* News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International *
5 September 2000
AI Index ASA 12/010/2000
News Service Nr. 171
Australia Undermining the
UN?
In the light of the Australian government's recent
attack on the UN
human rights system,
Amnesty International today sent an
open letter to
Prime Minister John Howard urging him to act in the spirit of the
Millennium Summit by giving his full and effective
support to all UN
human rights mechanisms.
The
Australian government has caused
profound international concern over
its 29 August
announcement that it would be pulling out of certain UN
human rights obligations. The government's announcement sent a
disturbing message to the international
community.
The
Australian government is setting a
bad example to other countries
wishing to avoid international scrutiny and the announcement could act
as an
invitation for them also to limit their involvement in the UN
human rights system.
Only last year a government delegation told the
General Assembly, that
"the UN treaty body system contributes significantly and directly to the
protection and promotion of human rights". This reversal suggests the
change in policy has more to do with a government embarassed by recent
UN criticism over its human rights record than
constructive UN
reform.
"As heads of government meet to discuss progress in the new millennium,
the Australian Prime Minister will be
struggling to
reconcile his
government's new
policy with the UN Secretary-General's Millennium
Summit appeal for universal
ratification of core human rights treaties,"
Amnesty International said.
The letter urges the Prime Minister to reassess Australia's
policy so
that it will resume its
traditional leadership role in strengthening the
UN
human rights system rather than
seeking to
undermine it.
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