Panties on head = "Auschwitz redux"
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Posted on 03/14/2005 9:27:05 AM PST by NormsRevenge
GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States, usually a finger-pointer on human rights, could end up in the dock itself over reports of torture and abuse in its war on terror when the United Nations (news - web sites) begins a worldwide scrutiny this week.
Activists, such as the New York-based Human Rights Watch, are urging members of the Commission on Human Rights to condemn Washington for mistreatment of prisoners detained abroad.
If any such move emerges during the commission's annual session, which starts on Monday, the United States will be in a similar position to Cuba, Iran (news - web sites) and Sudan, countries which Washington and others are likely to seek to pillory.
"If the commission is going to be taken seriously, it needs to be looking at the United States as well as Cuba, China and other serious human rights situations," said Loubna Freih, Geneva representative of Human Rights Watch.
So far, only Washington's political enemy Cuba has said it will attempt to bring the abuse issue before the commission.
The United States has been strongly criticized over revelations of abuse of prisoners in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites) and allegations of mistreatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
But for many activists and diplomats, it is debatable whether the commission, whose 53 members include many states whose rights' records are questionable, can still be taken seriously.
Sudan, whose government has been accused by a U.N.-appointed commission of inquiry of "heinous crimes" in its western Darfur region, is a member, as are Zimbabwe and Saudi Arabia, two other countries where critics say abuse is common.
A high-level panel of experts probing the workings of the U.N., at the request of Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites), concluded its credibility had been eroded because members were more concerned with protecting themselves and their allies than in exposing rights violations.
POLITICAL HEAT
Launched in 1946, the Geneva-based commission examines nations' adherence to treaties and conventions on issues ranging from illegal killings and arbitrary detention to women's rights, child pornography and the right to food and health.
But the most political heat has traditionally been generated by report cards on individual countries.
Israel's actions in Palestinian territory under military occupation will be again condemned, as will North Korea (news - web sites), Myanmar and possibly Belarus, diplomats say.
The six-week session could also see tough words for Nepal, where King Gyanendra sacked the government and took full powers, adding to what Amnesty International says is a "human rights catastrophe."
However, it was not certain there would be a fresh bid to censure China over reported repression of ethnic and religious minorities and other alleged abuses, or Russia over continuing kidnappings and disappearances blamed on security forces in the rebel region of Chechnya (news - web sites).
Russia was last criticized in 2001, but China has always successfully used procedural maneuvers to block any bid to condemn it.
African members of the commission may rally enough support to ensure that Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe's government has been widely accused of repressing dissent, again escapes rebuke, diplomats say.
One more good reason for John Bolton!
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Panties on head = "Auschwitz redux"
FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel ping list.
WARNING: This is a high volume ping list
Wasn't this the same human rights panel that was chaired by Cuba and Libya?
No more UN for US-list
If people want on or off this list, please let me know.
The commission should begin with A, B and C nations, in that order.
You gotta give HRW a real award for chudspa (sp) using the UN commission on Human Rights to criticize America.
Those EU and San Francisco funding lists must be really going nuts over this one.
We should be able to do our own torturing, in our own country, without having to worry about world opinion.
First thing I thought of...he can't be appointed fast enough.
FMCDH(BITS)
Feh! What a joke the UN is! The UN is about as useful as hydrogen was for the Hindenburg!
Groups such as Human Rights Watch and AI are as discredited as the UN.
Yes it is - but Bolton should be telling the UN that the President is sending a very clear message - GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER OR WE'RE OUTTA HERE!!
I think Tony Blankley or Oliver North commented on that too.
The writer of this article is a moron to make it sound like a UN attack on an American action is anything special. These are the same people that, just a few days before 9-11, held a conference that bashed on the US and Israel --where a paper was presented by a few prominent "progressives" suggesting that the US was a police state. The UN has been out to bring down the reputation of the US for awhile now. I imagine they have even more motivation to attack the US now that we brought down Saddam, and they can no longer make a profit off the dictator.
Can't wait to see Bolton in action.
'Dick' Waddington?
Okay, Dick. There's usually a reason to point fingers, as you phrase it. Other countries have unjust governments, that enslave their people. The US says - that's not a good thing. The UN, apparently, says that it is.
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