DATE=11/2/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=ATROCITIES / ROBINSON
NUMBER=5-44669
BYLINE=JOE DECAPUA
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-N High Commissioner for Human Rights
warns that atrocities are occurring or imminent in
Africa's Great Lakes region and the former Yugoslavia.
Mary Robinson issued the warning at a recent (10/28-
29) U-S State Department Conference on preventing and
responding to atrocities. The event was held at the
Holocaust Museum in Washington. V-O-A's Joe De Capua
reports.
TEXT: The U-N High Commissioner for Human Rights says
the evidence is clear that central Africa remains one
of the world's major regions of conflict.
/// ROBINSON ACT ///
As you're aware, reports coming from the Great
Lakes region speak of a dangerously unstable
state of affairs. Despite the high expectations
raised by the signing of the Lusaka peace
agreement, fighting continues in the Democratic
Republic of Congo with reports of widespread
human rights abuses. In Burundi, attacks on the
capital and elsewhere have cost the lives of
hundreds in the past three months alone,
including United Nations workers, whose only aim
was to bring humanitarian help to the region.
The danger of more widespread conflict flaring
up again is clear. Yet, can we really say that
international attention is focused to the extent
it should be on the problems in that region.
Can we really say so? I don't think so. I
don't think we have an adequate focus given the
concerns that we must have from the reports and
information that's available to us.
/// END ACT ///
Mary Robinson says things are no better in the Balkans
region of Europe.
/// ROBINSON ACT ///
In the former Yugoslavia the situation remains
critical, too. Three months after the fighting
ended in Kosovo, attacks against the Serb and
Roma population are ongoing. Houses are burned
down for forcibly occupied, people are driven
out or killed. The plight of Montenegro draws
little attention. But it's clear that the
potential exists there for another outbreak of
conflict.
/// END ACT ///
She called on officials, diplomats, and
representatives of humanitarian organizations to make
the hard decisions needed to prevent conflict and
atrocities.
/// ROBINSON ACT ///
If this conference is to be successful, it will
have to address the issues that lie at the heart
of prevention. And devise ways of putting more
emphasis on and more resources into prevention.
Discussion should include the policy and
financial implications of really putting
prevention into practice. The hard choices
which "fail" to be made and the shortfall
between what we say should be done and what has
happened in practice.
/// END ACT ///
The High Commissioner for Human Rights says too often
during recent crises, intervention has been too little
too late.
/// ROBINSON ACT ///
If we look at failures of prevention in the
past, what becomes apparent is that many were
put into effect too late or were half hearted -
the equivalent of bringing a leaky bucket to a
fire that is already threatening to blaze out of
control. Prevention is by no means a new
concept. But there are many cases where
insufficient attention and resources have been
devoted to prevention only for the cost of
repairing the damage afterwards to exceed
preventive costs many times over. And it's
something we should bear in mind. Every effort
and resource we put into prevention would always
be a small proportion of what we will have to
pay when we have failed to prevent.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Robinson outlined a four-point plan to prevent
conflict and its resulting atrocities.
/// ROBINSON ACT ///
Firstly, economic and social development
programs, which have human development as their
chief focus. And which are capable of improving
the lot of the poorest. Secondly,
accountability. Thirdly, strengthening capacity
- support for participatory systems of
government, for democracy, the rule of law, the
judiciary, for national human rights
institutions. And Fourthly, human rights
education. All of these strategies are
important. But I place economic and social
development at the top of the list because I see
it as a fundamental significance. And because
it receives less attention than the others.
/// END ACT ///
The U-N official says rich countries are often guilty
of doublespeak when they talk to developing countries
about rights. She says rich countries urge that civil
and political rights be observed and are properly
critical where abuses occur. However, she says when
it comes to economic, social and cultural rights of
poor countries - and the right to development - they
have a good deal less to say. But Mary Robinson says
those rights are also enshrined in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. (Signed)
NEB/JDC/KL
02-Nov-1999 09:11 AM EDT (02-Nov-1999 1411 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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