McCully's decision a major setback to NZ’s human rights agenda

Amnesty International Aotearoa NZ is dismayed by Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully's announcement to withdraw NZ's candidacy to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

"Minister McCully's decision is a retrograde step that neglects New Zealand's proud human rights record, and reneges on our human rights leadership in a world that is increasingly volatile," says Patrick Holmes, CEO of Amnesty NZ.

While Minister McCully suggests that the US would be a more effective candidate for the Council, Amnesty questions this assumption given the numerous reports published by Amnesty International (and other human rights organisations), outlining human rights abuses occurring in the United States including the US' illegal use of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre, and its continued use of the death penalty.

"Given that NZ has already played a prominent role in the establishment of the Human Rights Council and has a strong tradition in influencing and contributing to key pieces of international human rights law, there is no reason why NZ couldn't make a valuable contribution to the Council," says Holmes.

"Withdrawing from the bid also has serious ramifications for the Pacific, a region so often without voice in the international arena and also with the lowest ratification of international human rights treaties in the world."

Minister McCully's decision appears to contradict the National Party's pre-election promise regarding human rights in the Pacific, made in an Amnesty survey stating, "We should always be active in promoting states' compliance with human rights agreements which NZ believes important."

"The lack of transparency and consultation surrounding this decision, as well as other recent changes concerning human rights (namely the review of NZAID), now begs the question of what the Government's agenda for human rights and NZ's foreign policy actually is," says Holmes.

"Amnesty would like the Government to put its human rights agenda on the public record," Holmes adds.

Background:

Under the previous government, New Zealand put in a bid to serve on the 2009-2012 term of the United Nations Human Rights Council, an inter-governmental body responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. This bid had received widespread support, including that from Canada and Australia.

Prior to the 2008 NZ General Election, Amnesty International conducted NZ's largest pre-election survey on human rights. Over 100 candidates representing all major parties responded to the survey. Results can be viewed at www.amnesty.org.nz/election2008

ENDS

© Scoop Media