Darfur: New UN Human Rights Council, renewed futility

The new, supposedly reformed and more effective body, is if anything worse than its predecessor.

The U.N. Human Rights Council on Tuesday rejected an attempt to hold the Sudanese government responsible for halting atrocities in Darfur.

By a 22-20 vote, the council turned down a resolution from the European Union and Canada telling the Sudanese government to prosecute those responsible for killing, raping and injuring civilians in the western region of the country.

The showdown followed months of negotiations between the European Union and the African group of members in the 47-nation council on what approach to take toward Darfur, which the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

After rejecting EU attempts, the council then voted 25-11 with 10 abstentions to approve the African group's resolution calling on all parties to the conflict "to put an immediate end to the ongoing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, with a special focus on vulnerable groups, including women and children, while not hindering the return of all internally displaced persons to their homes."

The African resolution suggests no blame for President Omar al-Bashir's government...

That'll sure make Khartoum listen up and do something. In any event, "Darfur is the fault of the Joos".

The council, which took over from the discredited U.N. Human Rights Commission last June, is dominated by African and Muslim countries, who have sided with China, Cuba and other countries in preventing criticism of any government but Israel (full text not officially online)...

Remember, Canada under its "New Government" was, typically and stupidly, "pleased" to be elected to the new futility.

Mark C.

Update: Loopie Louise gets one right:

Arbour blames Sudanese government for Darfur atrocities

Posted by markc at November 28, 2006 04:51 PM