Folks,
If you were ever wondering how seriously the new African Union is going to
be taken, all you have to do is read this story from the AP (in the NY
times). Of all African leaders who could be nominated to head the UN human
rights watchdog, the AU selected Ghaddafi. If Lybia is the is the bastion of
human rights and democracy on the continent, then we have a long way to go.
I guess his checks to our corrupt leaders had to be repaid soon.

Ousman

Libyan Elected Head of U.N. Rights Panel
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


Filed at 3:48 p.m. ET

GENEVA (AP) -- The United Nations' human rights watchdog elected a Libyan
diplomat Monday as this year's president, overriding objections from the
United States that the country's ``horrible'' record disqualifies it for
such a post.

Riding on a wave of African solidarity, Libyan ambassador Najat Al-Hajjaji
received votes from 33 countries in her bid to chair the 53-member U.N.
Human Rights Commission for its annual session starting in March.

The United States and two other nations voted against her, and 17 abstained.

``It is especially sad today when America celebrates the birthday of Martin
Luther King, a champion of human rights, that a nation which flaunts human
rights abuses would be elected chair,'' U.S. Ambassador Kevin E. Moley told
reporters.

``It is not appropriate for a nation under U.N. sanctions -- a nation with
the horrible human rights record that Libya has -- to be chairman of this
commission.''

To oppose the nomination, the United States had to break with the
half-century U.N. tradition of sharing such jobs on a rotating basis among
regional groups. Whereas previously each group's choice was accepted by
acclamation, the United States insisted Monday on a vote.

``It is regrettable that the United States opted for this method,'' said
South African Ambassador Sipho George Nene. ``The previous, reliable
practice has been violated.''

The African Union put forward the Libyan choice as one of its first
decisions last year.

Al-Hajjaji said the U.S. move set ``a bad precedent'' because it undermined
respect for the regional groupings and worsens divisions in the world by
labeling countries as ``bad guys or good guys.''

``I don't think there is any country free of human rights violations,'' she
said.

In a gesture of reconciliation, the African group accepted the Libyan
ambassador's appeal and withdrew a demand for a tit-for-tat vote on a
nomination of a member of the Western group to another post on the
commission.

``I will be in a position to cooperate with all the members of the
commission,'' Al-Hajjaji told reporters later. ``I will be the chair of all
participants here.''

Yaakov Levy, Israeli Ambassador to U.N. offices in Geneva, said the
selection marked a ``descent to a new low in the credibility of the work of
the Human Rights Commission.''

Although the ballot was secret, the United States immediately told reporters
it had voted against her. Canada had already signaled it would join with the
United States. Observers said Guatemala also voted against, although there
was no immediate confirmation.

Although European nations were dismayed at the nomination, they chose to
abstain. Diplomats said this was because Europe didn't want to alienate
Africa and other developing countries and undermine the commission's work.

Al-Hajjaji once held the post of vice president, and western diplomats said
there were no problems with her impartiality. As president, she would be
able to wield some influence over the commission's six-week long meeting,
which examines human rights abuses around the world.

Moley said the Libyan government continues to commit serious violations.

Its leader, Moammar Gadhafi, ``has detained political opponents for years
without trial,'' Moley said. ``Security forces torture and mistreat
prisoners. Arbitrary arrests are used to suppress domestic opposition.''

The United States and its allies want Libya to accept responsibility for the
1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish village of Lockerbie and
to pay compensation to families of the victims.

The U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions against Libya because of the
Lockerbie attack, but suspended them several years ago.





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