• by Thalif Deen (united nations)
• Tuesday, March 01, 2011
• Inter Press Service

The 192-member General Assembly, the highest policy-making body at the United Nations, unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday suspending Libya's membership in the Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

The consensus resolution, without a single negative vote or abstentions, characterised the collective will of the international community which expressed 'deep concern' about the human rights situation in the North African country.

'A country which trains its guns on its own people has no place in the Human Rights Council,' U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice told delegates.

The suspension was the first time a sitting member of the HRC has been temporarily expelled, and follows accusations of military atrocities against unarmed civilian demonstrators since the uprising began two weeks ago.

The resolution, co-sponsored by 72 member states, followed last week's strong strictures against Libya by several regional and international bodies, including the Security Council, the League of Arab States, the European Union, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the African Union and the U.N.'s premier human rights body, the Human Rights Council (HRC).

In a resolution adopted by consensus last week, the 47- member HRC called for the 'urgent dispatch' of an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate alleged violations of international human rights in Libya.

On Saturday, the 15-member Security Council adopted, also by consensus, a resolution imposing military and economic sanctions on Libya.

The Council urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to pursue charges of war crimes against Gaddafi, members of his family, and 16 of his political and military advisers.

Although Venezuela went along with the consensus in the General Assembly, Ambassador Jorge Valero launched an attack on the United States, accusing the administration of President Barack Obama of making plans to invade Libya.

He cited newspaper reports of U.S. plans for a no-fly zone over Libya and moves to dispatch naval forces to the Mediterranean Sea.

'Those who promote the use of military force against Libya do not seek to defend human rights, but to establish, as always, a protectorate to violate them in [a country which is] one of the most important sources of oil and energy in the Middle East,' he warned.

Valero, who also deplored the 'double standards by imperialist countries in regard to human rights', urged member states to help preserve the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Libya.

The Venezuelan envoy's diatribe triggered a strong response from Rice who dismissed it as a 'shameful' attempt to manipulate the Libyan crisis.

'I must add that the United States utterly rejects the willful and ugly distortion by the Venezuelan delegation of U.S. policy and posture,' the U.S. envoy said.

'At a time when this assembly is acting in unison in support of the Libyan people,' she said, 'it is shameful that one member state, whose own reprehensible record speaks for itself, would manipulate this occasion to spread lies, foster fear, and sow hate.' Addressing delegates before the Assembly vote, Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon said: 'The world has spoken with one voice: we demand an immediate end to the violence against civilians and full respect for their fundamental human rights, including those of peaceful assembly and free speech.'

He said the death toll from nearly two weeks of violence is unknown but is likely to exceed 1,000.

Thousands have been injured, he said, and credible and consistent reports include allegations of extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture.

Ban, who met Obama in Washington DC Monday, said he held 'in-depth consultations' with the U.S president, and will have similar conversations with other world and regional leaders over the coming days.

'Our collective challenge will be to provide real protection for the people of Libya - first, to halt the violence and, second, to deal with the growing humanitarian emergency,' he noted, adding that the arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze imposed by Security Council last week 'must be swiftly and effectively enforced'.

'We need concrete action on the ground to provide humanitarian and medical assistance,' he told delegates, pointing out that time is of the essence and thousands of lives are at stake.

In the days ahead, he said, U.N. assessment teams will deploy to organise a humanitarian response, working on the ground where they can in the eastern and western regions of Libya.

He said there are serious indications of a growing crisis of refugees and displaced persons. The violence could disrupt distribution networks and lead to food shortages, the secretary-general warned.

Ban said he was planning to appoint a Special Envoy, who will work closely with regional governments and the international community to coordinate our rapid and effective response.

© Inter Press Service (2011) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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