UN, political leaders call for human rights advances in Lebanon
Anniversary of rights bill prompts calls for freedom from land mines
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams called on Monday for the Lebanese Government to sign up to an international treaty banning the use of land mines, as MPs, ambassadors and civil society representatives marked Human Rights Day in Beirut. A seminar at the Lebanese Parliament building, “Together toward a national plan for Human Rights,” was held to commemorate the 61st anniversary of the Universal declaration of Human Rights. A founding member of the UN, Lebanon was instrumental in the creation of the declaration.
Addressing delegates, Williams said that Lebanon had made significant progress on the issue of human rights, stressing at the same time that much work was still required.
“I hope in the not too distant future, Lebanon can also become a party to the Ottowa treaty banning land mines, just as [it is] already a party to the Oslo treaty banning cluster bombs,” he said. “I hope too that Lebanon can consider being a party to the treaty on the International Criminal Court.”
Williams also urged government representatives to amend laws which penalized women.
“A country built on diversity and openness such as Lebanon cannot ignore discrimination that still affects women and their role in society,” he said.
Michel Moussa, representative of Parliament Speaker Nabhi Berri and Chairman of Lebanon’s Human Rights Committee, echoed Williams’ sentiment in encouraging policymakers in Beirut to continue improving human rights.
“There are still many gaps to fill in the fields of political, civil, economic and social rights in Lebanon despite the great progress the country has made on the legislative and executive levels,” Moussa said.
He highlighted south Lebanon as an area particularly in need of redress.
“Human rights are absent in the south of Lebanon where death and disability lurks for victims of the cluster bombs scattered by Israel during the 2006 war,” said Moussa.
He called on the UN and the international community to exert pressure on Israel to hand over additional maps detailing the locations of munitions it dropped on Lebanon.
“Human rights are also absent from international resolutions that do not force Israel to compensate the damages caused by its attacks,” Moussa added.
Change and Reform bloc MP Ghassan Moukhaiber confirmed that the parliamentary committee had decided to continue working on the national action plan for human rights, as agreed by previous administrations.
The plan will seek to safeguard citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, the right to work and to social security, the right to education and the right to a clean environment.
The national action plan, which will be discussed again in 2010, was delayed by the five months taken to form a national unity cabinet, Moukhaiber said.
As well as children’s, women’s and disabled people’s rights, the national action would address the “social, economic and cultural rights for Palestinian and non-Palestinian refugees,” he added.
Williams said that while any lasting agreement as to the fate of the 400,000 registered Palestinians in Lebanon would require regional peace, action could be taken immediately to raise living conditions in refugee camps.
“The solution of the predicament of the Palestinian community in Lebanon requires a comprehensive and lasting regional peace agreement,” said Williams.
“In the meantime, however, we cannot ignore the impact that poverty, hopelessness and lack of opportunity have on countless thousands of Palestinian refugees in the camps, especially the young.”
Moussa said the conditions faced by Palestinian refugees were “a clear example of injustice, oppression and violence.”
Williams also called for the establishment of an independent national human rights commission in Lebanon, similar to those currently operating in as many as 100 fellow UN Member States.
“These institutions, in my experience, have proven invaluable in strengthening the rule of law, protecting the rights of individuals and enhancing the accountability of governments in front of their citizens,” he said.
Williams also congratulated Lebanon on its imminent UN Security Council Member State status and called on it to set a good example on human rights for the rest of the Middle East.
“This is a great opportunity for [Lebanon]. But like all opportunities, it comes with greater scrutiny and responsibilities,” he said. “Lebanon has adopted most of the international treaties and covenants with regards human rights.
“It has, to some extent, already set the bar high for other countries in the region to follow,” Williams added.