Posted on 09/08/2002 12:01:11 PM PDT by knighthawk
The outgoing United Nations human rights chief has criticized the United States, Russia and China for their human rights policies, saying they are ignoring civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism.
Mary Robinson, who leaves her post as U.N. high commissioner for human rights next Wednesday, has told the Associated Press that human rights have, in her words, "tended to slip" after the September 11th attacks on the United States.
Ms. Robinson faulted the Bush administration for holding detainees from the war in Afghanistan without charges at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, and for opposing the International Criminal Court. She said the world needs leadership on human rights, but the United States is not providing it.
Ms. Robinson said some countries use the war on terrorism to trample human rights. She singled out Russia's military operations in the southern republic of Chechnya and China's crackdown on Muslim Uighurs and Tibet.
Ms. Robinson, a former president of Ireland, has served five years as the United Nations human rights commissioner. She will be succeeded in the post by Sergio Vieira de Mello, a Brazilian diplomat who most recently headed the interim U.N. administration in East Timor.
Some information for this report provided by AP.
Regards, Ivan
Tha mi tuigsinn, Iain!
Slan leibh,
Eala
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