United Nations executive: Uphold rights, get global respect

MANILA, Philippines — UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein urged political leaders to follow Nelson Mandela’s example to earn global respect.

Zeid made the statement before the UN Human Rights Council, although he did not name President Duterte.

“To deserve global respect, you must begin to follow his (Mandela’s) example – committing to the spirit and letter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” Zeid said in his address.

“Yours will in the end become a mouse-like global reputation, never the fine example of the leader you think you are,” he said.

Zeid said political leaders who stoke fear and intolerance among their followers for their own ambitions are merely copying the behavior of previous generations of once strong, but ultimately catastrophic leaders and politicians.

Zeid said the late South African leader had sacrificed and worked hard to earn global respect.

Before the UN Council, Zeid painted a bleak picture of situations in more than 50 countries, including the Philippines.

He warned about deepening repression, increasing threats and several cases for impeachment and dismissal and President Duterte’s “authoritarian” approach.

During a press conference in Geneva last week, Zeid said Duterte needs to submit himself to some sort of psychiatric examination.

He said the Philippine government had added UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz’s name to the alleged membership of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army, which Duterte wanted to be declared as terrorist organizations.

According to Zeid, Corpuz believes that she has been targeted because of her comments on the attacks and killings of indigenous people in Mindanao.

“This is of course unacceptable for a special rapporteur acting on behalf of the international community whose expertise is sought by the Human Rights Council to be treated in this way,” Zeid said.

“And I hope and expect the Human Rights Council to respond accordingly,” he said.

Turning to what he called “outrageous attacks” by Duterte against Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Zeid stressed: “These attacks cannot go unanswered.”

He called it “absolutely disgraceful that the president of a country could speak in this way, using the foulest of language against a rapporteur that is highly respected.”

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV agreed with Zeid and challenged Duterte to take a psychiatric test.

“His murderous and erratic ways plus his crass, twisted and perverted statements are indicative of a deeply sick mind. That is not a normal way of thinking, especially for a Filipino,” the opposition senator said.

“So, for the sake of the safety and wellbeing of the entire Filipino nation whose lives are subjected to his power, I call on Duterte to prove that he has a sound mental health by going through a psychiatric evaluation,” he said.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, on the other hand, described Zeid’s comments as “uncalled for” and “insulting.”

Lacson said if Zeid thought Duterte was profane and whose actions did not befit his office, then he should have not made those remarks.

“Coming from a high official of the UN, it was inappropriate that such comments would be coming from him,” Lacson told dzBB.

He said over 16 million Filipinos voted Duterte into office so a comment coming from a foreigner was appalling.

Lacson said he himself called out Duterte early into his term to refine his language but the latter responded by saying he could not change. – With Paolo Romero