Kindgo
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/2855737.stm
Libya's appointment was heavily criticised
The United Nations Human Rights Commission has begun its annual session in Geneva amid criticism that its chair - Libya - is itself guilty of gross human rights violations.
Libya was elected to head the commission in January over strong objections by the United States and human rights watchdog groups.
The 53-state assembly is meant to try to uphold the observance of minimum standards for human rights by governments worldwide.
But it has no real means of forcing authorities to adopt its codes.
This six week-long annual session is a chance for member states to name and shame publicly abusers of human rights.
Participating nations can pass resolutions highlighting or condemning violations committed inside countries, although resolutions are only adopted when voted upon by a majority of the commission - and that is the hard part.
The member states are all protecting very different political interests and proposals are rarely agreed.
Accusations
This year, with international tensions mounting over Iraq, the commission is in for some hard diplomatic wrangling.
The US has strongly criticised the appointment of Libya, which is already under UN sanctions for the 1988 Pan-Am bombing, saying it does not have a legitimate right to head the assembly.
On Monday, the media watchdog group - Reporters Without Borders (RSF) - was suspended after showering the meeting with leaflets criticising Libya's record.
In a statement, RSF said that Libya's heading of the commission was a "sick joke" that called into question its credibility.
Other countries, however, are expected to raise concerns about a possible US violation of human rights over its treatment of prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay.
They say the US is holding the prisoners unfairly.
Human rights watchdog groups fear the commission is becoming blurred and unfocused.
They have called on member countries not to let political and economic concerns stand in the way of taking action against real human rights abuses.
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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