U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE UNDERCUTS STATE DEPARTMENT’S HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTING?

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2009 16:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton
continues to devalue and undermine the U.S. diplomatic tradition of
human rights advocacy, The Washington post reports.

"On her first foreign trip, to Asia, she was dismissive about
raising human rights concerns with China’s communist government,
saying "those issues can’t interfere" with economic, security or
environmental matters. In last week’s visit to the Middle East and
Europe, she undercut the State Department’s own reporting regarding
two problematic American allies: Egypt and Turkey.

According to State’s latest report on Egypt, issued Feb. 25, "the
government’s respect for human rights remained poor" during 2008
"and serious abuses continued in many areas." It cited torture by
security forces and a decline in freedom of the press, association
and religion. Ms. Clinton was asked about those conclusions during
an interview she gave to the al-Arabiya satellite network in Sharm
el-Sheikh, Egypt. Her reply contained no expression of concern about
the deteriorating situation. "We issue these reports on every country,"
she said. "We hope that it will be taken in the spirit in which it
is offered, that we all have room for improvement."

Ms. Clinton was then asked whether there would be any connection
between the report and a prospective invitation to President Hosni
Mubarak to visit Washington. "It is not in any way connected," she
replied, adding: "I really consider President and Mrs. Mubarak to
be friends of my family. So I hope to see him often here in Egypt
and in the United States." Ms. Clinton’s words will be treasured by
al-Qaeda recruiters and anti-American propagandists throughout the
Middle East. She appears oblivious to how offensive such statements
are to the millions of Egyptians who loathe Mr. Mubarak’s oppressive
government and blame the United States for propping it up.

The new secretary of state delivered a similar shock in Turkey
to liberal supporters of press freedom, now under siege by the
government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the
State Department report, "senior government officials, including Prime
Minister Erdogan, made statements during the year strongly criticizing
the press and media business figures, particularly following the
publishing of reports on alleged corruption . . . connected to the
ruling party." That was an understatement: In fact, Mr. Erdogan’s
government has mounted an ugly campaign against one of Turkey’s
largest media conglomerates, presenting it with a $500 million tax
bill in a maneuver that has been compared to Russia’s treatment of
independent media.

Ms. Clinton was asked by a Turkish journalist what she told Mr. Erdogan
when he complained about the State Department report. She answered:
"Well, my reaction was that we put out this report every year,
and I fully understand . . . no politician ever likes the press
criticizing them." "Overall," she concluded, "we think that Turkey
has made tremendous progress in freedom of speech and freedom of
religion and human rights, and we’re proud of that."

In fact, as the State Department has documented, Turkey is retreating
on freedom of speech. In Egypt, the human rights situation also
is getting worse rather than better. By minimizing those facts,
Ms. Clinton is doing a disservice to her own department – and sending
a message to rulers around the world that their abuses won’t be taken
seriously by this U.S. administration," the article says.