A United Nations resolution is quickly making its way through the highest ranks of the General Assembly. The resolution, L.37, condemns the Islamic Republic of Iran for the massive human rights abuses the government committed on students, activists, protesters and journalists following a widely perceived rigged June 12th Presidential election. Hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered on the streets of major cities and towns in Iran to condemn the re-election of President Mahmood Ahmadinejad over his opponent Mir Hussein Mossavi.

Iranian authorities have confirmed approximately 4,500 arrests surrounding the post-election unrest, with 89 convictions in post-election trials, 5 of which were capital sentences. Other reports cite up to 72 people killed in detention or in clashes with security services.

The protests garnered worldwide support and jumpstarted the “Green Movement” which has mobilized thousands in favor of a reformed Iran.  Police and Basij militia jailed, raped, beat and murdered journalists, students and protesters who demanded action be taken to formulate a recount of votes. Some 20-30 journalists, writers and bloggers remain behind bars.

Resolution L.37 was brought forward by the government of Canada in an appeal for action by  the 192 member UN body. The resolution was co-sponsored by 42 other countries, and calls on Iran to better cooperate with UN human rights monitors–by allowing them to make visits to Iran, and requests the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon,  to report back next year on Iran’s progress in fulfilling its human rights obligations.

Robert Wood, Deputy Spokesperson from the US Department of State added:

“The resolution also calls on Iran to cooperate fully with and admit entry to the UN Special Rapporteur on torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance. It calls on the Government of Iran to abolish torture and arbitrary imprisonment, as well as any executions, including stoning, carried out without due process of law.”

Canada has led the drafting of resolutions on alleged human rights abuses in Iran every year since the 2003 torture and murder while in Iranian custody of Iranian-Canadian photojournalist, Zahra Kazemi. A prominent Canadian-Iranian Newsweek reporter, Maziar Bahari was freed recently after spending 118 days in jail. Many of the victims (both men and women) sent to Iran’s notorious prisons reported being raped.

“This is the toughest resolution on the human rights situation in Iran,” said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon.

“The adoption of this resolution is another clear signal of the international community’s concern for the human rights of people in Iran. With this resolution, and those presented in previous years, international attention has been drawn to the unacceptable human rights situation in Iran, and the Government of Iran has been forced to account for its actions. We continue to invite the Iranian government to take meaningful steps to respect the human rights of all people in Iran,” he added.

The adoption of the resolution sends a clear message to Iran to act quickly to investigate these crimes committed during the election coup and to uphold due process of the law.  Iran has rejected several requests from member-states including Canada, to visit the country and investigate the abuses.

The resolution was  approved by a vote of 74 to 48 by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.

The resolution also expresses concern over the treatment of  minority communities inside Iran including Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds, Christians, Jews, Sufis and Sunni Muslims.

“The nuclear issue has been used by the Islamic Republic to avoid international scrutiny of its fraudulent election and mounting human rights violations,” said Akbar Atri, a leading student activist and democracy advocate who served on the board of the Office for the Consolidation of Unity, Iran’s most prominent student organization. ”While it seeks a solution on the nuclear front, the international community must pressure the regime to release political prisoners and allow the full spectrum of liberties, including free and fair elections.  Anything less will amount to a validation of a regime fast losing all semblance of legitimacy.”

The Iranian mission representative to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee, issued a statement in response the adoption of the resolution:

“No Government including my own can claim perfection. Nonetheless, we believe that the old worn-out policy of introducing resolution on Iran is not only an unfair and unjustified action, but also a disservice to the Iranian policy of cooperation with the UN human rights mechanisms.  The move is, therefore, doomed to fail and should be categorically rejected.”

A report entitled: State of World Population 2009, was released today by the UN’s Population Fund (UNFPA). The report says boosting support to women can be the changing factor in tackling global warming.  It underscores that better reproductive health care and improved relations between women and men can make or break the fight against climate change.

“The whole world has been talking about carbon credits, carbon trading and emissions targets. But not enough has been said about the people whose activities contribute to those emissions or about those who will be most affected by climate change, especially women” the report states.

UNFPA’s Daniel Schensul added, “We have to think beyond population growth and on how we organize families. A divorce causes more emissions than a birth of a child.”

The report also highlights that if women were given equal worldwide access to family planning, then population growth could be mitigated to prevent the burden of massive human numbers on earth.  And if there are lower fertility rates across the globe, UNFPA believes this contributes to slower growth in greenhouse gas emissions “in the long run.”

Women are also more likely than men to be sustainable consumers.

By 2050, population in Africa is expected to increase by 1 billion while for Asia, growth is expected to be over 2 billion.

“People have different vulnerabilities and capacities–especially among the poor–and women are the largest population of poor in the world,” added Schensul.

Across the globe, poor people have contributed the least to green house gas emissions. The report underlines that climate change must be a people centered approach–with women at the center.

“With the possibility of a climate catastrophe on the horizon, we cannot afford to relegate the world’s 3.4 billion women and girls to the role of victim,” said Ms. Thoraya Obaid, head of UNFPA. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to have 3.4 billion agents for change?”

For a full copy of the report: http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2009/en/

For a link to the UNFPA video on climate change go to: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid34626169001?bctid=50859881001

Ad Malkert, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq addressed the Security Council today to discuss a new election law being implemented in January 2010. The law aims to build on a climate of “trust” and to regain cooperation among United Nations agencies, local ethnic groups and the rest of the Iraqi people.

The long-delayed election law passed by Iraqi parliamentarians last week provides a clear path for national elections to be held in January.

“Most important is the agreement by the Iraqi Council of Representatives on this election law. We are happy that this law has passed,” Malkert added.

President Obama has called the law an ” important milestone toward ensuring lasting peace in Iraq.” The Iraqi elections are  crucial  for the Obama administration which has strapped itself tight with plans to send thousands of additional US troops to Afghanistan. Many of the forces going to Afghanistan will be coming from Iraq.

One of the toughest issues going into the New Year is the slew of ethnic factions – Arabs, Kurds, and Turks–who cannot seem to agree on a new way forward for the Iraqi government.  What the new election law aims to establish is inclusion by all parties–especially on the concern of resources with much of the debate centered on oil.

“Apart from elections, the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) is working to resolve the disputed internal boundaries, revenue sharing, promotion of economic growth, joint security provisions, human rights, constitutional reform and improving relations with Iraq and Kuwait. For UNAMI it is important to play a facilitating role to diffuse all these tensions,” Malkert emphasized.

TRNS questioned Malkert on the oil revenue sharing program–especially since the previous US Administration as the occupying force and under the guidance of former Vice President, held a number of oil profitable contracts in the previous years. Malkert replied that there is a distinction between hydro carbon laws and the revenue-sharing in political terms. The UN Mission’s goal is to establish, reform and adjust the balance that has been found in the constitution.

“The hope is to also to ensure a clear and predictable revenue sharing program that could be helpful in bringing about an agreed political understanding on broader issues,” he added.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon defended the removal of 200 “not the originally reported 600,” UN staff and personnel from Afghanistan due to collapsed security throughout the country.”We are not evacuating. This is not a withdrawl.”

He returned from a visit to the country late last week and said he had pushed for a security surge in consultation with the President, Hamid Karzai. Six UN staff members were killed late last month along with dozens injured.

The UN has been deeply criticized for the electoral mess that was created in the runoff between Karzai and his opponent Abdullah Abdullah. Peter Galbraith, UN electoral adviser, was forced out of the country after deep disputes with the UN head of mission in Afghanistan, Kai Eida.

“I have raised two issues with the President to reach out to political leaders and ethnic groups to have reconciliation. I also strongly raised the necessity of ensuring good governance and to end corruptive practices to earn the trust of the international community.”

Karzai replied that he “would do his best.” The Secretary General also proposed an international conference in the coming months with Germany, France and the United Kingdom to develop firmer relations for investment.

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, and speakers from the Heritage Foundation and the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) launched a new book today which calls the current UN system “broken”.

The book, “ConUNdrum: The Limits of the United Nations and the Search for Alternatives,” underscores that billions of US tax dollars are invested in the UN yearly and produce little effect. The authors, including Bolton, offer new ideas to make the UN system viable including switching from the current mandatory assessment of dues to a system where monies would generate on a voluntary basis.

“In its current state, the UN system is broken,” said Austin Ruse, President of C-FAM.

The Ambassador of Fiji, who hosted the event, said “For those of us who come from small populations, it is quite frightening when you listen to some of the debates in the General assembly. There has been a great loss of family values.”

John Bolton said there must be a closer examination of the Mitchell-Gingrich report of 2005, a bi-partisan effort which attempts to illustrate the “right” approach to UN reform including a revamp of the Human Rights Council, peacekeeping efforts, and a simplification of UN funding and financing of programs.

Bolton also emphasized there is still no clear agreement on how the Security Council should be reformed. Many skeptics believe the five members (US, UK, France,  Russia and China) hold too much power and want to increase membership to African and Middle Eastern nations.

“To change the membership to reflect increased numbers  like ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council), well, then I don’t see any possibility for change at all. The Security Council was originally set up post WWII and the powers were given to the victors,” added Bolton.

Bolton outlined the Goldstone report of the Human Rights Council, criticizing Israel of human rights abuses in Gaza, has “undercut” peace efforts in the region.

He also said the Obama Administration is making a big mistake in “halting the UN reform effort.”

Little was mentioned of the restrictions imposed by the Bush Administration to investigate US human rights abuses in Guantanamo and Iraq and the elimination of massive amounts of funding to developing countries which administered family planning programs through the WHO and UNICEF, and on induced abortions if the woman/girl was raped or too young to deliver a healthy baby.

More women die in childbirth than in wars, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). And every minute, a woman dies in childbirth. This adds up to some 500,000 deaths across the globe per year.

This week, UNFPA organized a high level meeting of over 150 health ministers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to bring together decision makers to take the urgent action needed to tackle maternal mortality. In Ethiopia, there is only one midwife per 20,000 women of child bearing age. Most women in rural areas have to walk some 300 kilometers while in labor to get to the health center. Most die on the way, or face serious complications like obstetric fistula.

UNFPA hopes the Meeting will provide the opportunity for ministers to share best practices and lessons learned in reproductive health. UNFPA estimates by 2015, between $5.5 billion and $6.1 billion in additional funding will be needed from domestic and international sources to accomplish Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 to improve maternal health.

Results from the meeting will be shared with parliamentarians from across the globe at the International Conference for Population and Development (ICPD/15) which will take place in Addis Ababa later this week.

The global press freedom group Reporters Without Borders released its annual World Press Freedom Ranking today moving the United States up to number 20 from 40 last year. Barack Obama’s election as president was cited for the increase.

The group said at a press conference held at the Overseas Press Club in New York today, “The President has a less hawkish approach than his predecessor.”  The Bush Administration’s First Amendment and global press freedom violations following the September 11th attacks were highlighted by the group and include: the US Patriot Act, attacks on the confidentiality of sources, the federal shield law, phone tapping, jailing of journalists in Iraq and Afghanistan and the detention in the US of both foreign and national correspondents.

“Journalists do not get put in jail as they used to in the national security era under George Bush” said Clothilde de Coz, Washington Director of Reporters Without Borders.”But it was still a big year for US reporters, as five were held in foreign countries.”

The list of the five held include Stephen Farrell and David Rhodes from the New York Times, Laura Ling and Euna Lee from Current Television, and Roxana Saberi from NPR and Fox news.

The highest profile cases of US detention of national correspondents include the jailing of Judith Miller from the New York Times and Matthew Cooper from Time magazine in 2005. Miller and Cooper were held for refusing to comply with subpoenas requiring them to testify in the federal investigation into the source of the leak that “outed” CIA operative Valerie Plame. Both journalists later identified White House Adviser to Karl Rove,  Lewis “Scooter” Libby as the “source,” but only after Miller spent 85 days behind bars. She resigned from the Times a month later.

Representatives from Reporters Without Borders said the countries ranking among the poorest globally for muzzling the press include China, Iran and North Korea. “China is the world’s biggest prison for journalists.”

The Iranian government was blamed for the massive detention of both foreign and national reporters during the election coup in the country this past June. Many journalists still remain behind bars–but the total rounded up during the elections include reporters from Newsweek, BBC, the Washington Times and over 30 journalists from Iranian press. Many are believed to have been subjected to serious methods of torture while in detention.

John Solomon, Executive Editor at the Washington Times said he had to recently negotiate the release of one of his reporters in Iran. Solomon was also interrogated under the Bush Administration when officials seized his mail in 2001 in response to some of his critical news reports of the administration.

“We still need to test Obama’s commitment to transparency–there are still great challenges ahead of us.”

Angela Kocherga, a journalist with the Latin American news station Belo said Mexico should not be ignored either for its violations. Fifty-five journalists have been murdered in the country to date. Many of these reporters died while covering drug cartels and trafficking over the United States border.

John R. Macarthur, President of Harper’s Magazine and moderator of the press conference, said “Mexico now seems more dangerous than being in Iraq.”

Ali Alnaemi, former newsroom manager for the New York Times in Baghdad said there has been some change in terms of press freedom in the country. With Facebook and other online social networking sites, Iraqis are slowly opening up to the press in the country.

“When the American media used to interview Iraqis, most thought they were part of the CIA or US military. Now they understand they are independent of their government,” Alnaemi added. “But we still have a long way ahead of us.”

For a full copy of the World Press Freedom Index, go to: http://www.rsf.org/en-classement1003-2009.html

The global press freedom group Reporters Without Borders released its annual World Press Freedom Ranking today moving the United States up to number 20 from 40 last year. Barack Obama’s election as president was cited for the increase.

The group said at a press conference held at the Overseas Press Club in New York today, “The President has a less hawkish approach than his predecessor.”  The Bush Administration’s First Amendment and global press freedom violations following the September 11th attacks were highlighted by the group and include: the US Patriot Act, attacks on the confidentiality of sources, the federal shield law, phone tapping, jailing of journalists in Iraq and Afghanistan and the detention in the US of both foreign and national correspondents.

“Journalists do not get put in jail as they used to in the national security era under George Bush” said Clothilde de Coz, Washington Director of Reporters Without Borders.”But it was still a big year for US reporters, as five were held in foreign countries.”

The list of the five held include Stephen Farrell and David Rhodes from the New York Times, Laura Ling and Euna Lee from Current Television, and Roxana Saberi from NPR and Fox news.

The highest profile cases of US detention of national correspondents include the jailing of Judith Miller from the New York Times and Matthew Cooper from Time magazine in 2005. Miller and Cooper were held for refusing to comply with subpoenas requiring them to testify in the federal investigation into the source of the leak that “outed” CIA operative Valerie Plame. Both journalists later identified White House Adviser to Karl Rove,  Lewis “Scooter” Libby as the “source,” but only after Miller spent 85 days behind bars. She resigned from the Times a month later.

Representatives from Reporters Without Borders said the countries ranking among the poorest globally for muzzling the press include China, Iran and North Korea. “China is the world’s biggest prison for journalists.”

The Iranian government was blamed for the massive detention of both foreign and national reporters during the election coup in the country this past June. Many journalists still remain behind bars–but the total rounded up during the elections include reporters from Newsweek, BBC, the Washington Times and over 30 journalists from Iranian press. Many are believed to have been subjected to serious methods of torture while in detention.

John Solomon, Executive Editor at the Washington Times said he had to recently negotiate the release of one of his reporters in Iran. Solomon was also interrogated under the Bush Administration when officials seized his mail in 2001 in response to some of his critical news reports of the administration.

“We still need to test Obama’s commitment to transparency–there are still great challenges ahead of us.”

Angela Kocherga, a journalist with the Latin American news station Belo said Mexico should not be ignored either for its violations. Fifty-five journalists have been murdered in the country to date. Many of these reporters died while covering drug cartels and trafficking over the United States border.

John R. Macarthur, President of Harper’s Magazine and moderator of the press conference, said “Mexico now seems more dangerous than being in Iraq.”

Ali Alnaemi, former newsroom manager for the New York Times in Baghdad said there has been some change in terms of press freedom in the country. With Facebook and other online social networking sites, Iraqis are slowly opening up to the press in the country.

“When the American media used to interview Iraqis, most thought they were part of the CIA or US military. Now they understand they are independent of their government,” Alnaemi added. “But we still have a long way ahead of us.”

For a full copy of the World Press Freedom Index, go to: http://www.rsf.org/en-classement1003-2009.html

The Council of Europe and the United Nations joined forces today to call for an international convention to combat organ trafficking across the globe.  Trafficking in OTC (organs, tissues and cells) is a worldwide phenomena, and the group urged, very different to traditional human trafficking.

The report launched today points to the possibility of a high number of unreported cases due to the high price for victims. The report also highlights that trafficking in OTC is “transplant tourism” where wealthier nations acquire organs in countries where there are little or no measures to prevent the crime or to protect victims.

Countries ranked among the highest in OTC victims include China, Moldova, India, Pakistan, Mozambique and Kosovo, to name a few. Most often, these organs are trafficked into Western Europe, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Rachel Mayanja, Special Advisor to the UN on the Advancement of Women added:

“We see that women are statistically always the largest number of victims in trafficking–prostitution and trafficking for labor. It is still difficult to find out whether women are the biggest victims for organs as compared to men. But we are continuing our search.”

The authors of the report responded to a TRNS question about the famous “Body” exhibit–where body parts were proven to come from unwilling Chinese political prisoners in order to fulfill the mandate for bodies by the global exhibit organizers. Authors called this “ethical trouble”.

Victims report being drugged, then waking up naked in a bath tub full of ice with their kidneys removed. Many others are murdered for their kidneys, heart, lungs, liver and small bowel. Most of the victims come from developing nations and from a climate of poverty.

Five to ten percent of kidney transplants performed across the world are the result of trafficking.

Representatives of the Council of Europe said the international legislation in trafficking of human beings but does not cover OTC—and the goal is to increase the legal basis for tissues and cells as well. Organs can be from a living and dead donor–but for tissues and cells it is only possible to obtain from a dead donor.

The UN report calls for greater international cooperation for the protection of victims and the timely prosecution of traffickers:

“No financial gain should be used to steal and sell organs and most people who sell their organs do not escape poverty.”

Further attacks on the Indian embassy in Afghanistan today left seventeen people dead and dozens injured in a car bomb that detonated inside Kabul–a once secure area.  The attacks have spawned further debate on the government’s poor handling of security and whether officials will be able to mitigate the massive growth of insurgent groups throughout the country. This is the fourth such blast in the past eight weeks.

The Taliban have claimed responsibility for both attacks this month—the UN World Food Program was attacked earlier this week which left five people dead in that suicide bomb blast.

In an interview this morning, Peter Galbraith, top American UN envoy who was sacked earlier this month after what he believes was “a cover-up” of fraud in the Afghan election, said the Taliban have gained complete control of the countryside and Afghanistan’s second largest city-Kandahar. He also added the north of the country is increasingly being controlled by pro-Taliban groups.

“People committed fraud on a massive scale…and selfish interests were ahead of national interests.”

Some polling stations were closed but reported receiving ballots–and many skeptics of the current leader, Hamid Karzai believe he is to blame for the election coup.

Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, announced that he dismissed Mr. Galbraith “in the best interest of the mission”.

“I think it’s astonishing that the United Nations would dismiss an official because he was concerned about fraud in a UN-funded and UN-supported election, Galbraith said earlier this month.

The increase in lawlessness throughout the country is being directly linked to the election fraud. Galbraith believes that the only way to mitigate the violence is to  support a runoff at the end of the month between Karzai and his opponent Abdullah Abdullah.

TRNS asked Secretary General spokesperson Michele Montas-on the SG’s position on a runoff:

“At this point we are waiting for the Afghan electoral commission and we have enough guarantees to know the independent electoral commission can complete the work.”

Galbraith called the independent electoral commission pro-Karzai and not neutral and said the Afghan electoral commission was corrupt as it was being led by Karzai’s government.

“Aside from my personal views, it is quite disturbing that a UN official was removed for expressing his views to his boss. This clearly undermines the credibility of the UN mission” he added.