From IHEU's United Nations Representative

October 2002

In a chaotic and turbulent world, the internationalization of human rights law has become an important moral phenomenon of our time. It has found expression in the ratification of many human rights conventions, in tribunals trying criminals who have committed crimes against humanity, the recent establishment of the International Criminal Court, and the establishment by the United Nations in 1993, of the Office of the U.N High Commissioner of Human Rights.

Mary Robinson, a former President of Ireland, who has been commissioner for the past five years, has pushed human rights into the forefront of international attention. Now she is leaving because she has been too outspoken. She gave her farewell speech at a conference on the task of rebuilding societies recovering from conflict. She was greeted by a standing ovation, a heartfelt welcome from an audience whose appreciation comes because she has given a voice to groups who have been previously unheard, and because she has sought out innovative practical ways to resolve conflicts.

In her address on the task of rebuilding, she emphasized the role of local leadership, including parliaments, civil society, and n'gos as well as women's groups. She pointed out that ignoring abuses only promotes more abuses. The International Criminal Court, which came into being during her administration, can help to feed the growing hunger for justice. As a grass roots example of the truth and reconciliation processes begun in Sierra Leone and in Timor-Leste, she described how people gathered in a hut to hear criminals confess to minor crimes. If human rights are enforced by a strong and impartial policy, peace and reconciliation can prevent revenge killings and ongoing ethnic strife.

In a more intimate meeting of the Committee For Human Rights she pointed out that the controversial Conference on Racism and Xenophobia in Durban had received an extraordinarily positive response because of the new recognition of indigenous peoples. As a post-Durban happening, she announced the formation of an anti-discrimination unit, opposing anti-Semitism, antiArabism, and anti-South east Asians. She continually referred to the linkage between democracy, human rights and development. On the sensitive issue of women's rights she mentioned that in Johannesburg she took a place as a symbolic picket opposing the subjection of women's health to cultural standards internationally considered as mutilation and abuse.

In the final days of her five years in office she criticized the United States' use of immigration laws to detain foreigners for indefinite periods, and for racial profiling of American citizens of Arab descent as enemy combatants. America's anti-terrorism measures are being copied by other countries to suppress opponents. America, once in the forefront of concern for human rights, is now behaving as if standards have changed.

Over the past few years the UN system of special rapporteurs has been employed to investigate and promote alleviations of human rights abuses in a very large number of countries. For more information on the great variety of activities initiated and supervised by the Office of the High Commissioner consult Website www.unhchr.ch Mary Robinson said that she leaves with a feeling of serenity, gratitude and enormous pride in her colleagues. Their work will continue.

Sylvain and Phyllis Ehrenfeld