement for tourists.

Mr. Kwelagobe said that following the Beijing Conference of 1995, Botswana had adopted a National Gender Plan of Action.  The Plan focused on the girl child, her education and health rights, and on the involvement of women in decision-making at all levels and in all sectors.  The implementation of the Plan was progressing well.

Rights of Reply

A Representative of Rwanda, speaking in right of reply, reaffirmed Rwanda's position in response to the statement made by the representative of Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Rwanda was peace-loving country and wanted peace in the region.  The solution to the current impasse lay in the texts of the Lusaka and Pretoria agreements.  Unfortunately, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was not complying with these texts.  Relations between Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the ex-Rwandan combatants had led to instability in the region, particularly given the fact that there was no compliance with previously agreed arrangements.

A Representative of Zimbabwe, speaking in right to reply, said in response to the statement made by the Representative of Sweden that that statement was utterly rejected.  Countries like Sweden could not set up groups and non-governmental organizations within Zimbabwe with the expressed purpose of making that country ungovernable and expect Zimbabwe to do nothing.  Zimbabwe did not have a culture of torture, nor did it allow it.  These politically motivated statements came from those who wanted to roll back time and control their destiny through proxies.  The members of Parliament referred to were arrested for seeking a regime change through undemocratic means, and these people were currently facing proceedings for treason.  It was no surprise that Sweden should once again be on the side of those seeking a racist determination for the course of Zimbabwe.  Sweden had after all been allied with the Nazi racists during the Second World War, and was perhaps not ready to see an economically empowered African country.  Zimbabwe utterly rejected any criticism by Sweden and its friends.

A Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said in response to the statement made by Rwanda that this forum should not hear words of threat and hostility as those heard from the Minister of Justice of Rwanda.  It should be recalled that the Lusaka Agreement required respect for the independence and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Nothing authorized occupation, aggression and the establishment of rebel movements against the legally elected government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Everything Rwanda was doing was aimed at preventing the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, which was aimed at achieving peace and reconciliation.  The truth was that Rwanda wanted to remain within the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to pillage its resources.  The war-mongering language heard from Rwanda was unacceptable at the Commission.

A Representative of Iraq, speaking in right of reply, referred to the statement made by the representative of Sweden.  The Swedish Foreign Minister had said that she was committed to peace and to the disarmament of Iraq through the United Nations.  Iraq had indeed cooperated successfully with Mr. Blix, the chief arms inspector.  The Foreign Minister had also made some accusations with regard to the Iraqi regime.  Iraq wished to point out that the United States had used depleted uranium during the last war, and recently Mr. Rumsfeld, the United States Defense Secretary, had threatened the use of all weapons, including nuclear weapons.  This was not surprising coming from the United States, since it had already used weapons of mass destruction in Japan and Viet Nam.  This morning, the children of Iraq had been woken up by the United States bombardment.  How could humanity accept such a horrible reality imposed by the United States in violation of international law?  Was it not necessary to put on the record a condemnation of the United States?  It was a well known fact that the United States was not interested in weapons of mass destruction, which Iraq did not possess, but had a clear interest in oil, which Iraq did possess.

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