UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Statement by Senator Sue Knowles,
Parliamentary Adviser to the Australian Delegation
to the United Nations
Third Committee
Item 117 (c): Human Rights Questions
New York
10 November, 2003
Mr Chairman
In a troubled world, Australia stands by the principle set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family “is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”. Australia is committed to working cooperatively with governments around the world to promote democracy, good governance and the rule of law, which history has shown are the necessary preconditions for the enjoyment of human rights. We commend those countries that have been able to make tangible improvements in human rights, and urge all governments to strive to find ways to advance the human rights of their people.
Mr Chairman
The overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime revealed a shocking legacy of human rights abuses against the Iraqi people, including the discovery of mass graves containing the remains of up to 300,000 Iraqis. Australia is committed to assisting the Iraqi people to deal with this legacy and to establish robust institutions and mechanisms that will ensure good governance, the rule of law and strong and accountable democratic institutions. Australia strongly encourages the international community to actively support stabilisation and rehabilitation efforts in the interests of a secure, stable and prosperous Iraq.
Events in Burma this year have deepened our concerns about the lack of progress in improving its very serious human rights situation. We call upon the Burmese government to release Aung San Suu Kyi from house detention immediately and to release all political prisoners. Restrictions on citizens’ freedom of association, assembly and expression should be lifted. Australia also urges the government to take concrete steps towards national reconciliation. We note the government’s seven point roadmap for elections but see the need for an implementation time-line. We renew our support for the work of the Special Envoy, Tan Sri Razali Ismail. Australia continues to be particularly concerned about the use of forced labour and child soldiers in Burma.
Australia remains gravely concerned over sustained human rights abuses occurring in Zimbabwe. The Mugabe regime continues to harass, intimidate, and physically attack those that oppose it, in particular supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change, the legitimate and legally-constituted opposition party. Repressive and anti-free speech legislation remains on the books, supporting the regime's expanding efforts to stifle all public dissent, including the September 2003 forced closure of the country's only independent newspaper and frequent Mugabe critic. The Government's policies continue to impoverish the people of Zimbabwe, half of whom are now in need of food handouts. Australia calls on the Mugabe Government to heed the calls from inside and outside Zimbabwe to begin genuine political dialogue with the opposition and establish a framework for political reconciliation and economic recovery, and to return to democratic values.
Australia is deeply concerned about human rights and the humanitarian situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Australia raises these concerns with the DPRK at every appropriate opportunity, and urges the DPRK to engage more fully with the international community. Australia believes dialogue on human rights is the most effective way to deal with differing perspectives.
Australia supports the efforts of President Khatami and others to promote the rule of law and protect human rights and freedoms in Iran. We welcome the human rights dialogues which have been established with us and the European Union and Iran’s acceptance of visits by UN special rapporteurs and working groups. We welcome the release earlier this year of the remaining Iranian Jews convicted of espionage. And we congratulate Shirin Ebadi on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Ms Ebadi has been a tireless advocate of human rights in Iran. We hope this award will give further encouragement to all those in Iran working for the promotion and protection of human rights. However, we remain concerned at violations of due process in the judicial system. Attempts to suppress freedom of the press and heavy-handed response to public demonstrations are also unacceptable. The case of Ms Zahra Kazemi is of particular concern. While we welcome the Government’s prompt investigations of this matter we will be looking for greater transparency in the follow-up processes. We urge Iran to reform its judiciary and do more to uphold the religious and cultural rights of minorities, including the Baha’i and Jewish communities.
We note China’s increasing willingness to acknowledge short-comings in its human rights practices. We urge China to press ahead with steps to address those short-comings, including in planned changes to its legal and administrative systems. We welcome the mature and frank approach China takes to our bilateral Human Rights Dialogue. We are nevertheless concerned by detentions and executions over the past year for political crimes or for expression of dissenting views. We urge China to ratify the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights at an early date and to grant its citizens their rights under that covenant. We also urge the Chinese authorities to address the social grievances of ethnic minorities and other groups through social and economic policy measures.
Australia urges Israel and the Palestinian Authority to implement the Quartet’s Roadmap to Middle East peace. The tragic loss of life and injury has gone on for far too long. There must be an end to the terrible suicide bombings and we have been appalled by the rising death toll of innocent civilians on both sides. The recent increase in violence underscores the necessity of a return to the Roadmap. Israel and the Palestinian Authority must resume cooperation in order to end the violence and realise the Roadmap’s goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side within secure and recognised borders.
Indonesia continues to face challenges in building a civil society with democratic institutions while confronting the problems of terrorism and separatism. Commitment to economic, legal, administrative and military reforms aimed at creating effective civil governance is vital for security and prosperity in all countries. Australia acknowledges that Indonesia has a right to deal with groups which use violent means to pursue political goals, but urges Indonesia to keep open channels for further dialogue with separatist movements and respect the human rights of all Indonesian citizens. Australia believes that the best prospect for a sustainable solution to separatism in Aceh and Papua lies in effective and speedy implementation of the agreed terms of special autonomy within a united Indonesia. We continue to urge Indonesia to bring to justice those responsible for human rights abuses in East Timor and to cooperate with justice processes underway in East Timor.
Australia welcomes a Nigerian state court decision on 25 September to acquit Amina Lawal who had been sentenced to death by stoning following her conviction on adultery charges under Islamic criminal law. Australia opposes capital punishment and regards death by stoning as a cruel, inhumane and degrading form of punishment. We call on Nigeria to continue to ensure its judicial processes conform to international human rights standards that outlaw such forms of punishment.
Australia is very concerned by the continued deplorable treatment of children by the Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda. In spite of a ceasefire announced in March, the LRA continues to abduct children to fight its war, forcing them to commit atrocities against other civilians. We urge the LRA to cease immediately its child abductions and the Ugandan Government to continue efforts to bring this awful conflict to an end.
Australia welcomes the formation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of the Transitional Government in late June 2003. Although much has been achieved after years of violence and atrocities committed by both sides, ongoing conflict in eastern DRC remains an obstacle to returning the country to prosperity and peace. We hope that the arrival of the multinational UN force will bring lasting peace to the region.
We applaud the key role played by west African countries in negotiating the recent ceasefire in Liberia which has delivered a welcome reprieve for the Liberian people from the disastrous effects of its long-running civil war. The deployment of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Liberia should assist regional and national efforts to achieve political reconciliation. Developments in Liberia build positively on the progress made in other west African countries such as Sierra Leone which, together, can help restore confidence and security in the region.
In concluding, Mr Chairman, let us remember former Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and other UN workers who, on 19 August this year in Iraq, were brutally murdered while working to bring a better life to the people of Iraq. Inspired by their dedication and selflessness, we reaffirm our commitment to working constructively with the United Nations and with all governments to bring about real improvements in human rights for all peoples.