[governance] Re: [igf_members] HRW, the UN and "big governments" -- cowardice regarding HR?

[parminder]

Thanks Carlos for reminding us of the unrelenting watchdog role of civil 
society, which should be its defining feature

    While there is "nothing inherently wrong with dialogue and cooperation
    to promote human rights", the group says, there was a danger that it
    could become "a charade designed more to appease critics of complacency
    than to secure change".

Replace 'human rights' with 'public interest (or even better interests 
of marginalised people) in IG', and maybe there is a lesson there for 
IGC and the general IG civil society. Very germane to a discussion on 
IGF reform and of taking forward the process of enhanced cooperation.

parminder
 

Carlos A. Afonso wrote:
> >From BBC News Europe. Sorry for possible cross-postings.
>
> fraternal regards
>
> --c.a.
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12272800
>
> 25 January 2011 Last updated at 03:19 GMT
>
> UN defends Ban Ki-moon against rights 'cowardice' claim
> HRW said Mr Ban placed "undue faith" in his persuasion skills
>
> The UN has defended its Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over accusations
> that he has failed to speak out over human rights issues.
>
> Mr Ban has been singled out for harsh criticism by Human Rights Watch in
> its annual report.
>
> The group said he had been "notably reluctant to put pressure on abusive
> governments".
>
> Mr Ban's office denied this, saying he used both quiet diplomacy and
> public pressure to promote human rights.
>
> But HRW says it wants its annual report to draw attention to "the
> failure of the expected champions of human rights" to defend those
> rights and stand up to abusive governments.
>
> While there is "nothing inherently wrong with dialogue and cooperation
> to promote human rights", the group says, there was a danger that it
> could become "a charade designed more to appease critics of complacency
> than to secure change".
>
> "Whether out of calculation or cowardice, many [UN Security] Council
> members promote dialogue and cooperation as a universal prescription
> without regard to whether a government has the political will to curtail
> its abusive behavior."
>
> The BBC's Barbara Plett at the UN says Mr Ban's style has been more
> discreet than that of his predecessor Kofi Annan. He has often often
> opted to work behind the scenes to pressure governments on human rights
> issues.
> Continue reading the main story
> “Start Quote
>
>     The record shows he has achieved results through both quiet
> diplomacy and public pressure”
>
> End Quote Farhan Haq Spokesman for Ban Ki-moon
>
> But HRW says Mr Ban's "disinclination to speak out about serious human
> rights violators means he is often choosing to fight with one hand tied
> behind his back".
>
> It says that while Mr Ban has made strong comments on human rights when
> visiting, for example, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, he has failed to do
> so with Chinese officials.
> 'Infatuated'
>
> HRW also says Mr Ban appeared to have "placed undue faith in his
> professed ability to convince by private persuasion", citing his
> discussions with leaders including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir,
> Burma's military leader Than Shwe and Sri Lankan President Mahinda
> Rajapaksa.
>
> Mr Ban's spokesman Farhan Haq defended the secretary general's record,
> saying he did speak publicly about human rights when he visited some of
> those countries named by HRW.
>
> "In each case he makes a strategic decision on the most effective to way
> to secure respect for HR [human rights] and accountability," said Mr Haq.
>
> "The record shows he has achieved results through both quiet diplomacy
> and public pressure."
>
> Mr Haq cited the freeing of a jailed gay couple in Malawi as one example
> where quiet diplomacy had proved successful.
>
> The EU also comes under fire in the report - HRW says it has "become
> particularly infatuated with the idea of dialogue and cooperation" and
> criticises foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton, "for repeatedly
> expressing a preference for 'quiet diplomacy' regardless of the
> circumstances".
>
> Meanwhile US President Barack Obama is accused of lacking his "famed
> eloquence" when defending human rights in bilateral contexts with China,
> India and Indonesia, and of failing to ensure other areas of US
> government "convey strong human rights messages consistently".
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> igf_members at intgovforum.org
> http://intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/igf_members_intgovforum.org
>
>   

-- 
PK

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