International: Anti-blasphemy clause in rights body?
Source:
Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany The president of the UN General Assembly recently took over fractious negotiations to establish a new UN human rights body, with Islamic nations wanting language against blasphemy because of the dispute over cartoons in a Danish newspaper.
Jan Eliasson of Sweden, this year's assembly president, is conducting "intensive" bilateral talks with key UN members in an effort to resolve severe splits on the new rights body aimed at replacing the discredited Geneva-based UN Human Rights Commission, his spokeswoman said.
The aim is to get adoption this month, so the new rights body can begin to function this summer. Some US Congressmen want to make a new rights body a condition for paying UN dues.
At the same time, some leading members of the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) have added conditions to the already heated debate over the rights body, diplomats and UN officials said.
The OIC, led by Turkey at the United Nations, told Secretary-General Kofi Annan that language against blasphemy should be written into the tenets for a human rights council, envoys reported. So far Western nations as well as UN officials object.
A Danish paper first published the cartoons last September, which included one of the Prophet Mohammad with a turban resembling a bomb. A Norwegian publication reproduced them, followed by newspapers in several other European countries.
The cartoons have sparked fury from Muslims and violent protests at Danish embassies and other European targets in the Middle East. Islam forbids images of the Prophet.
On Tuesday, the OIC Group at the United Nations issued a tougher statement than previous declarations. It said original cartoons and their reproductions "constituted an incitement to hatred and violence against Muslims" and called in European nations "to ensure such incidents do not recur."
With countries on all sides of the debate represented at the United Nations, the controversy was bound to seep through discussions on human rights and other issues.
World leaders agreed at a UN summit in September to create a new body to replace the 53-member Human Rights Commission, known for giving seats to countries such as Sudan and Zimbabwe and blocking criticism of rights abusers.
A draft resolution calls for rights criteria for candidates, geographic representation and 45 members.
Still undecided is whether a candidate would be elected by a two-thirds or a simple majority. The United States and the Europeans wanted a two-thirds vote, which would make it easier for them to stop a nation from getting a seat.
"The president intends now to hold intensive bilateral consultations through most of next week," said assembly spokeswoman Pragati Pascale.
"He doesn't want to put an artificial deadline on it, but is aware of the need to have a smooth transition before the (current) commission meets in March," she said.
Eliasson is hoping for a consensus resolution rather than calling a vote, although many envoys say that will be difficult. The landmark 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights was voted on paragraph by paragraph.
Originally published on 09 February 2006 on Stuff - http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/
At the same time, some leading members of the 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) have added conditions to the already heated debate over the rights body, diplomats and UN officials said.
The OIC, led by Turkey at the United Nations, told Secretary-General Kofi Annan that language against blasphemy should be written into the tenets for a human rights council, envoys reported. So far Western nations as well as UN officials object.
A Danish paper first published the cartoons last September, which included one of the Prophet Mohammad with a turban resembling a bomb. A Norwegian publication reproduced them, followed by newspapers in several other European countries.
The cartoons have sparked fury from Muslims and violent protests at Danish embassies and other European targets in the Middle East. Islam forbids images of the Prophet.
On Tuesday, the OIC Group at the United Nations issued a tougher statement than previous declarations. It said original cartoons and their reproductions "constituted an incitement to hatred and violence against Muslims" and called in European nations "to ensure such incidents do not recur."
With countries on all sides of the debate represented at the United Nations, the controversy was bound to seep through discussions on human rights and other issues.
World leaders agreed at a UN summit in September to create a new body to replace the 53-member Human Rights Commission, known for giving seats to countries such as Sudan and Zimbabwe and blocking criticism of rights abusers.
A draft resolution calls for rights criteria for candidates, geographic representation and 45 members.
Still undecided is whether a candidate would be elected by a two-thirds or a simple majority. The United States and the Europeans wanted a two-thirds vote, which would make it easier for them to stop a nation from getting a seat.
"The president intends now to hold intensive bilateral consultations through most of next week," said assembly spokeswoman Pragati Pascale.
"He doesn't want to put an artificial deadline on it, but is aware of the need to have a smooth transition before the (current) commission meets in March," she said.
Eliasson is hoping for a consensus resolution rather than calling a vote, although many envoys say that will be difficult. The landmark 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights was voted on paragraph by paragraph.
Originally published on 09 February 2006 on Stuff - http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/
