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Text: Ambassador Rubin's Remarks on



Subject: Text: Ambassador Rubin's Remarks on Human Rights, Country     Situations 

08 November 1999 
US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
     Text: Ambassador Rubin's Remarks on Human Rights, Country
     Situations

     (Human rights in China deteriorated in past year, envoy says) (3380)

     United Nations -- The United States singled out the human rights
     situations in Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Belarus,
     Bosnia, Croatia, and FR Yugoslavia as areas of concern during the
     General Assembly's annual human rights review November 8.

     In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly's Third Committee, Ambassador
     Nancy Rubin also applauded the improvement of Nigeria's human rights
     record over the last 16 months.

     Rubin, who is the U.S. representative to the Commission on Human
     Rights in Geneva, told the committee that "the overall human rights
     situation in China has deteriorated since last year" with the
     government's continued crackdown of political dissidents and abuses of
     minority groups in Tibet and Xinjiang.

     Rubin also said that the United States is concerned by:

     -- continuing reports of harassment and intimidation of journalists
     and political figures in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

     -- Cuba's regular intimidation and harassment of anyone who speaks
     out;

     -- Baghdad's denial of freedom of speech, assembly and religion to
     Iraqi civilians;

     -- Reports of mass arrests of hundreds of Hazara and Shia civilians in
     central Afghanistan;

     -- Belarus' retreat from international human rights principles;

     -- Intensified restrictions on free speech, press and assembly in
     Burma;

     -- North Korea's continued denial of the most basic human rights of
     its citizens;

     -- Bosnia's failure to implement human rights decisions under the
     Dayton agreements; and

     -- Croatia's respect for due process, rule of law, ethnic minorities
     and press freedoms falling short of OSCE standards.

     Rubin said that with his regime's brutal use of police and military
     force against Kosovo's Albanian community as well as the denial of
     press, assembly and freedom of expression of all Yugoslavs, President
     Slobodan Milosevic has "trampled on the rights of all citizens" of FRY
     (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia).

     Following is the text of the ambassador's remarks:

     (begin text)

     November 8, 1999

     Statement by Ambassador Nancy Rubin, United States Representative to
     the Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights: Country Situations, 3rd
     Committee, November 8, 1999

     Thank you Mr. Chairman. The United States remains concerned about
     Human Rights all over the world. Allow me to review particular areas
     of concern that we note around the world.

     Mr. Chairman, in Sudan sixteen years of civil war has left nearly two
     million people, most of them innocent civilians, dead. The government
     of Sudan has frequently interfered with deliveries of emergency food
     and supplies to victims of the war in the South. The government
     continues to support the Lord's Resistance Army, a Ugandan rebel group
     that has carried off thousands of Ugandan children into slavery and
     forced military service. The Lord's Resistance Army is guilty of the
     murders of many of these children. There continue to be credible
     reports of slavery and the slave trade in Sudan. The Government of
     Sudan must use its authority to stop the practice of slavery and trade
     in human beings. Religious freedom is not guaranteed in Sudan.
     Persecution of Christians and animists continues. Buildings belonging
     to the Catholic Church in Khartoum have been destroyed and permits for
     new church structures are routinely refused. Missionaries are denied
     visas. Reports of attempts to force conversion of military recruits
     and others are common. Priests and bishops have been arrested on
     spurious charges. The human rights situation in Sudan is unlikely to
     improve significantly as long as the civil war continues. We urge all
     parties to negotiate seriously at the talks held under the auspices of
     the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

     On the other hand, Nigeria's human rights record has improved greatly
     over the last 16 months. The Aboubakar transitional government, and
     since May the administration of President Obasanjo, have made great
     progress in improving government respect for human rights. The
     Government of Nigeria has released political prisoners, dismissed
     corrupt associates of General Abacha, and invited political exiles to
     return. The Nigerian Government held four rounds of elections between
     last December and February, which, although marked by numerous
     irregularities, did help the return to the path of democracy. Nigeria
     already enjoyed a strong independent press, which continues to play a
     vibrant role in civil society. While we applaud the Nigerian
     Government for its displayed commitment to rooting out official
     corruption, we urge the Government of Nigeria to rescind all remaining
     repressive political decrees, including Decree Two, which allows the
     government to arrest and detain persons without trial or access to
     legal counsel.

     Mr. Chairman, we are also concerned by continuing reports of
     harassment, intimidation and detention of journalists, NGO personnel
     and opposition political figures in the Democratic Republic of the
     Congo. Despite the peace accords signed in Lusaka this past summer,
     neither measures to ensure security nor to broaden domestic political
     participation have been effectively implemented. We are equally
     concerned by human rights abuses in territory controlled by both
     government and rebel groups. Turning to Burundi, the recent upswing in
     rebel attacks and government counterattacks have indiscriminately
     killed numerous civilians. We urge both sides to avoid actions, which
     victimize the innocent.

     In Iran, Mr. Chairman, despite some improvements, the government's
     human rights record leaves much to be desired. Systematic abuses
     include extrajudicial killings and summary executions, disappearances,
     widespread use of torture and other degrading treatment, harsh prison
     conditions, arbitrary arrest and detention, lack of due process, and
     restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, association,
     religion, and movement.

     Elements of the government have used violent tactics to oppose
     widespread public interest in promoting greater attention to the rule
     of law and the development of civil society. The trend toward greater
     freedom of expression and thought, which we all welcome, is under
     attack through arbitrary arrests, the closure of reform-oriented
     publications, and the murders of several dissident writers. The
     Government discriminates against ethnic and religious minorities,
     particularly the Baha'is who have come under increasing repression by
     conservative elements in the judiciary and security establishment.
     Women face legal and social discrimination. Vigilant groups enforce
     their interpretation of appropriate social behavior through
     intimidation and violence.

     In Iraq, the human rights situation remain alarming. Citizens are
     denied freedom of speech, assembly, and religion. They have no right
     to change their government. Relatives and close friends from Saddam
     Hussein's hometown hold most key positions. A 1991 law outlaws
     opposition parties, and the 250-seat national assembly has no power.
     The rule of law is non-existent. State control is maintained by the
     extensive use of intimidation through arrest, torture, and summary
     execution. People have been executed merely because of their
     association with an opposition group or as part of an effort to reduce
     prison populations. Iraq's prisons are notoriously overcrowded. Some
     hold as many as five times their designed capacity.

     The Shi'ite Muslim majority, comprising over 60 percent of the
     population, faces severe and ongoing persecution. Indeed, the scale
     and seventy of Iraqi attacks on Shi'a civilians in the South of Iraq
     seem to be increasing. The army arrested thousands of Shi'ites in 1999
     and executed an undetermined number of these detainees. Security
     forces have desecrated Shit'ite mosques and holy sites. The army has
     indiscriminately targeted civilian Shit'ite Marsh Arab villagers,
     razed homes, and, in order to flush out Shi'ite guerillas, has drained
     southern Amara and Hammar marshes, causing grave environmental damage
     and destroying entire villages. The Iraqi regime has used civilians,
     including small children, as "human shields" against military attack.
     It neglects the health and nutritional needs of its children, and
     discriminates against religious minorities and ethnic groups. Human
     rights monitors and other observers are restricted from investigating
     abuses. The Special Rapporteur has been denied entry into Iraq for
     seven years. The government and security forces have harassed,
     intimidated, and reportedly offered rewards for killing international
     relief personnel.

     I think it is sadly ironic that Saddam's representatives would speak
     at all on this issue here in New York with any words other than
     contrition, shame and sorrow for the pain and suffering the regime has
     brought upon its own people, particularly the vulnerable population
     groups to the North and South of the country. The fact that Iraq
     remains an agenda item speaks for itself. The fact that the
     international community remains united in acknowledging the need for a
     Special Human Rights Rapporteur speaks for itself. And finally, Mr.
     Chairman, the fact that the Iraqi regime has refused to allowed that
     Rapporteur to return to Iraq -- that Iraq "is still unwilling to
     establish a constructive dialogue with the human rights mechanisms
     established by the United Nations for the effective promotion and
     protection of human rights" -- to quote directly from the report -- is
     a fact that speaks louder than words. Whatever the Iraqis said here
     earlier this morning is irrelevant, Mr. Chairman, it is what they do
     in the region that counts.

     Mr. Chairman, this year the people of Afghanistan were subjected to
     another round of fighting. The Taliban's July 28 offensive against the
     opposition forces drove tens of thousands from their homes and caused
     hundreds of civilian casualties. In March, the visiting UN Rapporteur
     on Human Rights, Dr. Kamal Hossain, described the Afghan people as
     reduced to becoming hostages in their own land while externally armed
     forces seek to rule Afghanistan without the effective participation or
     consent of its people. This year we have received reports of mass
     arrests of hundreds of Hazara and Shia civilians in Afghanistan's
     central region by Taliban authorities, allegedly in reprisal for
     attacks against Taliban forces. We call upon all factions to respect
     the rights of non-combatants. We also call for the release of
     non-combatants in detention, and a full investigation of reported mass
     killings.

     The human rights situation in Burma also remains dismal. The people of
     Burma continue to live under a highly repressive, authoritarian
     military regime that is widely condemned for its serious human rights
     abuses. The regime has intensified its restrictions on basic rights of
     free speech, press, assembly, and association and shows no sign of a
     willingness to cede its hold on absolute power. Political party
     activity remains severely restricted. Although the government
     recognizes the opposition National League of Democracy as a legal
     entity, they frequently prevent the party from conducting normal
     activities. Since 1998 the regime has detained many NLD members and,
     through security measures and threats, pressured others to resign,
     closed party offices throughout the country, and severely constrained
     the activities of NLD General Secretary Aung San Suu Kyi. One positive
     development in the human rights situation in Burma this year was that
     the government permitted the International Committee of the Red Cross
     access to prisons and implemented some recommendations for reform.

     Mr. Chairman, the overall human rights situation in China has
     deteriorated since last year. The Government of China has continued
     the crackdown on organized political dissent begun in late 1998 and
     national and regional leaders of the China Democracy Party have
     received harsh sentences for exercising their international right to
     freedom of expression, speech and assembly. The crackdown on Falun
     Gong spiritual movement also is of concern to the United States. Tens
     of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained for
     varying lengths of time and some leaders have received prison
     sentences, books and tapes have been confiscated and destroyed and
     practitioners have been subject of harassment and in some cases have
     lost their jobs. While we take no position on its beliefs, the Falun
     Gong appears to be a peaceful, nonpolitical movement that advocates
     self-cultivation. The use of heavy-handed tactic and a legal ban to
     suppress the movement appears to be unwarranted. China's efforts to
     restrict religious practice and manifestations of belief in China,
     including Tibet, are deeply troubling. We have called upon China to
     relax or eliminate registration requirements for religious groups and
     allow all groups to freely manifest their beliefs. The human rights
     situation in areas where there are concentrations of minority groups
     such as Tibet and Xinjiang have been a particular focus of human
     rights concern. In Tibet, reports of the abuse of political and
     religious prisoners continue and the patriotic reeducation campaign
     has been intensified in an attempt to control monasteries. China has
     made progress in legal reform and the Criminal Law and Criminal
     Procedure laws have been redrafted. However, we remain concerned that
     political and religious prisoners do not have the same protections as
     ordinary Chinese and that due process is ignored in political cases.

     In North Korea, there has been no perceivable progress in 1999 in
     improving their poor record with regard to Human Rights, The North
     Korean government continues to deny its citizens the most basic human
     rights. We would like to see the government take steps to respect
     fundamental human rights.

     Mr. Chairman, last January, Indonesia announced its decision to hold a
     consultation to allow the East Timorese to decide whether to remain
     part of Indonesia or to become independent. In the months leading up
     to the UN administered vote pro-autonomy militias, in many cases armed
     and organized by the Indonesian army and police used violence and
     harassment to intimidate voters. The situation deteriorated further
     after the vote was announced and it became know that 80 percent of the
     population had voted for independence. Militias went on a rampage
     burning, looting, and killing. Over 500,000 people fled or were forced
     from their homes. Over 250,000 are now in West Timor, in camps
     controlled by the militias. The security situation in the camps has
     made it impossible for those who want to return home to do so. It has
     also made it impossible, in many cases, for International humanitarian
     organizations to deliver humanitarian assistance. In East Timor, the
     devastation to East Timor's towns and villages as a result of the
     militia's scorched earth policy is overwhelming.

     The Government of Cuba also continues to repress the fundamental
     freedoms of its citizens, including the night to free speech,
     assembly, religion, association and, most importantly, the right to
     change their government peaceably. The Cuban government continues to
     detain and arrest dissidents, human rights activists, and independent
     journalists. Persons who seek peacefully to express their views are
     regularly intimidated and harassed. The leaders of the Dissident
     Working Group remain incarcerated for the "crime" of criticizing the
     Cuban Communist Party Congress and urging democratic change. In sum,
     the Cuban government continues to persecute those who speak out
     against its policies. The state's instruments of repression are very
     much intact, and there has been no systemic change. For these reasons,
     the international community passed a resolution at the Commission on
     Human Rights in April highlighting the government's failure to protect
     basic human rights and urging it to do so.

     Mr. Chairman, since the U.S. raised Belarus last year, Belarus has
     retreated from international human rights principles. Serious and
     frequent human rights violations continue, as does the absence of a
     legal framework consistent with basic democratic principles. Excessive
     power remains concentrated in the executive branch of the government
     as a result of the 1996 constitutional referendum, which the OSCE
     Troika and much of the international community rejected. Furthermore,
     in 1996 President Aleksandr Lukasheriko extended his term of office by
     an additional two years, until 2001. July 20th marked the end of his
     legal term of office as president. He now holds power illegitimately.
     The government continues to Suppress freedom of expression, of
     association, and of assembly. Recent events, including the ongoing
     detention and disappearances of prominent political figures, the
     unjustified repression of the October 17 "Freedom March," and the
     crackdown on independent media manifested by the closure of nine
     independent publications, have been deeply disturbing. The U.S.
     strongly urges the Government of Belarus to observe its international
     human rights commitments, including freedom of expression,
     association, and assembly.

     Mr. Chairman, since Dayton, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made tremendous
     progress. Still, much remains to be done. Decisions of the
     Dayton-mandated Human Rights Chamber are generally not implemented.
     Both State and entity level governments are required to implement
     Chamber decisions, Freedom of speech and the press are limited by
     political influence. Political parties often dominate the press and
     the government applies slander laws selectively. Religious
     discrimination/violence also persists. Sites and graveyards have been
     vandalized; religious minorities are denied their right to
     reclaim/rebuild religious sites. On a positive note, violence against
     returning refugees and displaced persons decreased in 1999, although
     harassment continues. Police protection also shows improvement.
     However, the International Police Task Force remains concerned over
     professionalism, political influence, and instances of interference
     with refugee returns and excessive force. Judicial reform has made
     advances. The Federation adopted a new criminal code, both Entities'
     judges' and prosecutors' associations adopted codes of ethics, and the
     High Representative imposed laws strengthening the Federation
     prosecutor's office. Yet the judicial processes still do not
     sufficiently protect the rights of accused.

     Turning to Croatia, the Croatian constitution mandates respect for
     basic human rights principles, but in reality, respect for due
     process, rule of law, treatment of ethnic minorities and press
     freedoms falls short of OSCE standards. A lengthy judicial process
     plagues the Croatian judiciary; and the handling of a huge backlog, in
     which cases of interest to the ruling party are processed more
     expeditiously than others, has prompted credible allegations of
     manipulation. Hoped for progress on election and media laws has not
     happened. Both pieces of legislation will be important if free and
     fair elections are to be held in December. The government continues to
     maintain tight control over access to broadcast media and there has
     been little progress in media reform. Courts and administrative bodies
     have been used to obstruct media critical of the government. Croatia
     must cooperate fully with the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. In
     August, one International War Crimes Tribunal for the Former
     Yugoslavia indictee was transferred after the Tribunal's President
     reported Croatia's non-compliance to the Security Council. A second
     has not yet been delivered to the Tribunal. Croatian courts have taken
     it upon themselves to indict, try and convict ethnic Serbs of war
     crimes without involving the tribunal. Croatia has made some progress
     on refugee returns but much remains to be done. Croatia's commitment
     to the protection of minority human rights has been more in word than
     in deed. Harassment and physical attacks against ethnic Serbs have
     increased in the last year.

     Mr. Chairman, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has again taken
     several giant leaps backward. The year's human rights situation has
     been dominated by the horrific ethnic violence that consumed Kosovo
     during the first part of this year. The Milosevic regime's brutal use
     of police and military forces against the civilian population of
     Kosovo, coupled with a systematic effort to ethnically cleanse the
     province of its Albanian community, resulted in waves of refugees. In
     response to the unfolding humanitarian tragedy that was Kosovo, the
     international community intervened. Full economic and political
     support must be given to UNMIK as it works to develop a democratic and
     tolerant Kosovo. UNMIK's task is compounded by the fact that Milosevic
     has infected the province with a desire for retribution. No effort can
     be spared in the search for reconciliation. Federal Republic of
     Yugoslavia authorities are holding thousands of detainees removed to
     Serbia from Kosovo after hostilities ended this summer. These
     detainees must be accounted for and released. The Federal Republic of
     Yugoslavia, whose President and four other senior officials have been
     indicted by the International War Crimes Tribunal for the Former
     Yugoslavia, must cooperate with the Tribunal and surrender indictees
     for justice. Violations of basic human rights have not been limited to
     Kosovo. The entire country has suffered as Milosevic trampled on the
     rights of all citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to
     freedom of assembly, media, thought, and expression. A draconian
     information law instituted in late 1998 has been used to stifle
     independent media across Serbia, including the murder of Dnevni
     Telegraf publisher Slavko Curuvija this past spring. Attempts to
     stifle academic freedom through intensifying state control of
     university faculties continues.

     Finally, Mr. Chairman, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
     proclaimed fundamentals of human dignity and freedom for all peoples
     in all nations. The United States pledges to continue to fight,
     struggle and eventually triumph in this great cause. Progress has been
     made, but much remains to be done in our shared quest to achieve human
     rights for all.

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman

     (end text)