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International International
Dr Vickie Casa- Jacques Baud
nova-Willis “The danger of false narrative in foreign
US Human Rights relations”
Network The foreign policy of the West in its current
Dr. Casanova-Willis international relations with other countries
noted that the myth of is tainted by groundless accusations, biased
white supremacy and the assessments, and unverifiable claims of
corrupting influence of human rights violations most often targeting
unchecked greed appear the adversaries – or even enemies – of the
to have a stranglehold on United States. This is followed directly by
the sanity of the powerful, sanctions or punitive measures, bypassing
and even on those in more conventional and graduated diplomatic
positions of influence responses. Addressing human rights, the
whose hearts may at times be in the right place. rule of law and issues that affect whole
What do the people on the ground have to say populations is perfectly legitimate, provided
– and where can they say it -- about living on its true purpose is to improve the situation.
the margins in an international institution that But most frequently, human rights are used
uplifts the language of human rights, but is as a leverage to weaken the position of the
struggling not just to walk the talk, but even to accused countries. Sanctions are not designed
talk the talk? to promote an improvement, but rather
to stimulate an uprising by the countries’
Barrister A MAJID populations against their leaders. This
TRAMBOO manner of managing international relations
IHRAAM Director, Europe indicates a profound dysfunction of the
Barrister Tramboo pointed rule of law in Western countries that is then
out that it is the duty of States reflected in UN human rights institutions. It
to act responsibly to promote demonstrates the inability or unwillingness
and protect human rights
globally. The member States
of the United Nations must create a process
and a political atmosphere conducive to
implementing human rights resolutions in
letter and spirit. They must act on grave human
rights violations. The past and present colonial
and occupying powers to this day enjoy total
impunity for multiple crimes and ongoing
exploitations. The occupied state of Jammu
& Kashmir is a classic example of this brutal
occupation. Kashmiris are denied their right
to self-determination by the Indian authorities
in a blatant breach of UN Security Council
resolutions. The world community must act to of Western intelligence services to identify
ensure that the people of Kashmir are extended or to understand problems, leading to
the promised referendum so all brutal human misattribution and deadly confrontations.
rights violations cease forthwith. Barrister
Tramboo recommended reform of the United Mary Ann Mills –
Nations General Assembly, the Security Council Tribal Leader Alaska
and the Human Rights Council to improve As a witness to Alaska history, Ms. Mills
victims’ access to human rights mechanisms recalled Martin Luther King’s statement that
with a view to balancing the power within the the USA is founded upon genocide and she
UN between all States, large and small. pointed out that it continues to wipe out the
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performance of United Nations bodies and
organs by ceasing to grant disproportionate
time and resources toward addressing human
rights violations put forward by countries of
the North, acting in pursuit of their geopolitical
interests. We call for more attention to be
given to address the human rights violations
occurring in Alaska, Hawaii, Kashmir,
and among Indigenous peoples in Canada
and elsewhere, including in particular the
discovery of children’s graves at the residential
schools in Canada and North America, as
Indigenous populations by violence against well as to the plight of Julian Assange and
women and social engineering, leading to a protection of freedom of the press.
high suicide rate. Bullets are not needed to
commit genocide. An Alaska psychiatrist has Are the countries of the
observed that Alaska Indigenous suffer the South willing to devote
symptoms of prisoners of war. Faced with the necessary time and
the statement of a former Alaska governor resources to confront
that democracy does not apply to Alaska the disproportionate
Indigenous, she affirmed that Alaska’s process of addressing
Indigenous express their political will to human rights violations as
pursue its international status through the promoted by the North?
Alaska Inter-Tribal Council and the National Assessing the imbalance
Congress of American Indian resolutions. must include reviewing
acts of aggression and
H.E. Leon Siu, intimidation at all phases
Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Hawaii of human rights within the
Leon Siu reiterated that not only are double UN system itself, including
standards a systemic part of the UN but they at the General Assembly,
are based on the human rights standards and Security Council and at
customs of European civilization, which have the Economic and Social
become the pervasive and entrenched mode Council, within the Human Rights Council
of viewing the same around the world. The and its special procedures and mechanisms
challenge is to convince the world to change and within the OHCHR itself. We call for
its mode of doing things. He proposed the a review of the UN’s double standards in
development of a whole new paradigm based addressing human rights and an end to the
on Indigenous and ethnic cultural values with resultant appearance of racist domination in
which we can better address the rule of law, and order that all victims of human rights abuses
human and civil rights, etc. He pointed out that are enabled to seek remedy from a position of
when the Indigenous Peoples of the Kingdom equality. We suggest, inter alia, that the Human
of Hawaii submit evidence of the violations Rights Council call for the CERD to accept
of our human rights, no actions are taken. He petitions pursuant to Article 15 of ICERD
called for the annulment of General Assembly with an admissibility provision calling for the
resolution 1469 of 12 December 1959 with a General Assembly to adopt a resolution to
view to fully addressing the illegal overthrow accept its recommendations. Our organizations
and occupation of the Kingdom of Hawaii. will continue to lobby Member States and to
request that serious consideration be given to
IHRAAM, USHRN and IPNC issued its review and implement these observations and
Observations and Recommendations of the recommendations.
meeting with the request that its findings
be addressed with a view to improving the Ambassador Ronald F. Barnes
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