Skip to main content
Normal View

Human Rights Issues.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2009

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Questions (245, 246, 247)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

259 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the locations worldwide, excluding Africa, in which the international community has identified ongoing human rights abuses; the action taken or proposed at EU level to address the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47134/09]

View answer

Written answers

Unfortunately, no part of the world is totally free from human rights abuses. As I have stated on previous occasions, in response to similar Questions, it is not the policy of the Government to draw up a ‘league table' of countries deemed guilty of the most serious human rights abuses. Human rights concerns remain central to our foreign policy. Together with our EU partners, Ireland closely monitors the human rights situations in many countries throughout the world, on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including both official and non-governmental organisations.

Where and when the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about human rights violations to the Governments in question. We do this either bilaterally, through the EU, or through action at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council, including, in the case of the latter, through the new Universal Periodic Review process whereby the human rights performance of each UN State is reviewed. We support the use of the full UN human rights machinery in responding to human rights abuses, including supporting the role of UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies, Special Procedures and Mandate Holders and the convening, where appropriate, of Special Sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. At these UN bodies, the EU regularly makes statements on the human rights situations in a number of countries from all regions. Ireland is fully associated with these statements. The EU also introduces or supports resolutions dealing with specific countries.

Active participation in multilateral organisations such as the EU, the UN and the Council of Europe provides opportunities for Ireland to voice its concerns regarding human rights abuses. Through these organisations, international pressure can be brought to bear on those responsible for the violation of human rights. The EU has adopted Common Positions on certain countries, which attach priority to promoting human rights, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. In addition, the EU conducts human rights dialogues with a number of countries and also raises human rights concerns as part of political dialogue meetings.

Together with our EU partners, Ireland has been a consistent and strong supporter of the International Criminal Court, recognising it as an essential means of combating impunity for the most serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. The Court's Prosecutor has opened investigations into a number of country situations and we will continue to monitor this work closely. The extent to which individual States comply with international human rights standards and obligations varies. Ireland urges all States to comply with their international obligations and in this regard stands ready, if requested, to assist States in complying with their obligations.

The risk of human rights violations is greater where political, economic and administrative systems are weak. Development is essential to allow people the full enjoyment of their human rights, and this is a key concern for Ireland's development co-operation programme. Irish Aid supports specific actions designed to promote human rights, including by strengthening government systems and in-country human rights institutions, in particular through legal training. Support is also provided for legal aid programmes targeted at victims of human rights abuses. Irish Aid has a specific focus on governance in several programme countries. The Government will continue to avail of all the above-mentioned mechanisms as a means of highlighting violations of human rights and furthering their protection.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

260 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which the EU and UN have focused on African countries generally known to have the most serous human rights abuses; the action or actions taken or proposed to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47135/09]

View answer

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

261 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the extent to which the international community continues to monitor human rights abuses on the African continent; the degree to which pressure is being applied on the perpetrators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47136/09]

View answer

I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together.

One of the principal ways in which the international community, which includes the EU and the UN, promotes human rights is through action at the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council. The Universal Periodic Review is one of the major new aspects of the Human Rights Council, which subjects each UN Member State to a thorough review of its human rights performance every fourth year. The reviews are based on information provided by the concerned State, compilation reports prepared by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and input from NGOs. Each review is facilitated by three States members who act as rapporteurs. During the UPR working group sessions, states and NGOs have the opportunity to participate in an interactive dialogue with the state under review. The 6th UPR session took place in Geneva from 30 November-11 December 2009, at which Ireland raised the human rights situations in Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Cote d'Ivoire.

Through the Government's official overseas development aid programme, Irish Aid, Ireland actively supports Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in African countries, both in our priority countries and in countries where there are human rights concerns. This year, Irish Aid is providing funding to over fifty NGOs working in African countries which actively promote and defend human rights. Through Irish Aid, the Government has allocated over €2 million this year to NGO involved in human rights projects in African countries. Additional funding is provided through Irish Aid's significant support for the development programmes of the main NGO partners.

Respect for human rights is of course an important priority of the Cotonou Agreement, the agreement governing the aid framework between the EU and the 77 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states, which was signed in 2000 and revised in 2005. The Partnership sets ambitious targets for the next twenty years centred on the reduction of poverty, the prevention of violent conflicts and improved governance. Under the Agreement, the EU and the ACP countries regularly monitor progress through a comprehensive political dialogue that focuses on respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. There is also provision for consultations on important issues of concern.

In the coming months, the EU will hold discussions with Madagascar, Niger, Zimbabwe, Guinea and Fiji in an effort to resolve matters of concern. If the consultations do not lead to a solution acceptable to both sides, measures can be taken including the possible suspension of the Agreement, although this is recognised as a last resort and is only applied to cases in which sustained political dialogue has failed to produce the desired reforms.

When necessary, Ireland and the EU have employed a system of targeted sanctions against members of a regime responsible for serious human rights abuses. In the case of Zimbabwe, a system of restrictive measures is in place against individuals responsible for the violence and human violation committed under the Mugabe regime. Most recently, similar measures were introduced against members of the military regime in Guinea following the violent security crackdown against civilians in Conakry last September.

Finally, Ireland has been a consistent and strong supporter of the International Criminal Court, recognising it as an essential means for bringing to justice those responsible for the most serious abuses of human rights. To date, the ICC has instigated investigations into allegations of serious human rights abuses in Northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and the Darfur region of Sudan.

Top
Share