Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Param in UN panel on Israel-Palestine rights abuses

KUALA LUMPUR: Renowned jurist and human rights expert, Param Curamarasamy, has been appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council as part of a committee to monitor Israeli and Palestinian investigations into violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.



He is one of three independent experts on the committee, the other two being Professor Christian Tomuschat of Germany and Justice Mary McGowan Davis from the United States.“It is definitely an honour,” said Param. “But it is also a very challenging role.”When asked about the scope of his responsibilities and the committee's plans, he said it was too premature to comment.“The committee will be meeting later this month to set up a framework for our plan of action over the next three months,” he said. “We will have a clearer picture of how to move forward then.”According to the Human Rights Council, the committee will monitor and assess any domestic, legal or other proceedings undertaken by the governments of Israel and Palestine.

This includes the independence, effectiveness, and the genuineness of these investigations and their conformity with international standards.In a media statement, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said that the committee will focus on ensuring accountability for all violations of international humanitarian and international human rights laws during the Gaza conflict.“These three experts are eminently suited to fulfil the committee’s mandate,” he added. “I would like to take this opportunity to call on all relevant parties to fully cooperate with the committe

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