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Posted 10:05 AM
by Mary
Mary Robinson to be given
presidential medal of freedom by Obama.Mary Robinson was the first female President of Ireland (1990 - 1997) and a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997 - 2002), a post that required her to end her presidency four months early. Robinson served as a prominent member of the Irish Senate prior to her election as President. She continues to bring attention to international issues as Honorary President of Oxfam International, and Chairs the Board of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI Alliance). Since 2002 she has been President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative, based in New York, which is an organization she founded to make human rights the compass which charts a course for globalization that is fair, just and benefits all.
Also, Muhammed Yunus
Muhammad Yunus
Dr. Muhammad Yunus is a global leader in anti-poverty efforts, and has pioneered the use of "micro-loans" to provide credit to poor individuals without collateral. Dr. Yunus, an economist by training, founded the Grameen Bank in 1983 in his native Bangladesh to provide small, low-interest loans to the poor to help better their livelihood and communities. Despite its low interest rates and lending to poor individuals, Grameen Bank is sustainable and 98% percent of its loans are repaid - higher than other banking systems. It has spread its successful model throughout the world. Dr. Yunus received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his work.
Also, Desmond Tutu and othesrs.
Labels: Mary Robinson, UNHCR
Posted 1:40 PM
by Mary
U.N. rights official urges independent Gaza probe
Stephanie Nebehay
Reuters North American News Service
GENEVA, Jan 9 (Reuters) - The top U.N. human rights official called on Friday for "credible and independent" investigations into any violations of international humanitarian law in the Gaza conflict which may constitute war crimes.
Navi Pillay, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, also said that U.N. human rights monitors must be deployed in Israel as well as Gaza and the West Bank to document violations.
"The vicious cycle of provocation and retribution must be brought to an end," she said.
Scores of people, including children, had been killed or wounded in "Israel's totally unacceptable strikes" against clearly marked U.N. facilities sheltering Gaza civilians, she said. Harm to civilians caused by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel was also "unacceptable".
Pillay was addressing a special session of the U.N. Human Rights Council a day after the Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the 14-day-old conflict and a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
"Accountability must be ensured for violations of international law. As a first step, credible, independent and transparent investigations must be carried out to identify violations and establish responsibilities," she said.
"Violations of international humanitarian law may constitute war crimes for which individual criminal responsibility may be invoked," said Pillay, a former International Criminal Court judge from South Africa.
Pakistan's ambassador Zamir Akram, speaking on behalf of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), denounced Israel's "unrestrained use of force", killing of innocent civilians and violation of U.N. safe havens.
"In their totality these constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity," he declared.
Labels: Gaza, UNHCR
