Tibet: China Should Not Re-Enter UN Rights Body
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said that China is attempting to ‘whitewash’ its tainted human rights record by seeking reelection to the United Nations Human Rights Council.Below is an article published by Phayul:
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy based here [Dharamsala] said that China is attempting to ‘whitewash’ its tainted human rights record by seeking reelection to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
China will contest the election of the UN Human Rights Council on May 12 when 18 [2009] nations will become members of the council.
The Tibetan human rights monitoring agency said China as a state has failed “miserably in terms of its human rights record in the whole of China and particularly in Tibet.”
“This failure is clearly evident in Tibet in light of the Tibetan people's mass uprising against the State in spring last year. The Tibetans, in one voice in all the Tibetan areas in present day China, showed their discontentment and rejection of the Chinese rule which has been marked by gross violations of human rights,” the centre said in a press release Friday [8 May 2009].
“China should not be re-elected to the Human Rights Council unless and until it can demonstrate not only by policy formulation but in practice its commitment to the protection of human rights of the Tibetan people.”
China’s current membership expires on June 19, 2009 and its second term in the Council, say analysts, will raise questions on its eligibility as a member. “This move will also develop a concern towards the credibility of the Council itself which is established on the premise that ‘members elected to the Council shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.”
Tibetan rights groups say that the protests throughout Tibet against the government was a clear indication that the Tibetan people did not want Chinese rule in the region which is marked by flagrant human rights violation.
China as the most populated nation and one of the key players in the international system needs to exhibit evidences of moral uprightness and tolerance in order to be considered eligible for re election to the council.
The UN Human Rights Council was formerly the ‘UN Commission on Human Rights’ which was dissolved in June 2006 to better address the human rights issues in the world and to do away with the inadequacies of the previous body.
The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy based here [Dharamsala] said that China is attempting to ‘whitewash’ its tainted human rights record by seeking reelection to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
China will contest the election of the UN Human Rights Council on May 12 when 18 [2009] nations will become members of the council.
The Tibetan human rights monitoring agency said China as a state has failed “miserably in terms of its human rights record in the whole of China and particularly in Tibet.”
“This failure is clearly evident in Tibet in light of the Tibetan people's mass uprising against the State in spring last year. The Tibetans, in one voice in all the Tibetan areas in present day China, showed their discontentment and rejection of the Chinese rule which has been marked by gross violations of human rights,” the centre said in a press release Friday [8 May 2009].
“China should not be re-elected to the Human Rights Council unless and until it can demonstrate not only by policy formulation but in practice its commitment to the protection of human rights of the Tibetan people.”
China’s current membership expires on June 19, 2009 and its second term in the Council, say analysts, will raise questions on its eligibility as a member. “This move will also develop a concern towards the credibility of the Council itself which is established on the premise that ‘members elected to the Council shall uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.”
Tibetan rights groups say that the protests throughout Tibet against the government was a clear indication that the Tibetan people did not want Chinese rule in the region which is marked by flagrant human rights violation.
China as the most populated nation and one of the key players in the international system needs to exhibit evidences of moral uprightness and tolerance in order to be considered eligible for re election to the council.
The UN Human Rights Council was formerly the ‘UN Commission on Human Rights’ which was dissolved in June 2006 to better address the human rights issues in the world and to do away with the inadequacies of the previous body.
