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international

formulate implementable solutions. For instance, in my
2013 report to the General Assembly and in my book
Building a Just World Order[4], I formulated specific
proposals on reforming the United Nations, in particular
the Security Council. In my 2014 report, which is devoted
to the theory and practice of self-determination, I showed
how it is not self-determination that causes wars, but the
unjust denial thereof. I demonstrated how the realization
of the right of self-determination of all peoples can be a
primary conflict-prevention strategy. I decry that the
reports of special rapporteurs and independent experts
are routinely filed away and forgotten. As I told the Human
Rights Council and General Assembly, there must be
some sort of follow-up mechanism so that the
recommendations of the rapporteurs can be monitored.
Otherwise we are but an “assembly of Cassandras”. I also
made proposals for the adoption of codes of ethics for
several institutions and for the non-governmental Millennium solidarity
organizations. I called for the adoption of a Charter on “La misere tue”
the Rights of Whistleblowers.

My book Countering Mainstream Narratives[5] contains a
long chapter on the First Nations of North and South
America and how these peoples were never decolonized,
how they suffered genocide and in spite of everything still
conserve their history and culture. It is a moral obligation
to rehabilitate the indigenous populations of all countries
and at least give them back some of their stolen lands and
the opportunity to live their identities in safety and dignity.
I describe the skewed narratives that led to the 2003
invasion of Iraq, the so-called “Arab Spring”, that for many
Arabs turned out to be an Arab hell (just think of Libya!),
the provocations that led to the illegal Russian invasion of
Ukraine.

My newest book The Human Rights Industry[6]
documents the failures of many institutions and
specifically calls for reform of the Office of the High Cyprus lecture
Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights
Council, the International Criminal Court and the
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. [1] https://www.claritypress.com/book-author/alfred-de-zayas/
One of its chapters deals with the voting record of [2] https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/
countries on a number of crucial resolutions adopted (or instruments/declaration-right-peoples-peace
rejected) in the General Assembly and Human Rights [3] https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/advisory-
Council. It is extremely revealing how countries that claim committee/right-to-peace
to be “democratic” and respectful of the “rule of law” [4] https://www.claritypress.com/product/building-a-just-
actually vote. As has been said, “The proof of the pudding world-order/
is in the eating”. Many countries that claim to be “leaders” [5] https://www.claritypress.com/product/countering-
mainstream-narratives-fake-news-fake-law-fake-
in human rights turn out to be sheer hypocrites when we freedomcountering-the-mainstream-narratives-fake-news-
see how their representatives have voted. fake-law-fake-freedom/
[6] https://www.claritypress.com/product/human-rights-
Part two of this interview in DIVA International 2 - 2024 industry/

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