|
UN Watch is a Geneva-based non-governmental organization whose stated mission is "to monitor the performance of the United Nations by the yardstick of its own Charter".〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Mission and History )〕 It is an accredited NGO in Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council and an Associate NGO to the UN Department of Public Information.〔(Mission & History ), UN Watch〕 UN Watch has been active in combating human rights abuses in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Darfur, and has been vocal against abuses in regimes such as China, Venezuela, Cuba and Russia, often using its allotted time at the UNHRC to allow for dissidents and human rights activists to speak. UN Watch is also frequently critical of what it views as anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment at the UN and UN-sponsored events. The NGO actively monitors the qualifications of candidate countries to United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) elections, and has been particularly critical of the 2015 election of China, Cuba, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. It has been a strong critic of the UNHRC, asserting that many of its members have poor human rights records themselves. UN Watch has described the council as equally bad as or worse than its forerunner, the defunct〔("UN creates new human rights body" ), BBC 15 March 2006〕 United Nations Commission on Human Rights.〔 The group has been praised by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan,〔〔 and the Director General of the UN Office in Geneva Sergei Ordzhonikidze has acknowledged "the valuable work of UN Watch in support of the just application of values and principles of the United Nations Charter and support for human rights for all."〔 Agence France-Presse has described UN Watch both as "a lobby group with strong ties to Israel"〔 and as a group which "champion() human rights worldwide".〔May 6, 2008, (NGOs say five nations unfit to serve on UN rights body ), AFP 6 May 2008〕 ==Founding== UN Watch was founded in 1993 under the chairmanship of Morris Berthold Abram. Abram served as the Chairman of the United Negro College Fund and President of Brandeis University. Abram was active in community affairs as President of the American Jewish Committee (1963–1968); Chairman of the National Coalition Supporting Soviet Jewry (1983–1988); and Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (1986–1989).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=''UN Watch'': Founder: Morris B. Abram )〕 Abram supported the UN as an institution. In 1999, Abram delivered a speech to the U.S. Congress on the subject of the treatment of Israel by the United Nations in which he said "UN Watch categorically supports the UN as an indispensable institution. The US should pay its past dues to the UN as a matter of national honor and in recognition of the UN's importance. In spite of the UN's flaws, it is inconceivable that the US withhold support from the only truly global organization in such an interdependent world."〔United States. Congress. House. Committee on International Relations. 1999. (The treatment of Israel by the United Nations ) () : hearing before the Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, One Hundred Sixth Congress, first session, 14 July 1999 U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the U.S. G.P.O., Supt. of Docs., Congressional Sales Office, Washington : 1999〕〔(THE TREATMENT OF ISRAEL BY THE UNITED NATIONS. PREPARED TESTIMONY OF AMBASSADOR MORRIS B. ABRAM BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS JULY 14, 1999 ), UN Watch, 1999-07-14〕 After Abram passed away in 2000, David A. Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee, was elected Chairman of UN Watch. In 2001, Harris announced that UN Watch had become a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Jewish Committee. According to a press release at the time, “UN Watch was established with the generous assistance of Edgar Bronfman, President of the World Jewish Congress. Eighteen months ago, the American Jewish Committee and the World Jewish Congress reached an agreement, approved by the international board of UN Watch, to transfer full control of the organization to AJC, an agreement that went into effect on January 1, 2001.” 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「UN Watch」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|