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Monday saw a lively opening to the 12th session of the
Human Rights Council of the UN, which marks the return
of the United States delegation to this forum. Meetings
will take place until 2nd October at the United Nations
in Geneva. The session was blocked throughout the
morning by the group of Latin American and Caribbean
countries, who oppose the ambassador of Honduras Delmer
Urbizo, in favour of the de facto president, Roberto
Micheletti.
Honduras Ambassador "persona no grata"
The Latin American countries closed ranks in support of
the deposed President and said they will not accept
participation in the Human Rights Council (HRC) of the
UN to a diplomatic delegation other than that designated
by the government.
Mexico's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Juan Gomez
Camacho, spoke on behalf of Latin Americans to point
out: “We are not willing to let any people of the region
experiences undemocratic changes”. He asked the chair of
the HRC to confirm the existence of a letter sent by the
de facto government of Honduras.
Immigrant detainees
Part of this meeting will be a panel discussion on human
rights of migrants in places of detention where the
focus will be to coordinate international action to
address the problem of administrative detention of
undocumented immigrants. The issue was last June’s
resolution that considers the detention of immigrants
and creates conditions that can lead to the violation of
their human rights.
Other topics
Also appointed are two new mandate holders: an
independent expert on the issue of cultural rights and
an independent expert on human rights in Sudan.
Among other issues, the Council will have before it
several reports of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights and the Secretary General of the United Nations,
dealing with unilateral coercive measures, and the Right
to Development, and justice in transitional periods.
Also to be reviewed are reports on the death penalty and
the protection of human rights while countering
terrorism.
U.S. Returns
This new session has seen the return of the United
States as a board member. The secretary of state for
international organization affairs in the U.S., Esther
Brimmer, speaking on the opening day said “In assuming
this seat in the Council, the United States intends to
use his voice for the promotion and protection of human
rights and fundamental freedoms”.
Swisslatin / Alberto Dufey
(14.09.2009)
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