South African judge named next UN human rights chief
Posted by africanpress on July 26, 2008
Navanethem Pillay is shown at a UN news conference in Geneva, Switzerland, in this 2003 file photo. Despite U.S. concerns, the former South African judge, is expected to be the next UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. (Keystone/Sandro Campardo/Associated Press)UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday named South African judge Navanethem Pillay as the next United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, a post vacated by Canadian Louise Arbour last month.
Pillay has served as a judge at the International Criminal Court in the Hague since 2003.
Before that, she was the presiding judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In that role, she was known for highlighting the seriousness of gender-based crimes during the 1994 killings of an estimated 800,000 Rwandans.
As a lawyer in South Africa, Pillay defended anti-apartheid activists and championed their right to legal assistance.
The U.S. is said to have had some concerns about her appointment due to her pro-choice view on abortion, but UN officials said there is little chance she will be rejected.
The UN General Assembly plans to meet on Monday to discuss confirmation of Pillay’s appointment.
Her critics have also questioned whether she will publicly shame governments over human rights abuses, such as Zimbabwe, especially if it conflicts with South Africa’s position as a close ally.
Arbour, whose four-year term as human rights chief ended on June 30, was known for being outspoken. The former Supreme Court justice faced a backlash after taking a strong position against Israel during its bombing raids on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in the summer of 2006.
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API/CBS
