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Annan identifies credibility problem at UN human rights watchdog


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By John Metzler
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM

Friday, March 25, 2005

UNITED NATIONS — Amid widespread concerns over simmering scandals, far-flung peace-keeping mandates, and sometime political paralysis, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called for a sweeping reform package which, if enacted, would revamp and revitalize the global organization on its 60th anniversary. The centerpiece of the wide-ranging process calls for expansion of the Security Council, a refocus of humanitarian efforts, and an ambitious economic development agenda. Other key changes aim at regaining credibility for the UN’s much maligned human rights efforts.

The Geneva-based Commission on Human Rights has been the political clearing house for monitoring such abuses and transgressions of many of the world’s most loathsome regimes. Yet the same Commission hosts among its membership many of the very countries who are under scrutiny in the first place!

The Secretary General’s Report stated bluntly; “The Commissions capacity to perform its tasks has been increasingly undermined by its declining credibility and professionalism. In particular, States, have sought membership of the Commission not to strengthen human rights, but to protect themselves against criticism or to criticize others.”

Annan added tellingly, “As a result, a credibility deficit has developed, which casts a shadow on the reputation of the United Nations system as a whole.” That’s putting it mildly.

Why? The 53 member Commission has such states as Cuba, Communist China , Sudan, Zimbabwe etc. And while the United States, Australia and Canada hold membership too, there’s rarely enough critical mass to seriously oppose and censure a host of blatant human rights transgressors. A few years ago, for example, a Libyan actually chaired the human rights Commission.

It’s a bit like having the Mafia represented and voting among members on a U.S. Senate Committee investigating Organized Crime. Could one imagine any conflict of interest?

Regarding the Commission, Annan stated, “If the Organization is to take the cause of human rights as seriously as those of security and development — then Member States should agree to replace the Commission on Human Rights with a smaller standing Human Rights Council….the creation of the Council would accord human rights a more authoritative position, corresponding to the primacy of human rights in the Charter of the United Nations. ” Details to be worked out, of course.

Still calling for the disbanding of the Commission makes good sense; regular offenders like Cuba (now under consideration), or China will not see resolutions passed even offering mild rebuke. Resolutions themselves are watered down documents at best rather than proper political dressing downs.

Secretary General Annan addressing correspondents added, “It is no secret that governments get onto the Commission either to protect themselves or to ensure that others are brought to the dock; as it were. And it has become so contentious that groups form to ensure who is going to be castigated and who is not.” He called for a transformed council, elected by a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly.

Importantly while the current Commission only meets for six weeks per year, the revamped but smaller Council would meet year round, reflecting in a sense the reality that human rights monitoring indeed remains a full time commitment.

Naturally Annan’s proposed mandate for change will come down to how the ideas dovetail with national interests — in this case fractiously represented in the UN by its 191 member states. While Washington may be willing to go along with some of the proposed package, there’s plenty of political mischief all- round to wager that the reforms, when they are considered at the UN’s upcoming September Summit, could be made on a case by case basis.

John J. Metzler is a U.N. correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He writes weekly for World Tribune.com.




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