15 September 2009
U.S. Emphasizes Freedom of Expression at Human Rights Council
Opportunities to share ideas provide route to tolerance, Brimmer says
Washington — The United States will emphasize the importance of freedom of expression as it takes its seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council, says Assistant Secretary of State Esther Brimmer.
In an interview with America.gov shortly before leaving for Geneva, where the council is holding its 12th regular session September 14 through October 2, Brimmer observed that freedom of expression unfortunately has become a battleground between Western states and members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). At issue is whether comment regarding religion, especially Islam, constitutes defamation.
“We think freedom of expression is actually a fundamental human right,” Brimmer told America.gov. Although fighting xenophobia and racism is critically important, she said, constrained speech does not accomplish these goals.
“By providing opportunities for expression, for speech, for people to have an exchange of views to allow lots of ideas to flourish, that’s the route to tolerance,” Brimmer said. To this end, she said, the United States has been working with Egypt, which is representing the OIC, to find language for a new resolution that will bridge the gap in understanding how religion can be addressed.
“Let’s start with tolerance and respect,” Brimmer said. “Draw on the themes of [President Obama’s] speech in Cairo, and say we can talk about tolerance and respect without going down the road of limiting speech,” she said. If adoption of the freedom of expression resolution is a success, it may “heal some wounds, so then we can have a conversation about the defamation issue as well,” Brimmer said.
KEEPING WATCH ON THE WORLD
Brimmer, who is the assistant secretary for the State Department’s Bureau of International Organization Affairs, said the U.S. hope is that the council will address important human rights issues worldwide. “We think that [the council] should not be imbalanced and disproportionately take up Middle East issues,” she said. “There are so many more resolutions and so many more agenda items on the Palestinian-Israeli issues that it sometimes crowds out all the other human rights issues around the globe. We should be looking across the globe at the most serious issues and not focused so much on one particular region of the world to the exclusion of some other areas which also should get serious attention.”
For example, the human rights conditions in Iran after its recent elections are of serious concern, Brimmer said. In addition, the United States is concerned about the human rights situation in Burma, particularly after the recent trial of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and numerous other political prisoners held by the Burmese regime. “So I think we need to also look at these country-specific situations as well as just Middle East issues,” Brimmer said.
Brimmer also expressed the hope for “a real integrated relationship between the multilateral-bilateral diplomacy” and that the work done by the council in Geneva complements the work done in capitals.
Brimmer emphasized the U.S. commitment to the idea that human rights are universal. “At times the idea that human rights apply to all people has come under challenge — sometimes directly, sometimes obliquely — but we want to say that we clearly defend the idea that human rights are universal, not particular to one group of people or another group of people.”
She also noted U.S. support for the independence of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and maintaining accountability, transparency and good governance.
MORE U.S. ENGAGEMENT
The U.S. decision to seek election to a seat on the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council is in keeping with the Obama administration’s goal for a “new era of engagement” with other nations. The council has had a troubled history; some of its current and past members have weak records for protecting human rights in their own countries. In addition, there have been concerns over how the council deals with Israel. Between 2006 and 2008, for example, Israel was condemned 15 times.
President Obama has repeatedly emphasized the need for nations to work together to overcome global challenges.
“It is only by building a new foundation of mutual trust that we will tackle some of our most entrenched problems,” he said in a radio address to Americans on April 11. “With all that is at stake today, we cannot afford to talk past one another. We can’t afford to allow old differences to prevent us from making progress in areas of common concern.”
Learn more:
State Department Official Addresses U.N. Human Rights Council
