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Human Rights Advisers Are UN-Fit to Serve
(New York Daily News) Hillel Neuer - Why does the UN Human Rights Council turn a blind eye to systematic repression in countries such as Cuba, Iran and Zimbabwe? Here's one reason: Its Advisory Committee is dominated by apologists for the world's worst dictators. First is Halima Warzazi, a former Moroccan diplomat, chosen by her peers last year as chairwoman. In 1988, the precursor to the Advisory Committee was considering a resolution to condemn Saddam Hussein for having gassed thousands of Kurds in Halabja. Warzazi initiated a "no action" motion to kill the resolution - and won the vote. Saddam went on to murder thousands more. Then there is Jean Ziegler, who served last year as Warzazi's vice-chair. In 1989, as reported by Time magazine, Ziegler co-founded the Moammar Khadafy International Prize for Human Rights, with $10 million from the Libyan regime. Awardees have included Castro, Hugo Chavez and Louis Farrakhan. In 2002, the prize was given to convicted French Holocaust denier Roger Garaudy - and to Ziegler himself. The writer is an international lawyer and executive director of UN Watch in Geneva.