Foreign Ministers of Ireland, Germany, Paraguay,
And Senior Official from Nigeria Deliver Statements
(Reissued as received.)
The Commission on Human Rights this afternoon began its
high-level segment, hearing from the Foreign Ministers of Ireland on
behalf of the European Union, Germany and Paraguay, as well as a senior
official from Nigeria.
The speakers, among other things, called for a cohesive effort
to bring an end to terrorism and violence across the globe, whilst
promoting and protecting human rights. They noted that respect for human
rights was an essential part of peace and security.
Brian Cowen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland,
speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the fight against
terrorism had become a global priority, while at the same time, that
fight posed new challenges for the promotion and protection of human
rights. All governments needed to respond to this threat, said Joschka
Fischer, the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, and in
doing so should answer questions relating to the balance between freedom
and security.
Another issue raised was women`s rights, which, Mr. Fischer
said, were infringed against in all areas of the world, and determined
action should be taken by all Governments to tackle this issue. There
should be no impunity for gender violence, said Leila Rachid de Cowles,
the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, as this was not a partial
issue, nor a concern that affected the interests of only the few. It
concerned the human rights of more than half the world`s population, and
denial of these rights was a mistake, since these rights concerned not
just women, but concerned all.
Another topic raised was that of the right to development, and
the inequalities between countries. The challenges of development to
countries of the South were grim and overwhelming, said O.A. Ashiru,
Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria. Those
countries were grappling with the imperatives of improving the
infrastructural development, as well as the socio-economic well-being of
their peoples in the so-called globalizing world that was increasingly
disconnected and lopsided. The right to development of peoples, Ms.
Rachid said, was a fundamental pillar, and protectionism and the
distortions of international trade undermined this right.
China exercised its right of reply.
The Commission on Human Rights will reconvene on Tuesday, 16
March, at 10 p.m. to continue its high-level segment.
Statements
BRIAN COWEN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, speaking
on behalf of the European Union, said that the fight against terrorism
had become a global priority, particularly since September 2001. At the
same time, that fight posed new challenges for the promotion and
protection of human rights. Acts of terrorism could never be justified
by any cause or ideology, and should be unreservedly condemned. The
indiscriminate slaughter of unsuspecting human beings, which was the
hallmark of terrorism, constituted first and foremost a flagrant denial
of the fundamental right to life of its victims. All States had a duty
to protect their citizens from terrorist attacks and to combat terrorism
in all its forms. Yet, in order to receive the widest possible support
and to be successful in the long term, the fight against terrorism
should be conducted in full respect of human rights and fundamental
freedoms. Fostering human rights should indeed become an integral part
of the fight against terrorism.
The international community should not weaken in its resolve to
promote and protect human rights and to strengthen the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Cowen said. The international
community was living in a period of great dangers. People in all parts
of the world recoiled before the dangers of war, terrorism, weapons of
mass destruction, famine, disease, ethnic and religious hatred, and
organized crime. In confronting those challenges, the international
community should work to bring about a more humane world where people
could live in security and dignity, free of want and fear, and with
equal opportunities to develop their human potential to the full. That
work could not be fully accomplished without genuine international
resolve and cooperation. Threats to, and violations of human rights
were the greatest source of insecurity in the world today. When events
within a country threatened international peace and security, they
became the legitimate interest of the international community. The
international community could not stand by and accept the large-scale
flagrant and persistent violation of individual human rights. The
primary responsibility for the protection of human rights rested within
individual States.
The European Union was firmly convinced that promoting human
rights, democratization and the rule of law would promote peace and
security. It fully supported the gradual strengthening of human rights
law and the international system for protecting human rights, which had
come about in the last 60 years. In recognition of the need to act to
promote respect for human rights, the Union had written the principles
of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
and the rule of law into the treaty on the European Union. The fight
against the death penalty was a priority for the Union, and it would
oppose it in all cases. The abolition of the death penalty was a
catalyst in the progressive development of human rights.
JOSCHKA FISCHER, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, noted
that since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, terrorism had become
the largest threat to global security, as reaffirmed by last week`s
attacks in Madrid, Spain. The new terrorism was aimed at the basic
values of open and democratic societies. In responding to it, all
governments must answer questions related to the balance between freedom
and security, both of which needed to be implemented equally and at the
same time. Terrorism could only be successfully combated through
respecting human rights.
Noting that the improved human rights situation in Afghanistan
reflected positive developments, he stressed that the practical
implementation of human rights in that country remained a major
challenge, especially in regard of women`s and children`s rights. As a
sign of the international community`s continued commitment to the Afghan
transition process, his country was inviting participants to a new
high-level conference on Afghanistan, to be held on 31 March and 1
April, in Germany. However, it was not just in Afghanistan that women`s
and children`s rights continued to be threatened, but all over the
world. Determined action must be taken to combat the continued violence
and discrimination against women and children, particularly in regard of
issues such as the trafficking in women and children, child soldiers and
domestic abuse, among others. Moreover, discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation was a cause for concern. The Commission was called
upon to condemn discrimination against homosexuals, bisexuals and
transsexuals.
Turning to the human rights situations in a number of individual
States, Mr. Fischer said that it was of decisive importance to
re-establish sovereignty in Iraq on the broad basis of legitimacy, in
which respect the United Nations must assume a central role. With
respect to the conflict in the Middle East, the implementation of the
Road Map remained the sole means of ensuring peace and security. He
also noted that while the Chinese Government had become more willing to
discuss the human rights situation in that country, major deficiencies
remained in terms of the implementation of the death penalty and the
persecution of dissidents, among other issues. And on Chechnya, while
unconditionally condemning all acts of terror committed against Russian
civilians, Germany called upon the Government of the Russian Federation
to protect and promote human rights in the north Caucasus. Violations
of human rights must be investigated and those responsible brought to
justice, while greater overall transparency on the situation was needed.
Furthermore, among other specific issues, trends toward anti-Semitism
must countered and the Commission must condemn anti-Semitism roundly.
The establishment of the International Criminal Court, he
concluded, was one of the most positive developments of recent years.
The priority must be to defend the enforcement of the Rome Statute.
Finally, the Commission should continue to be a driving force in the
elaboration of human rights norms, in addition to remaining a political
forum in which human rights violations in certain countries could be
clearly addressed and, if need be, condemned.
LEILA RACHID DE COWLES, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Paraguay, said that as the events of 11 September 2001 had left a scar
in all hearts, 11 March 2004 would also leave its traces, as it had
witnessed a violation of human rights and democracy at a vast scale.
She expressed her deepest condolences to the victims of that barbaric
act. Terrorism had deprived many of their rights over the last years,
and had dealt a blow to the heart of the United Nations itself. If the
founding principles of the United Nations Organization were to be
upheld, this scourge had to be overcome. It was a time to assert and
build multilateralism, which would allow the building of a fairer, more
balanced world, committed to the observance of international law. The
Commission had the duty to orient its work towards these ends.
The right to development of peoples was a fundamental pillar,
she said, and protectionism and the distortions of international trade
undermined this right. Developed nations should take into account the
effects of this type of discriminatory policy, in the form of violations
of economic and social rights, and the rights of peoples. At the same
time, international cooperation was an effective tool for the promotion
and protection of human rights, and all should work together to achieve
the ideals and principles contained in the Organization`s Charter.
Paraguay attached great importance to this forum in light of these
convictions.
Democracy was not just a tool of government, but a way of life,
and was displacing the old culture of authoritarianism -- which had
caused so much harm in the past -- through the rule of law and the
fostering of democratic institutions. In a young country such as
Paraguay, programmes aimed at promoting and protecting human rights were
given their due weight, and the Government was working towards a
revolution in many areas and sections, including those of health and
education. There was a need to resolutely face the future, and this
could only be done by remaining aware of the past. Paraguay was
determined that gross violations of human rights should never ever again
take place in that country, and this would be done without fostering
hatred or divisiveness. Paraguay had extended an open invitation to all
United Nations treaty bodies to visit the country as and when they
considered necessary.
Particularly highlighted by Ms. Rachid were the efforts of
Paraguay to combat and eradicate the violation of the rights of the
child. Work had been done to combat sexual exploitation and child
slavery, instances that could be linked to the work of the Commission on
Violence against Women, and the assertion of their rights and role in a
more humane world was also a topic of particular interest, and this not
only in the context of Paraguay, but also globally. Violence against
women could not be tolerated, and deserved every attention to combat its
pernicious effects. There should be no impunity for gender violence, as
this was not a partial issue, nor a concern that affected the interests
of only the few. It concerned the human rights of more than half the
world`s population, and denial of these rights was a mistake, since
these rights concerned not just women, but concerned all.
O.A. ASHIRU, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Nigeria, said the human rights environment had changed dramatically
over the last few years. In surveying developments since the Commission
last met, it seemed difficult to imagine a year in which so much had
happened to alter the environment within which the Commission worked.
Some of those developments were a direct result of the Commission`s
recommendations and analysis; others had been foreshadowed by the
previous work of the Commission; and still others had been thrust
unexpectedly upon all. The Commission had the statuary responsibility
to discuss the state of the implementation of various human rights
instruments with a view to charting a new course, as one would face the
uneasy challenges of promoting and protecting human rights in the
current millennium.
The challenges of development to countries of the South were
grim and overwhelming. Those countries were grappling with the
imperatives of improving the infrastructural development as well as the
socio-economic well-being of their peoples in the so-called globalizing
world that was increasingly disconnected and lopsided. The imperatives
of partnership, interdependence and burden sharing that characterized
that unequal relationship were fading, with the regrettable effect of
widening the yawning gulf between the haves and the have-nots.
Nigeria had made progress in the field of human rights. Since
its independence in 1960, Nigeria had remained steadfast and committed
to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental
freedoms. As a further testimony to its commitment to the fight against
corruption, Nigeria not only actively participated in the negotiations
for the United Nations Convention against Corruption but was also among
the fist countries to sign the Convention. The Commission should seize
the opportunity of the current session to condemn the harbouring of
illegally acquired funds, stashed away in foreign countries. Nigeria
was also committed to the observation and implementation of all
international human rights instruments to which it was a party.
Right of Reply
A representative of China, speaking in a right of reply, noted
that the German Foreign Minister had criticized a few countries on their
human rights situations, including his country. The Foreign Minister
had also praised two countries, both of which had undergone regime
change. If regime change was the best way to promote and protect human
rights, it was unlikely to work in the Russian Federation and China
because they were too big. The Foreign Minister had also referred to
the problem of ethnic minorities in China. That issue would be
addressed by his delegation, which would also address the activities of
skinheads ad neo-Nazis in Germany, as well as the measures the German
Government meant to take in response to them.
http://nvolgatrade.ru/
