Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 3

Written Answers. - Human Rights Violations.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

95 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he and his EU colleagues propose to pay special attention to the main locations throughout the world where serious violation of human rights has occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22641/00]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

Human rights are a priority of this Government and a central element of our foreign policy. In co-operation with our EU partners and other concerned States, the Government continually monitors the human rights situation in many countries throughout the world. We believe that the international community has an obligation to act when it has concerns, and that these concerns should be pursued whenever possible in a constructive spirit of co-operation and dialogue, conscious of the responsibility which devolves on all governments to promote and protect human rights.

This Government has commented publicly on many occasions on those situations which give rise to grave concern, in a national capacity and as a member of the EU and the Council of Europe. These concerns have also been raised on a consistent basis by this country's representatives at the UN General Assembly and at the UN Commission on Human Rights. Ireland will also be closely concerned with human rights issues, at the UN Security Council, on taking up our seat in January 2001.

Concentrated international pressure applied through multilateral organisations such as the EU, UN and the Council of Europe is one of the most effective means of combating human rights abuses.

However, despite the efforts of the global community in international and regional fora, it has to be acknowledged that the systems in place for preventing and tackling flagrant human rights abuses do not always prove adequate. Reasons for this range from the failure of states to ratify relevant international instruments to a lack of resources and even political will to focus on these problems. The Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Kofi Annan, has initiated a debate on how the international community can react most effectively to crisis situations and humanitarian disasters.

This debate is focusing on the need for clarification of the principles and the establishment of agreed criteria for external intervention. In this regard, there is an evident need to reconcile the requirements of international human rights provisions with other principles such as national sovereignty or non-intervention as established by the UN Charter. Ireland is actively involved in this debate and is currently engaged in the discussion of specific issues with like-minded countries, notably in a group known as the Human Security Network. This initiative of the Canadian and Norwegian Governments is aimed at establishing the principle of human security as a central element in the international community's approach to situations of conflict.

The Government is committed to the active promotion of full observance of universal human rights standards. We will continue to voice our concerns, wherever possible in partnership with other like-minded countries, in international fora such as the UN General Assembly, the UN Commission on Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the OSCE and the UN Security Council on taking up our seat in January 2001.