Submitted by crinadmin on
[GENEVA, 18 September 2006] - The Human Rights Council opened its second session this morning, hearing a message from United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and an address by High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour as well as a series of statements which addressed the situation of human rights in a number of countries. High Commissioner Louise Arbour, reading out the message of Secretary-General Kofi Annan, said the Council was established by a resolution of the General Assembly, but Member States themselves would lay its true foundations, through the decisions they took during these crucial weeks. In particular, they would be discussing the new universal periodic review mechanism and the strengthening of the special procedures – two vital elements of the Council’s work. To reach agreement on these would not be easy. It would require patience and determination. Member States would need to foster an atmosphere, not of confrontation and distrust, but of cooperation and mutual respect. The Member States should not disappoint the hopes of humanity. Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba of Mexico, President of the Human Rights Council, wished to take the opportunity to recall the commitment that each and every member had undertaken whilst seeking membership of the Council, to work to strengthen the system, to work for the victims of human rights violations in all circumstances and all places, and it was important to bear in mind these purposes while starting the work. There should be a collective sense of commitment to the cause to make progress. There should be promotion of an extensive and respectful debate, with innovation whenever it was necessary with regards to methods of work, but practices and procedures that had proved useful should not be abandoned. Ms. Arbour said migration was a pressing issue of international concern on which progress was urgently needed. Violence, depravation and human rights abuses triggered migratory flows to the real or imagined lands of plenty. But such factors played an even greater role in the forced flight of people within countries devastated by conflict, or in their desperate exodus to neighbouring States that were likely unable to provide them with minimal security. This often occurred because the international community’s action was either unforthcoming or hamstrung. The deteriorating situation in Darfur stood out as a tragic reminder of such protection failures. In Iraq, despite positive developments, the human rights situation remained alarming with a break down in law and order. The situation in Sri Lanka had also flared up again and scores of extra-judicial killings continued. In Nepal, significant positive developments had taken place and the declaration of a mutual cease-fire and the beginning of a peace process gave hope that the conflict may be ending. Speaking this morning were the representatives of Pakistan for the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the Holy See, Peru, Canada, Sudan, Finland for the European Union, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Cuba, Iraq, Nepal, Colombia, Republic of Korea, Palestine, Indonesia, Jordan, the Philippines, Argentina, the United States, Bangladesh, and Azerbaijan. Also speaking were representatives of Pax Romana, Amnesty International, the Colombian Commission of Jurists, and International Service for Human Rights Organizations. The next meeting of the Council will be at 3 p.m., when the Council will listen to the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the Chairperson/Rapporteur of the Working Group of Experts on people of African descent, and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, present their reports, and this will be followed by an interactive dialogue.