Military

DATE=03/14/2004

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-N / HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (L O)

NUMBER=2-314098

BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN

DATELINE=GENEVA

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The United Nations Human Rights Commission opens its annual session Monday amid complaints that its work is irrelevant. During the next six weeks, the commission will examine gross violations of human rights around the world and present reports on issues such as torture, arbitrary detention and summary executions. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva.

TEXT: This 60th meeting will see a move by Arab, Islamic and African countries to do away with the agenda item that publicly names and shames nations guilty of abusing human rights.

In its stead, the Libyan U-N ambassador in Geneva, Najat Al-Hajjaji, says the group favors a plan to provide offending countries with technical and advisory services to help them improve their human rights records.

///AL-HAJJAJI ACT///

I agree. Personally, personally yes. We must try something else. We have been dealing with those countries for several years, maybe without getting any progress or improvement in human rights of their respective countries. So, let us try something else. Let us try to help them. Instead of targeting them. Let us do this.

///END ACT///

Controversially, Ms. Al-Hajjaji last year was elected as president of the 53-member commission. The United States, supported by the European Union and other western nations, opposed her election. They argued that it was unacceptable to have the commission led by a representative of a country which was a gross violator of human rights. Libya has since made a number of political concessions to improve its position within the world community.

Ms. Al-Hajjaji says the commission's "naming and shaming" policy is a legacy of the cold war era and should be abandoned. However, the Acting High Commissioner of Human Rights, Bertrand Ramcharan, rejects this suggestion outright.

///RAMCHARAN ACT///

It is my belief that a Commission on Human Rights must always be ready to deal with situations of gross violations of human rights. It is a matter of principle. A commission on human rights which is no longer ready to condemn gross violations of human rights will no longer be a commission on human rights.

///END ACT///

///OPT///

Adrien Claude Zoller is the president of the private group, Geneva for Human Rights. He too says he is aghast at the proposal described by the Libyan Ambassador.

///ZOLLER ACT///

If you stop the condemnation, if you stop the naming of those who are responsible -- this is the beginning of a total impunity.

///END ACT///

///END OPT///

Some human rights organizations such as Amnesty International accuse the commission of turning a blind eye to human rights violations and allowing perpetrators to operate with impunity. They point to countries with appalling human rights records, such as Algeria, China, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Zimbabwe, which it says have escaped serious scrutiny. (SIGNED)

NEB/LS/DW/RH