PRESIDENT OF CHILE UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL PROCEDURES AND EARLY WARNING IN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

Michelle Bachelet, the President of Chile, told a special meeting of the Human Rights Council today that at this crucial time in the Council’s institution building, it was important to act before fresh tragedies took place, and the systems of Special Procedures and early warning were of key importance because they could stop events from growing into systematic atrocities if they were caught in time.

Ms Bachelet said that the Universal Review Mechanism was one of the most innovative and important aspects of the reform of the Council, but for it to succeed, it must take up all the countries and it must be pluri-participatory, involving State experts and non-governmental, intergovernmental and national institutions.

Chile was steadfastly committed to the defense of life and human dignity. During its darkest days, the international community had always been besides Chile, and therefore she could not have failed to visit the United Nations Human Rights Council. She wanted to assert here the positive legacy that was left by the former Human Rights Council, including the Special Procedures system which was the cornerstone of the promotion and protection of human rights.

In opening remarks to this special meeting which was held in honour of the President of Chile, Luis Alfonso de Alba, the President of the Council, said the Council knew of the suffering of Ms. Bachelet and her family after the events which brought about the fall of the civilian Government in Chile. The presence of the President of Chile here was of special relevance, as she represented the vision of the victims, the promoters of human rights and the public authorities who had committed themselves to the defense of human rights. This richness would be a special source of inspiration for the Council in its work.

Sergei Ordzhonikidze, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, said Chile’s strong involvement in many of the United Nations’ activities greatly strengthened millions across the world and brought benefits to people in all corners of the globe. The presence of the President of Chile, as an eloquent and fearless champion of human rights and democracy, was a vote of confidence in the new Human Rights Council and an illustration of a significant political commitment to ensuring that it fulfilled its promise.

Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that as the Human Rights Council prepared to celebrate its first anniversary, the presence of the President of Chile provided a powerful reminder that oppression and abuse of human rights could be overcome. The recent adoptions of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities represented solemn commitments to fill normative gaps in the implementation of human rights. However, severe shortcomings remained, particularly when it came to the implementation of universal norms.

The fifth session of the Human Rights Council will be held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 11 to 18 June.

Statements

LUIS ALFONSO DE ALBA (Mexico), President of the Council, said it was a great honour to welcome the President of Chile. For the Council to have a Head of State addressing it, was a great opportunity because of the stimulus it had on its work, but in this particular case, it also represented a valued opportunity to enrich the vision of the Council with regard to the themes and work that it had begun and to learn about the tasks entrusted to the Council. He would like to express deep appreciation for the President’s work in promoting human rights, which she carried out with bravery and tireless commitment to assist victims. The Council knew of the suffering of Ms. Bachelet and her family after the events which brought about the fall of the civilian Government in Chile. This fall had mobilized the international community and the Commission on Human Rights to act decisively. So the presence of the President here was of special relevance, as she represented the vision of the victims, the promoters of human rights and the public authorities who had committed themselves to the defense of human rights. This richness would be a special source of inspiration for the Council in its work. He also appreciated Chile’s outstanding record of achievement and for the important contribution that Chile had made to the Council.

SERGEI ORDZHONIKIDZE, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, said that Chile’s peaceful transition to democracy, its readiness to confront and to learn from the past, and to work towards reconciliation by putting an end to impunity held valuable lessons for the region and for the rest of the world. Chile’s contributions to the United Nations across the entire spectrum of its activities – as an active participant in United Nations peacekeeping, as a member of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, as a champion of disarmament, as a significant force in development efforts, and as an advocate of multilateral measures to address climate change – continued to leave an important mark on the Organization.

Chile’s strong involvement in many of the United Nations’ activities greatly strengthened millions across the world and brought benefits to people in all corners of the globe, Mr. Ordzhonikidze said. In all these different fields, Chile placed the dignity and well being of the individual at the centre, as an essential element in achieving peace and prosperity for all. In noting that Chile was the only country in Latin America that had already achieved the target of halving extreme poverty - one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, he added that Chile had set an example by focusing on economic and social rights as well. The presence of the President of Chile, as an eloquent and fearless champion of human rights and democracy, was a vote of confidence in the new Human Rights Council and an illustration of a significant political commitment to ensuring that it fulfilled its promise.

LOUISE ARBOUR, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that as the Human Rights Council prepared to celebrate its first anniversary, the presence of the President of Chile provided a powerful reminder that oppression and abuse of human rights could be overcome. As an advocate for the powerless and the neglected, Ms. Bachelet showed by example the necessity to uphold at all time the totality of human rights, political and civil, and economic, social and cultural rights, as well as equality and non-discrimination. International support and cooperation must facilitate this endeavour.

Ms. Arbour said that in addressing the inaugural session of the Council last year, the Government of Chile recognized that international human rights mechanisms had been decisive in helping the country to overcome the dark period of its history. After tyranny was defeated, the international system continued to assist Chilean democratic governments in fulfilling their human rights commitments. Today’s victims of abuse expected no less from the Human Rights Council.

The recent adoptions of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities represented solemn commitments to fill normative gaps in the implementation of human rights. However, Ms. Arbour said, severe shortcomings remained, particularly when it came to the implementation of universal norms. Ms. Bachelet’s experience stood as a testimony that the realization of all human rights required firm principles, courage, determination and sustained commitment. Her life-long example reinvigorated hopes and her words would further motivate all to do better for the promotion and protection of human rights.

MICHELLE BACHELET, President of Chile, said a few moments after she had become President, history had revealed itself to her in all its contradictions, caprices and emotions. Last October, as President, she had been called upon to inaugurate the Theatre for Life, in the Peace Park. The Peace Park was a beautiful park which was built on the site of the most brutal detention centre of the dictatorship, the Villa Grimaldi. This had been the second time that she had visited the place. The first time was in 1975 when she and her mother were taken there and were held, with no charges, except perhaps of thinking differently. She had been 19 and her father had died the previous year in jail after being tortured. She would never forget this experience because she wanted to change it into a strength to ensure the protection of human rights for all mankind.

Ms. Bachelet said she wanted to start by paying tribute to the many Chilean men and women who suffered during this saddest period of Chile’s history. Chile was steadfastly committed to the defense of life and human dignity. During its darkest days, the international community had always been besides Chile, and therefore she could not have failed to visit the United Nations Human Rights Council. She wanted to assert here the positive legacy that was left by the former Human Rights Council, including the Special Procedures system which was the cornerstone of the promotion and protection of human rights. Democracy and human rights were no longer values that were called into question. The world now had further turmoil that could result in fresh atrocities, and many looked to the Council to ensure the effective protection of human rights. The creation of a fairer human rights order had to have the dignity of the human individual at its centre, irrespective of religion, race, gender, social situation, political leanings or any other characteristics.

No country could guarantee security or prosperity if the basic human rights of its citizens were permanently threatened, the President of Chile said. To seek development and growth without human dignity was unsustainable, as seen over the course of time. Since democracy had returned to Chile in 1990, the country had made progress once thought to be unconceivable. The Chilean society had come to know and accept the truth, that 4,000 persons were executed or disappeared, and than tens of thousands were tortured by State organizations. Those responsible for this were being tried and many were serving their sentences. No political circumstances could justify political violence. The State was also providing moral and material reparation to the victims, and was helping those who were exiled and the children of those who had died. This whole process had been fundamental for the consolidation of Chile’s democracy, and the State had carried it out without shirking the truth. The Government was also establishing institutional conditions to guarantee permanent protection. The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture had recently been approved by the Council of Deputies and would be ratified. Parliament was considering the creation of a national human rights institute in Chile, and there were plans to establish a national museum on memory. The fight against racism and intolerance was also of importance to the Government of Chile.

Ms. Bachelet paid tribute to the work of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Council was at a crucial time in the phase of its institution building, and she was sure that Member States would rise to the occasion. It was important to act before fresh tragedies took place. The systems of Special Procedures and early warning were of key importance because they could stop events from growing into systematic atrocities if they were caught in time. The promotion of human rights was ultimately binding to all persons, but States had an important responsibility to ensure the rights of all their inhabitants, to the last one. She remained concerned about the most vulnerable, women, children, the elderly and ethnic minorities and outlined measures Chile was taking in that regard. Work for human rights was an ongoing, continuous task and comments which Chile received were seen as an important assistance to Chile’s efforts to ensure the rights of all its inhabitants.


Concerning the Council, the President of Chile said that the Universal Review Mechanism was one of the most innovative and important aspects of the reform, but for it to succeed, it must take up all the countries and it must be pluri-participatory, involving State experts and non-governmental, intergovernmental and national institutions. Chile hoped that the Council would soon become a principal member of the United Nations, and not a subsidiary body to the General Assembly. She thanked the Council for this opportunity to address it and urged the Member States to continue their work, because there were those who were counting on them.

LUIS ALFONSO DE ALBA (Mexico), President of the Council, thanked the President of Chile for her message, which was a clear source of inspiration for the Council. She had shared with the Council her mission and experience and this was important at this time of institution building of the Council. He hoped the Council would be able to provide a successful accounting of its work.


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