Back in July, African countries made news by dissolving the old Organization of African Unity and creating a new organization, modeled on the European Union, called the African Union. Despite the public relations nonsense that this would bring more accountability, etc. etc. to Africa, the African Union is the same old dictators club.
The most poignant example of that in the organization’s two month history came when the African Union turned to discussing who would represent Africa to chair the United Nations Human Rights Commission next year. The chair rotates, and in 2003 it is Africa’s turn to fill that role. And who would an organization like the African Union pick? Why, Libya of course.
No formal appointment will be made before the commission meets in 2003, but at its inaugural meeting the African Union nominated Libya to the chair of the human rights commission. That’s the same Libya that’s been run by a brutal dictator for decades, where there is no independent press and where human rights know little respect.
Well in some respect, perhaps the choice makes sense as Libya perhaps does accurately represent the African Union’s approach to human rights. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Source:
Libyan human rights role worries US. The BBC, August 21, 2002.