10 January 2018 No 1 ISSN 1664-7963 Current Concerns PO Box CH-8044 Zurich Current Concerns Switzerland The international journal for independent thought, ethical standards, moral responsibility, Phone: +41 44 350 65 50 Fax: +41 44 350 65 51 and for the promotion and respect of public international law, human rights and humanitarian law E-Mail: [email protected] Website: www.currentconcerns.ch English Edition of Zeit-Fragen “There is a great aspiration for peace and justice” The Independent Expert of the United Nations visited Venezuela by Prof Dr iur. et phil. Alfred-Maurice de Zayas* As the first Inde- eral Assembly, all covering issues of in- Tasks and work pendent Expert on ternational order including tax havens, of the Independent Expert the promotion of a investor-state-dispute settlement, bilateral The function of rapporteurs and independ- democratic and eq- investment treaties, free trade agreements, ent experts is to ask questions, listen to all uitable internation- World Bank projects, the International stakeholders, evaluate documents, and al order, I have had Monetary Fund and its loan conditional- issue constructive recommendations to the opportunity of ities, disarmament for development, the States. We come in order to help popula- defining the man- self-determination of peoples and the re- tions better realize their human rights. In date and the meth- form of the Security Council. The object order to do so, we try to convince govern- odology. I have pro- and purpose of my mandate is laid down ments that it is in their own interest to co- Alfred-Maurice duced six reports for in Resolution 18/6 of the Human Rights operate with the United Nations, and we de Zayas the Human Rights Council, and the parameters of my visit offer them our advisory services and tech- (picture ma) Council and six re- are described in a media statement issued nical assistance. Our function cannot be ports for the Gen- on 27 November 20171. reduced to condemning governments. As one of the few Special Procedures * Alfred-Maurice de Zayas (United States of America/Switzerland) was appointed as the first Independent given access to Venezuela and Ecuador, Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order by the Human Rights Coun- expectations for my visit were high. While cil, effective May 2012. He is currently professor of international law at the Geneva School of Diplomacy. Learn more, log on to: www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IntOrder/Pages/IEInternationalorderIndex.aspx. The I could not fulfil the expectations of some Independent Experts are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. sectors of civil society and remain within Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the gen- the parameters of my mandate, I did as- eral name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either spe- sure my interlocutors that I would trans- cific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity. continued on page 2 Make 2018 a year of international understanding by Karl Müller 2018 will be the centenary of the end of the pieces of the puzzle can be put togeth- ble for the war lords and ladies. “The first World War I. But even 100 years after er only years after the end of a war. But casualty when war comes is truth”. We the end of this slaughter which killed historians and other interested persons have all heard this 1914 quote from US millions of people it might seem that not concerned about peace are researching Senator Hiram Johnson. Of course, it is many of those in power today, in politics, the causes of wars also hoping that people also valid in the years preceding a war. state, economy and society, are aware of might be able to act preventively in future. what war really means. So there are still Are there any insights providing an impor- Indeed: enemy stereotypes en masse … enough occasions and reasons to think tant role for the citizens? We are witnessing this again today. about war and peace and to ask the ques- Enemy stereotypes en masse. To start in tion: What can citizens do for peace and What can citizens do our own house: Just read the new US se- against war? regarding war and peace? curity strategy, the declarations of the EU It does not take a lot of knowledge for one states regarding questions of security pol- Also before World War I there were warn- insight: No war can be led if no citizen con- icy or speeches of German politicians re- ings of a great war. Bertha von Suttner tributes to it. But this assumption is some- garding Germany’s global role. Read the who received the Nobel Prize for Peace what utopian. In addition, there are now mainstream media. There are not many for her efforts is only one prominent name weapon systems which allow waging a war honest statements, oral or in writing. It is among many. Similarly before World War with less and less active soldiers. The times hard to bear how biased and distorted is- II. And in our times? Many will remem- of mass armies are over. A few thousand of sues are presented, how important facts ber the protests of millions against the im- mercenaries are sufficient to cause devas- are omitted. Each war has an ideological minent Iraq War in March 2003. But even tating damage and to put our planet on fire. side. these protests have been unable to prevent But: War lords and ladies of all times The insight is not a new one. The pre- the war. Is there nothing we can do? have attempted to justify their wars. They amble of the UNESCO Constitution, the Wars have many causes. Sometimes were searching approval for their wars. Constitution of the United Nations Organ- it takes decades of research to get a clear This is called war propaganda. War lies isation for Culture and Education states: picture – important sources are kept se- might be a more appropriate term. At least cret for a long time; it may happen that in their own country they are indispensa- continued on page 4 No 1 10 January 2018 Current Concerns Page 2 graphic Current Concerns ”‘There is a great aspiration for …’” tries, ambassadors, diplomats, church lead- national organizations, particularly the continued from page 1 ers, academics, economists, professors, stu- United Nations system, which can offer dents, civil society organizations, individual advisory services and technical assistance mit their concerns to the pertinent rappor- victims, who told heart-rending stories, to States to ensure that social progress is teurs. In particular, issues have been raised with relatives of persons in detention, who not achieved at the expense of civil lib- which could be examined in more depth by delivered petitions for transmittal to perti- erties. I looked at progress in the field of the rapporteurs on freedom of expression, nent actors. I have made an effort to balance the elimination of illiteracy, free educa- on the right of peaceful assembly and asso- my meetings between different groups and tion from primary schools to university, ciation, on the independence of judges and was not only passive in receiving informa- programmes to reduce extreme poverty, lawyers, on food, health and on arbitrary tion but proactive in the search of truth and provide housing to the homeless and vul- detention. I also endeavoured to incorpo- demanding targeted information. nerable, phase-out privilege and discrim- rate some of the concerns mentioned into ination, expand medical care for all, in- the narrative of my preliminary recommen- Examining joint efforts cluding the very young and the elderly. dations to the States. Where relevant, I will to promote social progress reflect their input in the final report to the The mission has focused on examining … and coercive measures submitted to the Council in 2018. joint efforts to promote social progress and by other states better standards of living consistent with Among the obstacles to the enjoyment of Not “publicly denounce”, the provisions of the International Cov- human rights I inquired about the adverse but listen and offer suggestions enant on Economic, Social and Cultural economic measures adopted by several I have listened to hundreds of stakeholders Rights, the International Covenant on Civil states aimed at directly and indirectly af- and received a wealth of information from and Political Rights, and the agendas of the fecting the good functioning of the target- them, which I still must study and digest world social forums since Porto Alegre. ed State or restricting its regulatory space. before I give final form to the reports. One It bears repeating that the World Sum- The United Nations has condemned uni- thing should be clear, my approach has al- mit in September 2005 reaffirmed that lateral coercive measures since decades, ways been, and will be, to listen and offer “democracy is a universal value based on notably since the landmark study of the constructive suggestions about how to re- the freely expressed will of people to de- Sub-commission on Promotion and Pro- form legislation, regulations and practices termine their political, economic, social tection of Human Rights in the year 2000. that result in violations of human rights. and cultural systems and their full partic- Currency speculation has been one of ipation in all aspects of their lives.” The the preferred tools to destabilize targeted A new look at the realities Summit Outcome Document also stressed economies, so too the activities of credit of Venezuela and Ecuador that “democracy, development and respect rating organizations, which, although they I have endeavoured to give a fresh look for human rights and fundamental free- have no democratic legitimacy, do severe- at the realities of Venezuela and Ecuador, doms are interdependent and mutually re- ly impact the financial ability of States to aware of problems of poverty, corruption, inforcing,” and pointed out that “while de- issue bonds and obtain financing.