UN General Assembly President: Libya
(pending election in June 2009)
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Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi blames the genocide in Darfur on Israel, stating that "It'll be no surprise to anyone when we say that we have found inequivocable proof that the Darfur problem was fomented by foreign forces...Key rebel leaders have opened offices in Tel Aviv and meet frequently with the (Israeli) army...If Tel Aviv among others is behind the events in Darfur, why then call Beshir or the Sudanese government to account." Khadafi made these statements at an African conference organized by UNESCO. (AFP photo) |
Mission of the General Assembly: "The General Assembly shall initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of:
a. promoting international co-operation in the political field and encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification; b. promoting international co-operation in the economic, social, cultural, educational, and health fields, and assisting in the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion." ("UN Charter")
Term of office: 2009-2010 Libya's Record on "the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion": "The Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya is an authoritarian regime...The government's human rights record remained poor. Citizens did not have the right to change their government. Remaining problems included reported disappearances; torture; arbitrary arrest; lengthy pretrial and sometimes incommunicado detention; official impunity and poor prison conditions. Similarly, denial of a fair public trial by an independent judiciary, political prisoners and detainees, and the lack of judicial recourse for alleged human rights violations were problems. The government restricted civil liberties and freedoms of speech, press (including Internet and academic freedom), assembly, and association. The government did not fully protect the rights of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Other problems included restrictions on freedom of religion; corruption and lack of transparency; societal discrimination against women, ethnic minorities, and foreign workers; trafficking in persons; and restriction of labor rights." (US State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2008, Libya)