Manila gains seat in new UN council

[grabehbebe]

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THE Philippines won a seat in the United Nations’ newly created Human Rights Council in the voting at the General Assembly in New York, an official said yesterday, despite criticisms of its human rights record.

The Philippines, represented by Ambassador Lauro Baja Jr., took one of the 13 seats reserved for Asian countries in the 47-member council.

Sixty-three countries vied for the 47 seats.

Baja said the Philippines got 136 votes from the 191-member General Assembly—40 more than the absolute majority of 96 votes required to secure a seat in the human rights body.

The Philippines received only a fair grade from the US State Department in its most recent report, accusing the government of human rights violations.

In its 2005 Annual Report on Supporting Human Rights and Democracy report, the department said the Philippine government “generally respected the human rights of its citizens.”
But the report criticized the alleged extra-judicial killings, disappearances, tortures, and arbitrary arrests and detentions being committed by some elements of the Philippines’ security forces.

“Our election is a telling testimonial from the member-states of the UN and the international community on human rights in the Philippines,” Baja said.

The council, created in March, replaced the Commission on Human Rights as the United Nation’s international body tasked to monitor and investigate human rights violations of member-countries.

The Philippines was a member of that commission for 41 years, but the agency was highly criticized for accepting countries with poor human rights records.

The Human Rights Council will also be based in Geneva, where it will have its first meeting on June 19.

Baja said the Philippines would have two consecutive three-year terms as a member of the council, which bans any member from immediate reelection after serving two successive three-year terms.

He said the Philippines’ election spoke well of its human rights record as the General Assembly resolution establishing the council required member-states to take into account the contribution of candidate-countries to the promotion and protection of human rights.

“Member states are under no obligation to elect a candidate that does not demonstrate its commitment to protect and promote human rights regardless of how many ballots are required to fill all the seats in the council,” he said.



By Ferdinand Fabella
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?...s05_may11_2006

[north_star]

thanks for posting this. it's good news, something to be proud of.

[iloveyou4ever]

Good news. But look- no responses kay good news man pero kung bad news pa ni daghan na ne reply ani!

[Freeza]

though a rotating seat i wish were at least a regional power and have a permanent seat at least it will give as some leverage in the international arena even for the time being :mrgreen:

[potterboy]

nice one. at least we get to be represented. rough for a human rights violation infested nation.

[grabehbebe]

Envoy to UN makes a pitch for indigenous people

The Philippine Mission to the United Nations has urged the immediate adoption of the draft Declaration on The Rights of Indigenous Persons, a landmark legislation that promotes the rights of aboriginal tribes all over the world.

In his statement before the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York, Philippine permanent representative to the UN Lauro Baja Jr. said the Philippines welcomes the Program of Action for the Second International Debate of the World’s Indigenous People.

“This legislation emphasizes the rights of indigenous peoples to preserve their cultures, traditions, and institutions and be free from discrimination,” Baja said, as he stressed that the Philippines is proud to have a national law—the Indigenous People’s Rights Act—that recognizes, protects and promotes the rights of indigenous persons.

Full Article:http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics04_may24_2006

[baron]

The rights of the indigenous people should really be protected not only within the country but also to all the indigenous groups all over the world. Good thing that there is already a draft declaration on the rights of indigenous persons which our Philippine representative urged to adopt.

This is to strengthen our own laws on indigenous people such as IPRA and to manifest that we are serious in bringing out initiatives to protect our own IP.

[grabehbebe]

Pinoy UN peacekeeper gets honors

The United Nations formally honored yesterday a Filipino peacekeeper who was killed in the line of duty while serving in the UN mission in Haiti last year.

Army S/Sgt. Antonio M. Batomalaque was among the 124 fallen international peacekeepers honored by the world body.

The Philippine Mission to the United Nations said Secretary General Kofi Annan paid tribute to Batomalaque along with other peacekeepers from 46 countries who died in the line of duty during solemn ceremonies commemorating the International Day of UN Peacekeepers at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Lauro Baja Jr. received from Undersecretary General for Peacekeeping Jean Marie Guehenno the Dag Hammarskjold Medal in the Service of Peace on behalf of the family of Batomalaque.

The Dag Hammarskjold Medal was given to the slain Filipino peacekeeper along with several other military troops, civilian police, military observers and civilians from other UN member-states who died in 2005 while serving in UN peace operations worldwide.

"Today, we remember Sergeant Batomalaque and the other peacekeepers who have made the supreme sacrifice in support of our quest for world peace," Baja said following the ceremonies.

"We also pay tribute to Filipino Blue Helmets, both past and present, who have brought honor to our country and our people."


http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200606020404.htm

[wanderlust]

Membership in the UN Human Rights council will enable the government to better address human rights violations in the country. It is also a recognition of the government's contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, albeit in proportion to its limited resources. The council has higher membership standards that have excluded more powerful nations due to their poor human rights records.