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STORY: GENEVA / BAN KI-MOON HRC
TRT: 1:29
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
DATELINE: 25 JANUARY 2011, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressing the Human Rights Council
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Let us be frank. This body has come under criticism from various quarters. For this Human Rights Council to fulfil its mandate, it must be seen as impartial and fair. It cannot be seen as a place ruled by bias or special interests. It cannot be a place that targets some countries, yet ignores others. It cannot be a place where some members overlook the human rights violations of others so as to avoid scrutiny themselves.”
3. Cutaway, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Recently, there was a Special Rapporteur who suggested there was an “apparent cover-up” in the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. I want to tell you, clearly and directly. I condemn this sort of inflammatory rhetoric. It is preposterous – an affront to the memory of the more than 3,000 people who died in that tragic terrorist attack.”
5. Cutaway, delegates
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today (25 January) called on the Human Rights Council to be impartial, objective and constructive as well as condemned the recent comments made by UN-appointed Special Rapporteur Richard Falk.
Ban said that the Council “cannot be seen as a place ruled by bias or special interests” and “cannot be a place that targets some countries, yet ignores others.”
He noted that the Council’s system of special procedures including experts who travel the world, record what they see, and report to the 47-member body makes its ability to be objective possible.
The Council also convenes special sessions, carries out fact-finding missions and responds to breaking developments.
The Secretary-General added that while the independence of human rights rapporteurs cannot and should not be limited, irresponsible behaviour that undermines the Council and the UN cannot be condoned.
He noted in particular recent comments by one special rapporteur who suggested that there was an “apparent cover-up” in the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
He condemned the “inflammatory rhetoric” referring to the comments made by Palestinian rights expert Richard Falk in a blog post this month.
He called Falk’s comments “preposterous” and “an affront to the memory of the more than 3,000 people who died in that tragic attack.”
In his address, Ban also cautioned against being selective in promoting human rights and talked about the need to address the full spectrum of rights including civil, cultural, economic, social and political rights.
