Britain and US condemn Saudi Arabia and other Arab states on human rights
Regional, Politics, 1/31/1998

Britain and the US have released separate reports critical of human rights practices in Arab countries. These reports come before a March 16 meeting in Geneva of the UN Human Rights Commission for "1503 confidential proceedings."

The British report cited "Torture in Saudi Arabia: No protection, no redress" as stated by Lord Avebury is aimed specifically at Saudi Arabia. The report complains of widespread ill treatment in places of detention in Saudi Arabia and holding people incommunicado for long periods before they are brought to trial. Lord Avebury wanted these issues raised before the UN Commission on Human Rights.

Britain and Saudi Arabia recently experienced tension over human rights issues regarding the trial and conviction last year of two British nurses in Saudi Arabia on charges of killing an Australian coworker.

British parliamentarian Lord Wallace of Soltaire said "While we recognize the importance of Saudi Arabia to British economic interests, particularly as a country to which we export a great many arms," Lord Wallace of Soltaire continued reminding his colleagues of the revolution in Iran and of the "failure to foresee the likelihood of collapse of the Iranian government and regime and the adverse consequences to Britain of having become over committed to the Shah" adding "is the government conscious of the internal tensions within Saudi Arabia..."

Britain is supporting bringing forth proceedings that will be ongoing shortly at the UN on human rights issues, that relate to Saudi Arabia.

The report issued by the US State Department contains worldwide human rights condemnations. Its criticism of Saudi Arabia focuses on restrictions on the lack of freedoms for women and religious practices and freedoms in general.

The US report criticized Iraq, with which the US is involved in tension over UN weapons inspections, saying, "In Iraq the government forced the displacement of tens of thousands of Kurds, Shi'a, and other minorities," among other abuses.

In Algeria, where massacres have claimed the lives of many civilians, "The Government continued to use extrajudicial killings, disappearances, torture, and the harassment of suspected opponents to stay in power," the report said.

In Bahrain, the report said, "there was no change in the Government's human rights practices and numerous serious problems remain." The report said problems there include, "the denial of the right of citizens to change their government; political and other extrajudicial killings; torture; arbitrary arrest; incommunicado and prolonged detention; involuntary exile... and restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, and worker rights."

The report noted: "credible reports of slavery" in Sudan, saying that Sudan has one of the worst records on human rights in Africa.

The US report also cited most Arab countries for violations.

The report and US State department spokesman said that "The aging dictatorship in Libya survived another year through intimidation and denial of basic rights."

This last statement sheds light about the US's "impartial" assessment of human rights, and its lack of political motives in these reports, that are used by congress in determining their foreign policy.

Previous Stories:
  The fundamental problems facing the Arab states   (1/31/1998)
  Saudi Arabia refutes British claims on human rights   (1/22/1998)

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