U.S. Government Supports "Naming and Shaming" of Human Rights Violators

(Clearwisdom.net) On March 25, 2004, Ambassador Richard S. Williamson, the United States Representative to the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, made a speech regarding "item 9" of the commission's agenda, the "Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world."

He said the practice of "naming and shaming" gross violators of basic human rights provides the victims a voice and solidarity with the international community.

"It is important to keep faith with the ideals and aspirations enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," said Williamson. "They are noble ideals, which give voice to the inalienable rights of every man and woman."

He also said, "Furthermore, we should not diminish the desire of governments for international respectability. To be 'named and shamed' for violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is to have that respectability challenged. Countries singled out by the U.N. Commission on Human Rights are being held to account for their unacceptable behavior. Their violations of human rights are not going unnoticed. Their abuses are sustained in the shroud of silence and threatened by the light of public examination. Their abuses of the basic rights of their own citizens lessen their legitimacy and respectability in the community of nations. And we have seen countries modify their behavior as a consequence of Commission resolutions. Some regimes modify their behavior only slightly in hopes of escaping future Commission examination. Some reform more substantially, but in either event good has been done. And we should, we must, be diligent until the inalienable rights of all men and women are enjoyed by all people, everywhere."

He continued, "There is no one simple path or one act that prompts nations to be just, to respect and sustain human rights. Sometimes it is the conscience and moral outrage of non-victims that makes the difference."

He said it would be a "grave mistake" to delete agenda item 9, which empowers the "naming and shaming" of human rights abusers. Williamson said democracies that respect human rights have an obligation to hold countries accountable for unacceptable behavior.

Williamson concluded his speech by commenting on repression in China:

"We began 2003 with hopes that the incremental but unprecedented progress in China seen in 2002 would continue and expand. However, throughout the year, regrettably, we saw backsliding on key human rights issues. There was an increase in arrests of democracy activists, individuals discussing subjects deemed sensitive by the Government on the Internet, HIV/AIDS activists, protesting workers, defense lawyers advocating on behalf of dissidents or the dispossessed, house-church members and others seeking to take advantage of the space created by Chinese reforms. Harsh repression of the Falun Gong continued, and the Chinese Government, at times, used the war on terror to justify its continuing crackdown on Muslim Uighurs.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Government's record in Tibet remains poor; ongoing abuses include execution without due process, torture, arbitrary arrest, detention without public trial, and lengthy detention of Tibetans for peacefully expressing their political or religious views.

There is much China can do to meet its commitments as outlined in the 2002 bilateral human rights dialogue and to make key structural reforms such as the elimination of 'extra-judicial re-education through labor.' We encourage China to do so and to engage the international community in ways in which it can promote the civic and political rights of the Chinese people."

Reference:

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20040329-10.html