US to introduce resolution on human rights in China

WASHINGTON, Jan 12: Washington is to introduce a resolution condemning China for its human rights record at the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva, the State Department said Tuesday, reports AFP.

"The decision to go forward with this resolution at the commission is based on the fact that the government of China's human rights record has continued to deteriorate," said James Rubin.

"Over the past year, the government of China intensified its crackdown on political dissent, initiated a campaign to suppress the Falun Gong, and intensified controls on unregistered churches and on the political and religious expression of ethnic minority groups, especially Tibetans," Rubin explained.

"We have long been deeply disturbed about the human rights situation in Tibet, and particularly the tight restriction on Tibetan Buddhism," he continued.

"Controls on the media and the Internet have also been tightened," he added.

But while the United States seemed prepared to take the lead on the issue at the March meeting, how the European Union reacts could sway the Commission's final vote, a Human Rights Watch representative said here.

"The EU decision could tip the balance," he said.

Rubin acknowledged not everyone was on board with the United States.

"We will obviously try to work closely with our colleagues in Europe who care about human rights and who understand the value of using an international forum like the commission to promote human rights.

"But we're aware of the fact that other governments, some in Europe, have a different view," he said.

A similar resolution failed to pass last year, Rubin added.

Presenting the resolution this year reflected Washington's desire to "shine an international spotlight directly on China's human rights practices" even while continuing its policy of engagement, he continued.

Although China has signed an international treaty on civil and political rights, it never actually ratified the document.

"This resolution that we are going to put forward is about China's practices and its failure to match its signature on the civil and political covenant with its actions in cracking down and intensifying its suppression," Rubin said.

By placing China on the spot, Rubin went on, Washington hoped to pressure the country into working towards improving its human rights record, and called on Beijing to "enter into a dialogue with the Dalai Lama and to preserve Tibet's unique religious, cultural and ethnic heritage," he said.

"Governments don't like to be criticised, they don't like to have their record brought into the spotlight and discussed internationally. China clearly doesn't want this to happen," Rubin said.

Last year's US resolution pinpointing "severe" restrictions on freedoms was thrown out before even being put to the vote.

A "no-motion" measure introduced by China to block condemnation of its human rights behaviour passed with 22 of the 53 members voting in favour and 17 against. There were 14 abstentions.

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said then she found the lack of international backing for the US-sponsored resolution "depressing."

China has managed to defeat every resolution condemning its human rights record since the army crackdown against pro-democracy activists in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

There was only one year, 1995, when China's attempts to trash a resolution failed, and the initiative was put to a vote which then failed to muster support.