Agencies: Rights Groups Deride Beijing Accord

22 November 2000

UNITED Nations human rights chief Mary Robinson yesterday held talkswith President Jiang Zemin as pressure groups complained that Beijingwas not being held to account for routine violations. The talks followed the signing on Monday by Ms Robinson andVice-Foreign Minister Wang Guangya of a memorandum ofunderstanding (MoU) under which the UN would help Beijing complywith international rights pacts.

Hailed by Ms Robinson as a ``very significant move by China'', it calls forprogrammes in human-rights education, police training on such issues andthe punishment of minor crimes. She has also voiced concern overBeijing's use of labour camps for dissidents and the banned Falun Gongqigong group.

Beijing signed the UN covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rightsin October 1997 and the covenant on civil and political rights a year laterbut its parliament has so far declined to ratify them. Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi yesterday said the agreementproved Beijing's commitment to human rights and that the governmentwas committed to ratifying the outstanding treaties.

During his meeting with Ms Robinson, President Jiang reiterated Beijing'slong-held position that sovereignty took precedence over human rights.``China has fortunately found its own way of promoting and protectinghuman rights through summing up its historical achievements,'' XinhuaNews Agency quoted Mr Jiang as saying.

Human rights groups yesterday criticised the agreement.``China could use this pretence of co-operation to muzzle UN monitoringprocedures and public criticism of its human rights situation,'' the NewYork-based Human Rights in China said.

Amnesty International feared that the deal would only give Beijing achance to voice hollow support for rights while cracking down onpolitical and religious dissent.``The Chinese government should take concrete steps to improve thehuman rights situation on the ground by addressing widespread torture,executions and repression,'' Amnesty said.

The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights andDemocracy in China also blasted the agreement. ``The human rights situation in China is getting worse ... I don't knowwhat real effect this MoU will have,'' said Frank Lu Siqing, the centre's director.