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U.N. rights chief brands attacks "crimes of (Against) humanity"
Reuters | 9/25/01 | Stephanie Nebehay

Posted on 09/25/2001 11:27:49 AM PDT by kattracks

GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, called on Tuesday for the world to recognise the suicide attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon as "crimes against humanity".

Such recognition would oblige all states to cooperate with both the United States and United Nations in bringing the perpetrators to justice, she told a news conference.

A global consensus including Arab and Muslim states would also signal that such "deliberate depravity" and targeting of civilians cannot be carried out in the name of Islam, she added.

Robinson, a former President of Ireland, urged the United States and European Union member states not to deprive minorities or asylum seekers of their civil liberties in the name of "tackling terrorism" after the attacks.

The U.S. administration accuses Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden of being behind the hijacking of commercial airliners which slammed into the New York and Washington landmarks, leaving 7,000 people dead or missing.

"We concluded in the Office of the High Commissioner that the events of September 11 undoubtedly constituted acts of terrorism but they also crossed a line.

"To us, the line that was crossed brought these acts into what we would characterise as crimes against humanity," Robinson declared.

"If these are crimes against humanity, every country would owe a duty to work with the United Nations, work with the United States, to bring the perpetrators to justice," she added.

Crimes against humanity were outlawed by the postwar Geneva Conventions but there has been no global body to prosecute those who commit them.

The International Criminal Court, which Robinson hopes will be set up in 12-18 months, says that crimes against humanity include the deliberate targeting of civilians. It will not, however, be able to take up cases the predate its existence.

FEARS BACKLASH

Robinson specifically said it would be "healthy" if the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) would join in denouncing the attacks as crimes against humanity so that no such future attacks could be carried out invoking Islamic law.

The OIC, representing the world's 1.2 billion Muslims in 55 states, has condemned the attacks as "barbaric and criminal".

Robinson said it was vital to follow up on the recent U.N. Conference against Racism, held in South Africa, and its call to fight the "evils of Islamophobia, anti-Arab sentiment and anti-Semitism" while protecting minorities such as refugees.

"This agenda can help us to retain a very important balance, so that in harnessing global abilities and capabilities to address acts of terrorism and terrorist organisations, we don't make the mistake of eroding civil liberties, of having the situation of refugees and asylum seekers greatly worsened," she said.

Referring to a meeting last week of EU justice and home affairs ministers -- which agreed bold anti-terrorism measures such as a common European arrest and extradition warrant -- she said:

"The outcome of that could be worrying for a further erosion of certain liberties in European countries and a harsher climate and context for refugees and asylum seekers."

Without naming names, she added: "I have no doubt that there are countries who are gearing up to tackle terrorism by clamping down on human rights defenders."


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 09/25/2001 11:27:49 AM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
Who cares what the UN thinks? They can't stand being put in their place and ignored.

Phuque the UN.

prambo

2 posted on 09/25/2001 11:31:04 AM PDT by prambo
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To: kattracks
Thanks for posting this, but I stopped caring what anyone at the United Nations thought a long, long time ago.

Eff them all.

3 posted on 09/25/2001 11:31:25 AM PDT by George Smiley (george.smiley@lycos.com)
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To: kattracks
Thanks, but no thanks. All murder is a crime against humanity. Another term for "hate crime". This was an act of war against the United States. Don't want to be any more obligated to them than we already are. Payback's a bitch.

as if anyone asked my opinion :-}

4 posted on 09/25/2001 11:31:35 AM PDT by Protect the Bill of Rights
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To: kattracks
The recent "World Conference Against Whitey" Moslem hate-fest in Durban may have brought Mary Robinson around a bit.
5 posted on 09/25/2001 11:32:46 AM PDT by Travis McGee
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To: all
It will be interesting to see what the response is to this from all of the countries who put much stock in the UN, when it comes to bashing the US that is.
6 posted on 09/25/2001 11:34:37 AM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
Feeling a bit left out after all those efforts to appease and negotiate with the Taliban, are they?

to recognise the suicide attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon as "crimes against humanity".

Is there a talking point running around the leftist groups saying that the phrase terrorist attack must be replaced by suicide attack? The terrorists as victims? GRRR!

7 posted on 09/25/2001 11:34:43 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
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To: prambo
Well, sure, but stuff like this does help us in the propaganda war. It echoes President Bush's speech comparing Al Qaeda to Fascists and Nazis and totalitarians. It also gives notice to the Islamic states that have been using the UN as their anti-semitic and anti-American playground lately that there is some terrorism that even the UN will not make excuses for.
8 posted on 09/25/2001 11:36:17 AM PDT by Dems_R_Losers
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To: ratcat, backhoe, t-shirt, Libertina, B4Ranch, ppaul
FYI (Deport the UN)
9 posted on 09/25/2001 11:36:37 AM PDT by TrueBeliever9
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To: kattracks
"crimes against humanity".

I hate that term.

10 posted on 09/25/2001 11:38:33 AM PDT by deadrock
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Is there a talking point running around the leftist groups saying that the phrase terrorist attack must be replaced by suicide attack? The terrorists as victims? GRRR!

This is indicative of Reuters' decision to stop using the word "terrorist" to describe the September 11 atrocities. The head of Reuters even said that "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Notice that in this article the only use of the word "terrorist" is in quotes from Mary Robinson.

11 posted on 09/25/2001 11:39:12 AM PDT by Dems_R_Losers
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To: Dems_R_Losers
Commentary: Avoiding the word "terrorist"
12 posted on 09/25/2001 11:41:45 AM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
"The International Criminal Court, which Robinson hopes will be set up in 12-18 months, says that crimes against humanity include the deliberate targeting of civilians." I think this is the key, here. They're determined to push their leftist agenda on us one way or the other. I guess this is where the political leaders tell the sheeple , 'You see, we need the IC for future terrorists to be brought to international justice.'
13 posted on 09/25/2001 11:43:16 AM PDT by monkeywrench
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To: kattracks
Who cares what they have to say. We're not even on the Human Rights Commission anymore, remember?
14 posted on 09/25/2001 11:44:05 AM PDT by arkfreepdom
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To: UN_list

Indexing for the UN_list. Click Mary Robinson's mug to see the list.

15 posted on 09/25/2001 11:47:31 AM PDT by RippleFire
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To: Travis McGee
U.N ...laying groundwork for International Court as{" result of horrible terrorist attacks"}
16 posted on 09/25/2001 11:55:35 AM PDT by freedomnews
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To: arkfreepdom
It would be real interesting to know how many of those who made the most noise either in opposing the US on the commission or in ragging on us for leaving the Durban conference had foreknowledge or expectations that the 9/11 murders were to take place.
Participants in the Durban conference barely had time to unpack before the towers were attacked. ...How many of them will find themselves on the "supports terrorism" list?
17 posted on 09/25/2001 11:56:16 AM PDT by norton
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To: kattracks
Sounds like the UN just realized that the train left the station without them.
18 posted on 09/25/2001 12:01:27 PM PDT by Overtaxed
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To: monkeywrench
That's it exactly. By defining this as a crime against humanity, rather than an act of war, they're trying to grab the reins from the US and push their antisovereignty agenda.
19 posted on 09/25/2001 12:16:53 PM PDT by kaylar
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To: kaylar
If Dubya lets them get away with anything - even the eensiest little smidgen - he can kiss my vote goodbye in 2004.

The UN is part of the problem and, ergo, should have nothing to do with the solution. Unless "involvement" is defined as absorbing a couple of ArcLight strikes.

prambo

20 posted on 09/25/2001 12:24:17 PM PDT by prambo
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