US faces UN panel on human rights for the first time

GENEVA — The United States defended its human-rights record at home and abroad yesterday, saying President Obama’s administration has shown its commitment to closing the Guantanamo Bay detention center and ending discrimination, though more work must be done.

We acknowledge imperfection,’’ Michael Posner, the assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, told the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday. “Though we are proud of our achievements, we are not satisfied with the status quo.’’

Posner made the remarks at the start of a three-hour public debate on the United States’ human-rights record, the first time the government has subjected itself to the Human Rights Council’s scrutiny. The administration of President George W. Bush spurned the 47-member council because of the participation of what it deemed oppressive governments and the group’s constant criticism of Israel.

Countries including Iran, Russia, Ecuador, China, and Egypt pressed the United States to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, as Obama promised when he was elected, and to ratify international human-rights conventions. State Department legal adviser Harold Koh said the United States is working hard to close the facility and noted that through “diligent efforts’’ the number of detainees has dropped to 174 from 242 when Obama took office.

Obama “cannot close Guantanamo alone,’’ Koh said. “That also involves our allies, the courts, and our Congress. Our intensive efforts to close Guantanamo go on every day.’’

Posner said the United States is “strongly committed’’ to adopting certain treaties aimed at fighting discrimination.

Ambassadors from Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Bolivia accused the United States of not cracking down on torture.

Koh dismissed their claims, saying: “Let there be no doubt: The US does not torture and it will not torture.’’

Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, a Geneva-based nongovernmental monitoring group, said nondemocracies were allowed to “hijack the session for political propaganda and to drum up anti-American sentiment worldwide’’ by “stacking’’ the speakers list with rogue regimes and vehement critics.

Germany’s ambassador took a swipe at those countries, saying he hoped they’ll show the same commitment when it comes to ensuring human rights at home as they did yesterday in criticizing the United States.

The roughly 30-strong US delegation included senior officials from 11 departments and agencies and advisers from civil-society groups.


(2010-11-06/boston.com)