Vatican official: U.N. rights council must address violations fairly

Published: 2006-11-17

ROME (CNS) -- By not addressing human rights violations fairly and consistently, especially the violence unfolding in the Holy Land, the U.N. Human Rights Council risks losing credibility, a Vatican official said. Archbishop Silvano Tomasi said "shortsighted political and economic interests" have prevented the U.N. council from addressing "with fairness and consistency" ongoing human rights violations in some parts of the world. Archbishop Tomasi, the Vatican's representative to Geneva-based U.N. agencies, spoke Nov. 15 during the council's special session on Israeli military incursions in occupied Palestinian territories in Geneva. Catholic News Service in Rome obtained a copy of his text. "A human rights council that does not contribute to change the quality of people's life on the ground, in their daily tasks and normal activities, seriously risks a loss of credibility," he said. The council's special session voted Nov. 15 to send a fact-finding mission to investigate the Nov. 8 Israeli killings of Palestinian civilians in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun.

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .