SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000396

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B;
RRU-NEA
IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR ERELI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: IIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

1.Summary: Under the headline "America and Human Rights" UAE's
largest Arabic daily "Al-Khaleej" strongly criticized America's
violations in Guantanamo, Abu Gharib, the flying prisons, the State
Department's HRR and Washington's intention not to join the Human
Right Council simply to defend Israel. The editorial described the
act as covering obscenity with chastity, noting that the
international community can no longer stand these violations. End
Summary.


2. Under the headline "America and Human Rights", Sharjah-based
Arabic daily "Al-Khaleej" (circulation 90,000) editorialized:

"In its annual Human Rights Report, the U.S. condemned Iraq and
Afghanistan for human rights violations in those nations, and at the
same time declared its decision not to attend the UN Human Rights
Council. According to Washington this organization has lost its
credibility through its repetitive attacks against Israel. It is
odd. The U.S. has the guts to issue a report on human rights
violations after all it did in Guantanamo, the flying prisons, Abu
Gharib and other areas. It also wants to rid itself of the
responsibility of human rights in Iraq and Afghanistan. It seeks to
erase human rights violations simply because it violated all
principle of human rights beginning with the sanctions imposed on
the Iraqi people, its occupation of that nation and the practices it
pursues there. All of these are major violations and those
responsible must be accountable and put on international trial."

"Washington cannot deny its responsibility in Iraq, even though this
was not carried out by its troop, because America is an occupation
force and is obliged by the international law for everything that
happens there. It covered obscenity with chastity when it comes to
human rights by concealing Israelis crimes in Palestine. It is not
Israel that must be condemned, but the council of human rights that
reveals its crimes. The American position stems from the low moral
standards and the weak political position that is isolating it from
the world community. This explains the U.S. rejection to join the
council for it does not have the power to influence any decisions
issued. The world community does not enjoy seeing America and
Israel's violations of international laws and human rights."

SISON