India wins election to UNHRC with highest votes

Agencies
October 13, 2018

United Nations, Oct 13: India was elected to the United Nations' top human rights bodyon Friday for a period of three years beginning January 1, 2019, getting 188 votes in the Asia-Pacific category, the highest number of votes among all candidates. The 193-member UN General Assembly held elections here for new members to the UN Human Rights Council. The 18 new members were elected by absolute majority through a secret ballot. Countries needed a minimum of 97 votes to get elected to the Council.

India was vying for a seat in the Asia Pacific category. Along with India, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Fiji and Philippines had also staked a claim in the same regional group. Given that there were five nations vying for five seats in the Asia Pacific category, India's election to the Council was all but certain.

Following the election, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin told news agency that India's win with the highest number of votes "reflects India's standing in the international comity."

He tweeted, "Voting for a Happy Outcome. Thanks to the support of all our friends @UN , India wins seat to Human Rights Council with highest votes among all candidates."

In the Asia Pacific category, India got 188 votes followed by Fiji with 187 votes, Bangladesh 178, Bahrain and Philippines 165 each. India got the highest number of votes among all 18 countries in the five regional categories.

The new members will serve a term of three years beginning January 1, 2019. India had previously been elected to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council for the 2011-2014 and 2014-2017 term.

Its last tenure had ended on December 31, 2017 and in accordance with the rules, it was not eligible for immediate re-election since it had already served two consecutive terms.

Created by the Assembly in March 2006 as the principal United Nations body dealing with human rights, the Human Rights Council comprises 47 elected Member States.

On the basis of equitable geographical distribution, Council seats are allocated to the five regional groups as follows: African States, 13 seats; Asia Pacific States, 13 seats; Eastern European States, 6 seats; Latin American and Caribbean States, 8 seats; and Western European and other States, 7 seats.

The new members elected Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Eritrea, Somalia and Togo in the African States category, Bulgaria and Czech Republic in the Eastern European States group, Argentina, Bahamas and Uruguay in the Latin American and Caribbean States group and Austria, Denmark and Italy in the Western European and other States category.

Commenting on the elections, rights group Human Rights Watch said "In ridiculous vote devoid of competition, UN General Assembly elected #Philippines, #Eritrea, #Bahrain & #Cameroon to be among new members of @UN#HumanRights Council in 2019-2021. Such votes make mockery of word 'election'.

It said Human Rights Council member states should seek to neutralise any attempts by its "worst members to shield themselves and other serial rights abusers & keep doing good work on #Yemen, #Myanmar, #Syria, #Burundi & other crises."

Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet assumed the role of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in September this year, succeeding Jordanian diplomat Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, who had in June this year released a first ever report on Kashmir that was rejected by India.

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News Network
November 18,2024

Advisors to US President-elect Donald Trump have instructed his allies and associates to refrain from using the inflammatory language they previously employed when discussing issues related to migrants and the deportation of asylum seekers, in a bid to avoid “looking like Nazis.”

US media reports said that Trump’s associates had been asked to stop using the word “camps” to describe potential facilities that would be used to accommodate migrants rounded up in deportation operations across the country.

The reports said the US president-elect’s allies had been ordered to stave off such charged terms as they would bring to mind “Nazis,” and be used against Trump.

“I have received some guidance to avoid terms, like ‘camps,’ that can be twisted and used against the president, yes,” one Trump ally told American monthly magazine Rolling Stone.

“Apparently, some people think it makes us look like Nazis.”

The presidential advisers also cautioned surrogates and allies to keep racist terms, which have dogged Trump’s campaign, out of their remarks.

They said with Trump’s heated rhetoric that used to compare undocumented immigrants to “animals” and his slight that they are “poisoning the blood of our country,” detractors did not need to reach too far to find parallels to Nazi Germany.

Stephen Miller, who Trump tapped to be his deputy chief of staff of policy, specifically used the word “camps” to describe holding facilities that he hoped the military could put together for immigrants.

Tom Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is chosen by Trump to be in charge of the US borders, was no stranger to such language.

“It’s not gonna be a mass sweep of neighborhoods,” he said in an interview earlier this week. “It’s not gonna be building concentration camps. I’ve read it all. It’s ridiculous.”

Becoming a little more forthright about the new government’s aggressive deportation plans, Homan likened the early days of the Trump administration to the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003.

“I got three words for them – shock and awe,” he said. “You’re going to see us take this country back.”

Trump made immigration a central element of his 2024 presidential campaign but unlike his first run, which was mainly focused on building a border wall, he has shifted his attention to interior enforcement and the removal of undocumented immigrants already in the United States.

People close to the US president and his aides are laying the groundwork for expanding detention facilities to fulfill his mass deportation campaign promise.

The businessman-turned-politician deported more than 1.5 million people during his first term.

The figure do not include the millions of people turned away at the border under a Covid-era policy enacted by Trump and used during most of Biden’s term.

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News Network
November 29,2024

vokkaswami.jpg

Bengaluru: An FIR has been registered against Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamastana Mutt seer Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swamiji for his communally provocative and anti-constitution remarks.

He made the statement during a protest meeting organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh here on Tuesday against notices issued by Karnataka's Waqf board.

Urging everyone to unite to protect farmers and their land, Swami said that a law should be brought in where Muslims community don't have the voting power.

Stating that it should be ensured there is no Waqf board, he said someone taking away someone else's land is not "Dharma".

"...everyone should fight against injustice being caused to farmers...it is said that the Waqf board can claim anyone's land. It is a big injustice...someone taking away someone else's land is not Dharma... So, everyone should fight to ensure that farmers' land remains with them," the seer had said.

However, on Wednesday, Swami expressed regret over his statement, calling it a "slip of tongue".

He said Muslims are also citizens of this country, and they too have voting rights like others.

Based on the complaint by a social worker, the FIR was registered against him on Wednesday at Upparpet police station here, police said.

"We have registered a case against him (Swami) under section 299 (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita," a senior police officer said.

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News Network
November 28,2024

Mangaluru: The upcoming assembly session at Suvarna Soudha, Belagavi, scheduled from December 9 to 19, will primarily focus on addressing issues pertaining to North Karnataka, according to Assembly Speaker U T Khader. "While the main emphasis will be on North Karnataka, concerns from other regions will also be part of the discussions," he clarified.

Speaking to reporters at the Circuit House in Mangaluru on Thursday, Khader shared that a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee had been convened, with the Chief Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and other key figures in attendance to ensure effective deliberations during the session.

"The session was initially planned from December 9 to 20. However, it was later decided to conclude it by December 19, as the All India Kannada Literary Convention is set to begin on December 20 in Mandya," Khader explained.

When asked about the process for discussions in the Assembly, Khader assured, "Discussions will take place according to the established rules."

The Speaker also highlighted his participation in various international conferences. "As Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, I have consistently sought opportunities to represent the Assembly at overseas conventions. I am pleased to announce that I will be attending the International Peace Conference in Vatican City," he said. "It is an honor to participate as a representative of the Mangaluru constituency and as the Speaker of the Assembly."

In response to questions about government grants, Khader remarked, "Grants do not come automatically. MLAs must actively follow up with the relevant authorities rather than simply complain about the lack of grants in their constituencies."

Addressing the tragic incident of three students drowning at a resort in Ullal, the Speaker emphasized, "The Deputy Commissioner has been instructed to enforce strict safety measures in resorts to prevent such incidents in the future."

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