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GENEVA / HRC OPENING
STORY: GENEVA / HRC OPENING
TRT: 03:03
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / SPANISH / NATS
DATELINE: 06 JUNE 2017 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / RECENT
RECENT - 06 JUNE 2017 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
06 JUNE 2017 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, podium Human Rights Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“The sine qua non for peace – the end of the occupation – must now be brought about, and soon. Maintain the occupation, and for both peoples there will only be a prolongation of immense pain, the endless flow of ‘azzas and shivas’, the weeping by loved ones for loved ones, the prayers, the curses, the hatreds and vengeance, the impossibility of a secure life for all. This can be ended.”
4. Zoom out, delegations
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“I again condemn in the strongest of terms the cowardly and sickening attacks perpetrated against innocent people by callous terrorists operating in many parts of the world. Terrorism worldwide must be eradicated by government action – but smart action. Counter-terrorism must be prosecuted intelligently: that is, while preserving the human rights of all.”
6. Close up, photographer
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “When thug-like leaders rise to power, democratically or otherwise, and openly defy, not only their own laws and constitutions, but also their obligations under international law, where is their shame? Do they not feel disgusted with themselves when they incite or condone acts of violence and bigotry? When they remark that every soldier should be limited to three rapes of village women each, have they no conscience?”
8. Wide shot, delegations
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “Given the difficulties in accessing the areas where violations and abuses are occurring, I will be dispatching a team to the region next week to meet with people fleeing attacks. Unless I receive appropriate responses from the Government regarding a joint investigation by 8 June, I will insist on the creation of an international investigative mechanism for the Kasais.”
10. Med shot, delegates at Human Rights Room
11. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Tabaré Vazquez, President of Uruguay: “It is for the state to guarantee access to public possessions for all persons without exclusion or discrimination. Services have a cost, and therefore everybody must contribute to financing each according to his capacities and possibilities. Those who have the most must contribute the most, those who benefit may have the least. We all have the same right to enjoy human rights on an equal footing.”
12. Various shots, delegates
United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein today (6 Jun) called for an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory, saying it would be beneficial to both sides after 50 years of enmity.
In his opening speech before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, which opened today for a three-week session, Zeid said that “the sine qua non for peace – the end of the occupation – must now be brought about, and soon. Maintain the occupation, and for both peoples there will only be a prolongation of immense pain, the endless flow of ‘azzas and shivas’, the weeping by loved ones for loved ones, the prayers, the curses, the hatreds and vengeance, the impossibility of a secure life for all. This can be ended.”
Addressing recent acts of terrorism worldwide, the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that he again condemned "in the strongest of terms, the cowardly and sickening attacks perpetrated against innocent people by callous terrorists operating in many parts of the world. Terrorism worldwide must be eradicated by government action – but smart action. Counter-terrorism must be prosecuted intelligently: that is, while preserving the human rights of all.”
Zeid also expressed concern about brazen absence of shame being paraded by a growing number of politicians world-wide.
Zeid asked, “when thug-like leaders rise to power, democratically or otherwise, and openly defy, not only their own laws and constitutions, but also their obligations under international law, where is their shame? Do they not feel disgusted with themselves when they incite or condone acts of violence and bigotry?"
He then added, in a pointed reference to the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, "when they remark that every soldier should be limited to three rapes of village women each, have they no conscience?”
Addressing the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the UN rights chief gave a two-day deadline to the country's leaders to show that they are seriously investigating violence in the central Kasai provinces. Zeid said that “given the difficulties in accessing the areas where violations and abuses are occurring, I will be dispatching a team to the region next week to meet with people fleeing attacks. Unless I receive appropriate responses from the Government regarding a joint investigation by 8 June, I will insist on the creation of an international investigative mechanism for the Kasais.”
Tabaré Vázquez, the President of Uruguay, was the first speaker at the morning's session, which also included the first appearance by the United States' Ambassador Nikki Haley at the Human Rights Council.
President Vázquez noted that it was fundamental that all countries recognized, supported and participated together in the Council to ensure peaceful coexistence. Coexistence was today threatened by situations of injustice, increased individualism and competition for goods and privileges.
Vázquez said “it is for the state to guarantee access to public possessions for all persons without exclusion or discrimination. Services have a cost, and therefore everybody must contribute to financing each according to his capacities and possibilities. Those who have the most must contribute the most; those who benefit may have the least. We all have the same right to enjoy human rights on an equal footing.”
He called for freedom and democracy, and politics as a social practice through which public affairs would be addressed.
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