11/12/2008 / WORLD
If France really wanted to influence China on human rights issues it could. This is the realm of values, of ideas. China has no
qualms in expressing its views, for example when it opposed President Sarkozy's
meeting with the Dalai Lama. We have to have firmly express our values, as
well.
In Iran, France is still seen as the
birthplace of human rights. Our first constitution, in 1906, was a mix of
the French and Belgian constitutions. Even today, Iranian law resembles French law
in many ways, and Iranian intellectuals refer to France when discussing human rights. Not long ago, I heard one prominent intellectual quote Albert Camus on
the death penalty.
I don't
even know the French foreign minister's name, for a simple reason: France,
to my knowledge, has done nothing to improve the condition of the Burmese
people. The French embassy's only activity in Rangoon is to make things easy for the
oil-producer Total and to organize French lessons. When we meet with French
diplomats, they make it clear that Total is an off-limits subject and that if we want them to support us, we shouldn't bring it up. However, Total has
participated, albeit indirectly, in human rights violations. I visited sites where Total
was building pipelines from 1996 to 1997. Soldiers there were using villagers
to clear the area of landmines! That was a while back, but it's still true
today that France
does its best to keep good relations with the ruling junta to protect Total's
interests. Other European countries, like Italy
or the UK,
are much more active in their promotion of human rights."
When France talks human rights, does anybody listen ?
Bernard Kouchner, France's foreign minister, has publicly questioned the role of his country's state secretary for human rights, Rama Yade, dealing a harsh blow to the junior minister. His statement sparked, made on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, sparked immediate controversy. A chance to ask our Observers, from Iran to China, if they believe France can still claim to be a reference for human rights throughout the world.
In an interview with French daily Le Parisien, Kouchner explained that "a nation's foreign policy is constantly in contradiction with the principles of human rights," adding that he thought the creation of a junior branch of his ministry specifically dedicated to human rights was "a mistake." He went on to say that "concrete action is what counts" and claimed that, at least, he "got things done."
We asked human rights activists and specialists around the world to comment on France's stance on the subject and its diplomatic activity during the past 15 years.
“I think that France itself no longer believes in its values”
CHINA
Marie Holzman is a sinologist and human rights activists specialised in China. She teaches at the University Paris-VII and is president of the association Solidarité Chine (China Solidarity)
If France really wanted to influence China on human rights issues it could. This is the realm of values, of ideas. China has no
qualms in expressing its views, for example when it opposed President Sarkozy's
meeting with the Dalai Lama. We have to have firmly express our values, as
well.
The problem is that I'm under the impression that France itself doesn't believe in its values. President Sarkozy's position concerning the situation in China flip-flopped so much over the past year that it failed to send Chinese leaders a strong message. That's extremely harmful for human rights. Bernard Kouchner's statement [on Rama Yade] was merely the last straw: to say, on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that the state secretariat for human rights is "a mistake" is sheer provocation.
France's focus has shifted more on more on economic issues, with emphasis on free trade. In fact, the very mechanisms of free trade make us, French consumers, accomplices in the brutal exploitation of poor Chinese workers. They are exploited in the factories that produce masses of cheap toys and Christmas decorations that only Westerners will buy. The Chinese economy relies so much on exports that western boycotts of Chinese products would put huge pressure on the government to improve human rights. More and more groups realise it and are working in that direction."
“Iranian intellectuals refer to France when they’re discussing human rights”
IRAN
Reza Moïni is an Iranian living in Paris. He is in charge of the human rights information website Bidaran.net
In Iran, France is still seen as the
birthplace of human rights. Our first constitution, in 1906, was a mix of
the French and Belgian constitutions. Even today, Iranian law resembles French law
in many ways, and Iranian intellectuals refer to France when discussing human rights. Not long ago, I heard one prominent intellectual quote Albert Camus on
the death penalty.
France has always tried to be an influence in the realm of human rights. I remember, for example, that former President Jacques Chirac had officially asked for the liberation of detained journalist Akbar Ganji, and it worked. Sarkozy so far hasn't spoken up on human rights; he focuses on nuclear enrichment. And Rama Yade's presence is discreet. She once expressed satisfaction when a human rights militant was liberated by the regime, which I appreciated, but she has never said anything, to my knowledge, about women's rights in Iran."
“France’s only activity in Rangoon is to make things easy for the oil-producer Total and organise French lessons”
BURMA
Kio is a Burmese exile in Thailand, where he campaigns for democracy and human rights.
I don't
even know the French foreign minister's name, for a simple reason: France,
to my knowledge, has done nothing to improve the condition of the Burmese
people. The French embassy's only activity in Rangoon is to make things easy for the
oil-producer Total and to organize French lessons. When we meet with French
diplomats, they make it clear that Total is an off-limits subject and that if we want them to support us, we shouldn't bring it up. However, Total has
participated, albeit indirectly, in human rights violations. I visited sites where Total
was building pipelines from 1996 to 1997. Soldiers there were using villagers
to clear the area of landmines! That was a while back, but it's still true
today that France
does its best to keep good relations with the ruling junta to protect Total's
interests. Other European countries, like Italy
or the UK,
are much more active in their promotion of human rights."
“Rama Yade has been efficient when we worked together or concrete problems”
FRANCE
Jean-François Julliard is secretary general of the Paris-based NGO Reporters without Borders.
It's clear that when we speak to human rights militants abroad, France is no longer perceived as a reference. Many people heard of Muammar Gaddafi's official visit to France at the same time as International Human Rights day, or of Bashar al-Assad's invitation for Bastille Day. Some also pinpoint the deplorable state of French prisons. All this has tarnished the country's image.
Rama Yade has been efficient when we worked together on concrete issues: for example, to obtain a visa for someone or issue a message. She's very open to collaboration with NGOs. We have met with her three or four times since she came into office. On the other hand, she has virtually no influence over major foreign policy lines. France's relations with Libya, with China... All that goes on over her head. We were especially disappointed when she accompanied Nicolas Sarkozy to Tunisia. The president declared that human rights in Tunisia had vastly improved. Not only did she not protest, but she met with only one representative of Tunisian human rights groups, very briefly in a hotel hall."
Image postée sur Flickr par emhd0747
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Comments
Human rights should not be
Submitted by Sonnenschutzfolien (not verified) on Sat, 13/12/2008 - 21:14.Human rights should not be discussed, but they should be implemented.
Unregistered user
On the 18 of december RAMA
Submitted by Têtuniçois on Sat, 13/12/2008 - 00:13.On the 18 of december RAMA YADE will present a text in UN to forbid homophobia .
Shame on the countries who will vote against this text :
IRAN RUSSIA CHINA SAOUD ARABIA BELARUS OUGANDA .
Gays rights everywhere !
Unregistered user
HUMANS RIGHTS FOR ALL
Submitted by Têtuniçois on Sat, 13/12/2008 - 00:23.HUMANS RIGHTS FOR ALL
http://www.ilga-europe.org/
Unregistered user
rights
Submitted by Unregistered user joseph walker (not verified) on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 21:08.Shutterbug,
Dont need your own intellectual anaylsis,i reconise a prat when i read one.probably your school realised your need for learning the english langauge.pity you did not have the intellect to learn anything else.
Unregistered user
learning the english langauge
Submitted by shutterbug on Sat, 13/12/2008 - 15:48.Great heavens, I missed this one earlier: langauge; great stuff.
David
shutterbug
intellectual anaylsis,i reconise
Submitted by shutterbug on Sat, 13/12/2008 - 15:51.anaylsis and reconise? Very good! Those words used to be spelled analysis and recognise, or in the American form recognize. I've noticed over the years that when someone has not got the ability to argue, they tend to descend to petty name calling. It seems my earlier comments regarding your IQ have been proven. You are truly living down to my expectations.
David
shutterbug
ALL CAUSES FIX MORE THEN ONE EFFECTS
Submitted by LIBORIO (not verified) on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 17:47.Dec 12, 2008
We asked human rights activists and specialists around the world to comment on All Nation's stance on the subject and its diplomatic activity during the past 15 years. When in 1963 Cuba's human rights violation was denunce no body listen. Then the world nightmare begun; now the maladies is disperse. The cure will not possible until Cuba and Tibe be free.
That is the Karma Law, the next still to come when the Free World let to be free and become slave.
" Tanta Culpa tiene el que mata la vaca, como el que le aguanta las patas".
Unregistered user
Rights
Submitted by Unregistered user joseph walker (not verified) on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 11:46.Shutterbug.
Evidently you must be a ardent reader of the Sun,and the other mickey mouse tabliods newspapers,and obtain your information,from the broadcast companies in britain ,both accommadate for your intellect.
Unregistered user
Rights
Submitted by shutterbug on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 15:44.Actually, I do not read any of the tabloids, but unlike yourself, my news sources do write and read English, and also very much unlike yourself, they can form a lucid sentence, punctuate and spell. My school also laid great value on those gifts. Please read your own inane contributions before having the audacity to criticise literacy, intellect and education in others. Actually, you are probably the only one who can understand your ramblings.
What is a tabliod? And I assume you mean accomodate? Britain is written with a capital B, by the way. Also, as ardent begins with the vowel a, one precedes it with an rather than a.
David
shutterbug
Why is the junior minister
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 01:05.Why is the junior minister wearing a catsuit on the poster? The French are indeed clever - a little too clever sometimes.....
Unregistered user
Human rights
Submitted by Unregistered user joseph walker (not verified) on Thu, 11/12/2008 - 16:56.We have a panel of judges to advocte the law ,Western goverments ,the only rights they worried about is the rights for the rich,unfortunetly, since the rich own the media ,i doubt very little attention is given to the rights of the masses,speaking from the english perspective .The french have always been the united society ,well the majority of people that is.so its goverment is probably more accountable than britain .personally, taking europe as a whole, mostof the european govts are accountable ,britain is still in the class structure ,it people still mostly uneducated ,therefore probably we have the most cases brought before HRC, than any other country in the west.Regarding the world,well education is everything in decidieng rights,till people are educated we cant say most goverments in the world are accountable ,ie rights.America,is a different issue,its rights have gone beyond what is considered intelligent.it borders on absurdity.In my opinion.
Unregistered user
Joseph Walker's opinions on anything
Submitted by shutterbug on Fri, 12/12/2008 - 15:47.After reading Joseph Walker's opinions on different blogs, first with humour, then incredulity, I now find myself making a point of looking out for his little master-pieces in the hope that one day, Joseph Walker will learn to form the sentences of his blog into a cohesive whole which could be understood. In the above missive, he manages to use only four capital letters in his entire blog, not counting the acronym HRC. His blogs are always replete with spelling errors, extremely bad punctuation - if any, and a variety of dissimilar ideas that always remind me of the rambling of Adolph Hitler in his literary (masterpiece?) Mein Kampf.
The one underlying motif of Joseph Walker's contributions seems always to decry the intellect of the English, see: (britain is still in the class structure ,it people still mostly uneducated ,therefore probably we have the most cases, etc.) His words, not mine. From his comments, and the use of (we) in that sentence, I am (very sadly) led to assume that Joseph Walker is British, and that he is the product of one of the schools in this country which do not deliver, mostly through either the lack of interest in learning by the pupil, or the lack of interest in the student by his/her own parents. My daughter is a teacher, and she left her last school because of the complete and utter lack of interest by both pupil and parent and the eventual apathy suffered by staff at that school.
Please, Joseph Walker, just because you yourself are semi-literate, do not assume that your problem is common to everyone in England.
David
shutterbug