Reuters Notes UN's 'New Chapter in Human Rights' -- Yet, No Mention of Members

June 19th, 2006 11:46 PM

Reuters is falling all over itself to ballyhoo Kofi Annan's announcement of a new UN council for Human Rights.

Unlike the 53-state commission, where members were nominated by regional blocs, the council's 47 members were elected by the U.N. General Assembly, a change which proponents say makes it more difficult for rights violators to win a seat.

Sounds better than the previous UN Human Rights watchdog, right?

Unfortunately, the story doesn't mention the fact that several members of this "new" Council are some of the worst human rights abusers in the world today.

Such members as China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela sit on this council in stark refutation of the seriousness of a human rights council.

Looks like politics is still the goal of yet another UN debacle, instead of any attempt to better the human rights of some of the most oppressed peoples of the world.

Thanks, Reuters, for uselessly getting our hopes up!