- 05.05.01

FUORI DALLA COMMISSIONE ONU

USA, DIRITTI E ROVESCI

Boris Biancheri -  L'ESCLUSIONE degli Stati Uniti dalla commissione delle Nazioni Unite per i diritti umani, per la prima volta in mezzo secolo di esistenza, non � cosa che possa prendersi alla leggera n� che vada considerata come un semplice incidente di percorso. E' il segno visibile di una crescente divaricazione che si manifesta nella comunit� internazionale circa i principi del rispetto dei diritti umani e, pi� in generale, circa il ruolo delle Nazioni Unite nella governabilit� mondiale. Il fatto che la Francia sia stata eletta quasi all'unanimit� e l'Austria e la Svezia con buona maggioranza mentre � stata lasciata fuori dalla porta la massima super potenza (che del rispetto dei diritti dell'uomo aveva fatto in tempi non lontani un punto centrale della sua politica estera) pone due interrogativi: perch� ci� sia avvenuto e quali conseguenze questo comporti nell'efficienza del sistema Onu. Le risoluzioni della commissione per i diritti umani hanno un valore eminentemente politico e non operativo. Sono, per intenderci, quelle deliberazioni che mettono di volta in volta sul banco degli accusati la Cina, o l'Iran, o Cuba e di fronte alle quali gli schieramenti si creano sulla base di valutazioni pi� politiche che giuridiche. Che gli Stati Uniti non siedano ora in commissione, dove non sussiste un diritto di veto, � irrilevante da un punto di vista tecnico ma ha evidentemente grande importanza politica. La Dichiarazione Universale dei diritti dell'uomo del 1948, � bene ricordare, prescrive dei comportamenti ma non crea di per s� degli obblighi vincolanti. Ci� cui l'amministrazione Bush si oppone oggi � la tendenza a sostituire valori e obblighi sanciti dalle Costituzioni nazionali con valori e obblighi imposti dalla comunit� internazionale. E' probabile che nella recente sconfitta americana abbia avuto un ruolo rilevante la posizione degli Stati Uniti in materia di pena di morte che, come sappiamo si contrappone alla posizione europea. Senza gli Stati Uniti in commissione, gli abolizionisti guadagnano un punto anche se restano altre voci contrarie. Ma anche a prescindere dalla pena capitale e dai diritti umani in generale, il voto dell'altro giorno � in qualche modo una risposta alla resistenza americana ad ogni forma di disciplina collettiva e obbligatoria dei fenomeni globali, di cui l'universalit� dei diritti dell'uomo � un aspetto ma che ne ha altri nei temi dell'ambiente, o della salute o dell'innovazione tecnologica. Si tratta dunque di un capitolo che non sembra destinato a chiudersi n� facilmente n� presto.

   Friday May 4 11:46 AM ET

U.S. Voted Out of U.N. Rights Group

By ROBIN McDOWELL,  - In an embarrassing blow to American influence abroad, the United States has lost its seat on the U.N. commission that probes human rights abuses for the first time since it was created.Instead, France, Sweden and Austria were chosen Thursday for three seats allocated to Western countries on the 53-member U.N. Human Rights Commission.Diplomats and U.S. officials offered various explanations for the unprecedented slight, including the absence of a U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (news - web sites), retaliation against frequent American criticism of rights abuses in other countries, and a failure to pay U.N. dues.The decision was expected to increase antagonism to the United Nations among conservatives in Washington.``We're very disappointed,'' acting U.S. ambassador James Cunningham said after the vote. ``This won't at all, of course, affect our commitment to human rights issues in and outside of the United Nations. We'll continue to pursue them.''The United States has been a member of the commission since it was established in 1947 and has traditionally played a very active role. Eleanor Roosevelt, the late first lady and human rights advocate, was its first chairperson.In recent years, the United States has been on the forefront of efforts to condemn the human rights records of Cuba, China and other countries.U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson said the United States has made ``a historic contribution'' and expressed hope it ``will return speedily as a member of the commission,'' spokesman Jose Luis Diaz said in a statement.But others noted a growing resentment toward the United States - among both Western and developing countries - over its opposition to international agreements, including a treaty to abolish landmines and another that would create an international criminal court.The vote ``should come as a wake-up call'' to Washington, said Joanna Weschler, the U.N. representative for Human Rights Watch.At the same time, she and others expressed concern that Sudan, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Togo - all countries with poor human rights records - became commission members on Thursday.They joined Syria, Algeria, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, which have also frequently been accused of rights abuses and were elected to the commission last year.``Unfortunately, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights (news - web sites) has more and more become a club of tyrannies,'' said Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. ``I am confident that the United States Congress will take note of what is, unfortunately, really happening to the United Nations.''The commission, which usually meets in Geneva, makes recommendations on the protection and promotion of human rights - either on its own initiative or at the request of the U.N. General Assembly or Security Council.It is part of the U.N. Economic and Social Council, which chooses the commission's new members to three-year terms. About one-third are elected each year.Candidates are nominated by regional groups, and the Western Europe and Others Group proposed four candidates for three seats. France got 52 votes, Austria 41, Sweden 32 and the United States 29.Though the United States will be unable to vote on commission resolutions, it can still initiate and co-sponsor resolutions and lobby other governments to vote a particular way.Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a member of the U.S. delegation to last month's commission meeting in Geneva, said that ``gross violators of human rights'' - including China - seek membership on the commission ``to avoid scrutiny.''``I think now more than ever, especially since there is so much hypocrisy on the commission, the U.S. should move even more aggressively to reclaim a seat,'' he said.But Cuba's Foreign Ministry called the vote proof of ``the arrogance and coercive methods'' it claimed Washington regularly employs in international organizations, according to a statement carried by Cuba's Prensa Latina news service.Election to seats on U.N. bodies involves intense lobbying, and the United States has been at a disadvantage since the January departure of Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. President Bush (news - web sites) nominated veteran diplomat John Negroponte as U.N. ambassador in March, but his nomination has not yet been sent to the Senate for confirmation.Rep. Nita Lowey (news - bio - voting record), D-N.Y., who co-chairs the Bipartisan Congressional U.N. Working Group, called the vote ``an embarrassment for our country'' and accused Bush of dragging his feet in getting key foreign policy officials confirmed.``The U.S. commitment to human rights has fallen victim to the administration's laissez-faire attitude toward diplomacy and foreign policy,'' she said.Anita Klum, secretary-general of the Swedish Foundation for Human Rights, said the U.S. stance on the death penalty may also have contributed to the decision.The United States this week opposed an anti-death penalty resolution put forward by the European Union (news - web sites) to the commission.``Even NGOs who were attending the meeting as observers were also criticizing the United States about the death penalty,'' Klum said from Stockholm.