SENATE RESOLUTION: China Human Rights Council Resolution (Passed)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A RESOLUTION
Condemning the appointment of China to the United Nations Human Rights Council

In the Atlasian Senate and House of Representatives,

Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Council plays a key role in picking the world's body human rights investigators — including global monitors on freedom of speech, health, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention;

Whereas members of the UNHRC panel will be able to influence the selection of at least 17 UN human rights mandate-holders over the next year, known as special procedures, who investigate, monitor, and publicly report on either specific country situations, or on thematic issues in all parts of the world, such as freedom of speech and religion;

Whereas the People's Republic of China routinely imposes draconian censorship and has forcibly disappeared citizens who express dissent like the executive Ren Zhiqiang, who called President Xi Jinping a ‘clown’ over the country's coronavirus response — as well as upwards of a 1 million Muslim Uyghur and minority group members;

Whereas the Chinese government is widely considered to commit gross and systematic violations of human rights affecting its 1.3 billion people, including human rights activists;

Resolved, that the Atlasian Senate and House of Representatives—

(1) affirm the basic human rights of all peoples, including but not limited to the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of religion, and the right to work and education; and

(2) oppose and condemn the inclusion of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations Human Rights Council, which threatens to undermine the credibility of the UN’s highest human rights body and is liable to cast a shadow upon the United Nations as a whole.

Sponsor: Scott
Senate Designation: SR23:13

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Talk to me now!

[Former President tack50]

Wasn't Saudi Arabia included in the HRC at one point as well? It's not like China is the only offender really. Maybe we could have a broader resolution?

Commentary from the SoS would be welcome here.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

The UN Human Rights Council doesn't have any credibility left to be undermined by choosing the PRC as a member.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

First, it is possible I may have jumped the gun a little by introducing this before the SoS could confirm that this event happened in-game.  But the State Department has been inactive recently, so I took the initiative.

The UN has long been known for making these ironic decisions, appointing countries like Saudi Arabia and China on human rights panels, putting Syria on a panel for unconventional weapons disarmament, etc.  And perhaps a broader resolution identifying these things - and its inconsistent record of frequently condemning one particular nation for human rights violations while turning a blind eye to the crimes of its neighbors - should be considered also.  But in light of the COVID pandemic, the appointment of China to the HRC is perhaps the most egregious decision the UN has made to date.

China imposes draconian censorship on its people, and yet China will get to select to the UN monitor on free speech.  China arbitrarily detains people, but now China will pick the UN monitor on arbitrary detention.  China disappears dissidents - including most recently a prominent tycoon who was critical of President Xi for his corrupt mishandling of the ongoing Wuhan virus outbreak - and yet it is China that will select the UN monitor on enforced disappearances.  One journalist likened this decision to appointing a pyromaniac to the job of town fire chief.  I cannot think of a more apt comparison.

While I consider myself very much a dove on matters of war and peace, I believe that the goals of diplomacy and universal human rights are worth striving for, but in order for those things to be possible we must identify the elephant in the room, and use this moment to directly challenge the United Nations on this nonsense which only weakens it as an institution that purportedly supports those goals.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

A lot of these international organizations, especially those with the UN are trying to replicate a model that works in one area, namely post-WWII peace keeping and use that in other areas.

The problem is that while most everyone in the world wants peace, the same cannot be said for human rights, free trade, health etc. The model that works for peace requires universal buy in, but for this obvious reason universal buy in means you have people in these organizations whose systems are horrendous on a number of areas, suddenly leading or a part of councils that they have no business being involved with.

[Former President tack50]

Tbh I would never support a bill that say, removes Atlasia from the UN or something like that. Diplomacy is a huge asset in international relations.

I do oppose having regimes that do not support human rights in a human rights council though, but I do not think China is the only, or even the worst offender there.

[Peanut]

From a political standpoint, Atlasia's support in the UNGA to elect UNHRC members needs to be strengthened too. China has gotten so many of its allies (and itself) through the General Assembly in part due to Atlasia just looking the other way and due to their aggressive "friendly" policies. We need to see what, politically, has worked for them and emulate it in our UN maneuvers: we might not feel it, but Scott is completely correct that this institution and other UN bodies hold immense importance to people in countries we think about less.

I'll be raising this with the President and SoS for executive action, as well.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Would the President or Secretary of State like to comment on this?

[Former President tack50]

I think this bill would be better served by a speech or formal complaint from the Secretary of State yeah.

[Don Vito Corleone]

The author of this bill raises many good points. It is indeed true that human rights violators routinely end up on UN committees to oversee human rights. However, what Senator Yankee says is also true; the very nature of multilateral international organizations like the United Nations requires universal buy-in, and we cannot simply make any other nation buy-in (but then, I'm sure everyone here already understands that). So, while the passage of this bill would be a good thing and I support its passage, it would be symbolic. As the Vice President points out, there are things we can do to help prevent situations like this from occurring again in the future, but in my personal view, those are decisions that are best left to the discretion of the NSC.

However, I will note, I don't actually know if China was placed on the UNHRC in-game. I asked the former GM about it but never got a follow-up, and he deregistered soon after.

[Lumine]

CLARIFICATION / INTERNATIONAL

China and the UN Human Rights Council

For clarification and after consideration of potential factors and/or butterflies, it is ruled that China has been made a member of the UNHRC panel - via Chinese representative Jiang Duan - in this world as well.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So with the GM input, where does that leave the resolution.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Motion for a final vote.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

No objections; I fully support this bill.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Motion for a final vote.

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

A final vote is now open.  Senators, please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

A RESOLUTION
Condemning the appointment of China to the United Nations Human Rights Council

In the Atlasian Senate and House of Representatives,

Whereas the United Nations Human Rights Council plays a key role in picking the world's body human rights investigators — including global monitors on freedom of speech, health, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention;

Whereas members of the UNHRC panel will be able to influence the selection of at least 17 UN human rights mandate-holders over the next year, known as special procedures, who investigate, monitor, and publicly report on either specific country situations, or on thematic issues in all parts of the world, such as freedom of speech and religion;

Whereas the People's Republic of China routinely imposes draconian censorship and has forcibly disappeared citizens who express dissent like the executive Ren Zhiqiang, who called President Xi Jinping a ‘clown’ over the country's coronavirus response — as well as upwards of a 1 million Muslim Uyghur and minority group members;

Whereas the Chinese government is widely considered to commit gross and systematic violations of human rights affecting its 1.3 billion people, including human rights activists;

Resolved, that the Atlasian Senate and House of Representatives—

(1) affirm the basic human rights of all peoples, including but not limited to the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of religion, and the right to work and education; and

(2) oppose and condemn the inclusion of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations Human Rights Council, which threatens to undermine the credibility of the UN’s highest human rights body and is liable to cast a shadow upon the United Nations as a whole.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Just in case there is some objections I am going to sanction this vote. Deputy PPT lapses at beginning of each session.

[Esteemed Jimmy]

Aye

[Former President tack50]

Given the SoS's position, Aye

[At-Large Senator LouisvilleThunder]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

24 hours to change votes etc.

[YE]

Aye