In a speech to some 2,000 government officials and activist
groups attending the six-week talks at the U.N. European
headquarters in Geneva, he called for combating violations.
The U.N. forum will look into abuses in five continents,
including massacres in Algeria and violence in Kosovo. At least
80 people, mainly ethnic Albanians, have been killed this month
in a crackdown on nationalists in the troubled Serbian province.
Other states expected to be in the dock include Afghanistan,
Burma, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Nigeria, Sri Lanka
and Sudan.
But China appears set to escape censure at the 53-member
body after the United States joined the European Union (EU) on
the weekend in deciding not to push for a resolution on
Beijing's record. China has blocked all debate of criticism
since 1990.
Annan did not name any rogue states or specific conflicts.
"I am here today to tell you that the next century must be
the age of prevention. I am here to say that we can no longer
claim that a lack of available resources prevents us from acting
in time," he said.
"Today's human rights violations are the causes of
tomorrow's conflicts. This vicious circle of violations and
conflict, leading to new violations, can and must be stopped.
"If we do not speak out, individually and collectively,
today and every day when our conscience is challenged by
inhumanity and intolerance, we will not have done our duty — to
ourselves or to succeeding generations."
The U.N. chief called for pushing for ratification of human
rights treaties to make rights binding worldwide.
"All people share a desire to live free from the horrors of
violence, famine, disease, torture and discrimination," he
said.
But he conceded: "Human rights violations remain a
widespread reality which we have not been able — nor in some
cases willing — to stamp out."
Individuals as well as countries had a duty to promote basic
rights in the 50th anniversary year of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, Annan said.
The session named as its chairman, Jacob Selebi, a former
African National Congress (ANC) activist and political prisoner
who is now South Africa's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva.
In an acceptance speech, Selebi called on the Commission to
make sweeping reforms to its agenda. It should pass a resolution
agreeing to send a draft declaration on protecting the rights of
human rights defenders to the General Assembly for adoption.
"By electing a South African to this most important of
international human rights bodies, the Commission is sending a
very important and symbolic message," Selebi said.
"No country or situation before or since has captured the
attention of the Commission in the way that apartheid South
Africa did," he added. "Like other societies, we are coming to
terms with our past and struggling to create our future."