Iraqi Human Rights Defenders call:
DO NOT ELECT VIOLATOR
TO CHAIR UN COMMITTEE!
Iraqi Human Rights defenders wish to express their appreciation for the sound judgment of UN member states in rejecting the Human Rights violating Iraqi regime which tried to be elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council on May 9th 2006 at the UN General Assembly.
The Iraqi regime received the lowest number of votes of all the candidates from the three regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This clarifies that no matter the pressure on the UN member states to support the government installed by the occupation, the Iraqi regime is judged as the most unfit candidate to deal with Human Rights when there is a secret ballot.
Yet an alarming development is now in the making. On 8th June the President of the next session of the UN General Assembly will be elected, immediately followed by election of chair countries of the main committees of the General Assembly. The Iraqi regime claims that its candidacy to chair the 3rd Committee of the General Assembly which is responsible for Human Rights, Equality and Social Development has been endorsed by the Asian group - obviously as a result of intensive lobbying and pressure.
The election of the Iraqi regime, if happened, which is represented at the UN by a leading figure of the same party that control the Iraqi Government now and was controlling the Ministry of the Interior and kept torture chambers run by its militia in the ministry basement, would be a scandal of great proportions and an insult to all Human Rights defenders of the world.
After so much attention on the quality of countries elected to Human Rights positions in the UN the election of Iraqi Human Rights violators to Chair the 3rd Committee of the General Assembly which is above the Human Rights Council would be a shame and do harm not only to the suffering people of Iraq but to all Human Rights defenders and the dignity of the UN.
On behalf of Iraqi Human Rights defenders we direct an earnest appeal to all the Member States of the United Nations to prevent this shameful plan and reject the Human Rights violating regime as they did when the Human Rights Council was elected. We appeal to all NGOs and Human Rights defenders in the world to raise their voice in support of this call.
Monitoring Net of Human Rights in Iraq (MHRI)
