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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (43452)	9/12/2002 12:16:56 PM
From: LindyBill	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Not an "accepted source" by John, Nadine. But here is the "New York Times" article on Robinson's final blast at us as she leaves the UN. We are the only country she picks out to go after on "Civil Rights" on her way out the door. At least we know the article contains accurate reporting, because it came down on an engraved tablet from "Mount NYT" September 12, 2002 Departing Rights Commissioner Faults U.S. By JULIA PRESTON UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 11 ? In the final days of her five years in office, Mary Robinson, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, has sharply criticized the United States for eroding civil liberties at home and human rights standards around the world since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "The United States could be a leader in combating terrorism while upholding human rights," Mrs. Robinson said in an interview here on Monday. "Instead it has sought to put all the emphasis on combating terrorism and has not been fully upholding human rights standards. And that's having a ripple effect on other less democratic countries." She cited the United States' use of immigration laws to detain foreigners within its borders for indefinite periods, the racial profiling of people of Arab descent in searches and the prosecution of American citizens as enemy combatants, limiting their rights to legal representation. She also mentioned severe restrictions placed on the prisoners taken during the military campaign in Afghanistan and now being held at the American military base in Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. Mrs. Robinson, the United Nations' top human rights official, said that over the last year, when she questioned other governments on repressive measures, they responded by pointing to the United States and saying, in her words, "For goodness sakes, standards have changed." A number of developing nations have copied antiterrorism measures adopted by the Justice Department in the past year but have applied them to suppress opponents, Mrs. Robinson said. She mentioned new laws and political crackdowns in the name of fighting terrorism in Egypt, Zimbabwe and Pakistan, among others. By coincidence, Mrs. Robinson's term ends on Sept. 11. She did not seek another term. Her successor, Sergio Vieira de Mello, a Brazilian, has spent most of his 33-year career at the United Nations in the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, and recently directed the operation overseeing East Timor's transition to independence from Indonesia. A former president of Ireland, Mrs. Robinson, 58, brought a new outspoken style to the commissioner's job, often rattling the United Nations, traditionally timid about open criticism of governments. She sought to make sure her critique included both developing countries and major powers. Her forthright commentary often grated on Bush administration officials, who complained that she had made confronting the United States a personal cause. In a response on Wednesday, American officials dismissed Mrs. Robinson's contention that they were neglecting rights issues. "In her last days of work, Mrs. Robinson should validate that the United States is a leader in advocating for stronger human rights around the world," said Richard A. Grenell, spokesman for the United States mission here. In February, Mrs. Robinson joined the International Committee of the Red Cross in asking the administration to clarify whether the Guantánamo prisoners would be allowed the protections of the Geneva Conventions for prisoners of war. The administration did not respond to the query, and appears to have applied the conventions "á la carte," she said. She lamented the loss of Washington's help after Sept. 11 in pressing other countries about human rights. "The United States used to play a strong role in raising human rights concerns in its bilateral relations," she said. "Now the United States is more focused on getting coalition partners against terrorism and is not necessarily raising human rights." Mrs. Robinson said she viewed the terrorist attacks a year ago as crimes against humanity, the most grave form of human rights crime. nytimes.com

To: Nadine Carroll who wrote (43452)	9/15/2002 4:41:16 PM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 281500

Nadine, Thanks for the Jerusalem Post article on the Durban Conference. I've read it thoroughly and have tucked the charges away in my memory. But, as you might expect, they are bracketed. I gather there are defenses, counter ways of stacking up the same story, even different stories of what happened. If I become interested I'll check those out as well. Our exchange started over Mary Robinsons' tenure. I'm impressed; you asked how could anyone be impressed given the Durban Conference. I noted that whatever may have happened at Durban, I thought that was only part of the story of her tenure. The Post article doesn't change that impression. I'm still at the following point. Let's assume, just for arguments sake, that the Post story is accurate. To read Robinsons' tenure on the basis of only that one thing is to be quite unfair. One needs to look at her full record. What I've seen of that, I'm impressed. But I should also add that I have problems with stories like the Post story. My paradigm now for these kinds of stories, hatchet jobs, is the Washington Times treatment of the NEA curricular proposal. Find some small item that may or may not reflect the intents of the organization, make that the full story, and never apologize. Having said that, the Post story is more than that. At least more detail. So, rather than discard it, I'll definitely keep it in mind. Thanks again.