Human rights situation in the OT – Third Cttee debate – Press release(excerpts)

Fifty-seventh General Assembly

Third Committee

33^rd Meeting (AM)

'WE ALL KNOW, INSTINCTIVELY, WHEN RIGHTS ARE BEING VIOLATED,'

HIGH COMMISSIONER TELLS THIRD COMMITTEE

Sergio Vieira de Mello, newly-appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, this morning underscored for delegations in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) that the promotion and protection of human rights was simply and plainly about ensuring dignity, equality and security for all human beings everywhere. 

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In the subsequent interactive debate with the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Member States raised issues regarding the strengthening of the Commission on Human Rights and the need to prevent politicization; streamlining human rights instruments; the right to development; the need for respect and tolerance between different cultures to avoid racial discrimination and prejudice; the need to respect human rights in the fight against terrorism; cooperation with non-governmental organizations; and the situations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Côte d’Ivoire.

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Statement by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

SERGIO VIEIRA DE MELLO, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, …

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Massacres, destruction, brutality, rape, displacement, fear, hunger and trauma formed the caravan of conflict, and once in train, they were hard to stop.  It was essential that all States and armed groups alike entirely reject the negligent, reckless, or intentional targeting of innocent civilians in all cases.  In this connection, he expressed concern about the current situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and Côte d’Ivoire.  References were also made to the situations in the Great Lakes region, in particular, Burundi, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan.

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Statement by Chairman of Commission on Human Rights

KRZYSZTOF JAKUBOWSKI (Poland), Chairman of the Fifty-eighth session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, …

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He said the 58^th session had been unique in that it presented the Commission's membership with an unusual accumulation of challenges.  The worsening human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories had dominated the discussions in Geneva — in terms of general and special debates, as well as in resolutions and decisions adopted.  Combined with a sudden discontinuation of additional meetings, the Commission's work had come under extreme pressure.  Although the expanded bureau was able to devise a number of measures which allowed the session to complete its agenda, it came at a significant cost in terms of participation in and quality of the debate.

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Interactive Dialogue with High Commissioner for Human Rights

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The representative of Egypt focused his comments on the refusal of Israel to allow the Commission's visit to the occupied Palestinian territories.  He also believed that the report seemed to impose criteria for future membership in the Commission on Human Rights — particularly the accession to certain human rights treaties — which might infringe on States’ sovereignty. …

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Responding to those comments and questions, Mr. Vieira de Mello said …

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On the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, he said he would always remain available to both sides, as well as the Commission's membership, to discuss that serious issue.  What was needed now was for the Commission to perhaps offer new guidance and new instructions on how to proceed concerning that matter.

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As the debate continued, the representative of the Sudan supported the High Commissioner’s focus on the right to development and extreme poverty.  She also referred to the politicization of the Commission on Human Rights and what could be done about it.  She said the Commission had witnessed an important transformation, particularly on voting on country situations, and called upon the High Commissioner to ensure that human rights questions were not politicized.  With regard to a mission to the occupied Palestinian territories, it was hoped that the High Commissioner would focus on the foreign occupation — the fundamental raison d’etre for the violence in the region.

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The representative of Pakistan stressed that non-enforcement of the right to self-determination had led to killings and violence in Jammu and Kashmir, and the occupied Palestinian territories.  …

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