January 19, 2007
Tehran, Iran
His Excellency Ban Ki-moon
The Secretary General of
The United Nations
First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, NY 10017



Subject: Proposal for Reform of the Human Rights Council Membership


Your Excellency,

When criticism on the make-up and effectiveness of the former Commission on Human Rights lead to reform, the expectation was re-formation of this essential world body into an effective and authoritative entity the people of the world could depend on for protection of their basic rights. However, the most significant change instituted was merely an administrative status change from an independent Commission to a subsidiary Council. No qualitative change was affected.

It was hoped that the much publicized reform would at least bar the states with gross violations of human rights from sitting in the "Human Rights Council". A member government that does not respect human rights in its own country, and some not even true representatives of their nations, must not be allowed to sit at a council which is to guarantee human rights of all people. The current system is more hypocrisy than democracy. Many of the current HRC members are belligerent violators of even the most basic of human rights in their own countries.

While we all agree that the current Human Rights Council with current rules of membership is not much different than the old Human Rights Commission, a reform true to the meaning and the mission of the HRC is in order. I propose the following reforms in the make-up of the HRC membership be considered by the United Nations management for study:

Proposal I:
While the geographic membership quota system can remain as is, no member country shall be admitted into the Council unless:

1. Has signed the International Bill of Human Rights.

2. Has included the International Bill of Human Rights in its Constitution.

3. The UN's Human Rights watch or a similar observation instrument has reported substantial compliance of the Bill of Human Rights.

Instituting such a regulation for membership in the Human Rights Council might leave a great number of seats empty. So, be it. The countries will know that seats are available to them once they pass the test of compliance.

Proposal II:
The voting right in the General Assembly of any UN member declared in substantial violation of human rights should be suspended until such time as a decided effort toward improving same has been reported.

Proposal III:
No UN member in substantial violation of human rights may be allowed membership in the Security Council. After all, the responsibility of the Security Council is to provide security for the people of the member states through peace and justice, and not just security for governments.

Respectfully submitted,

Kourosh Zaïm
An Iranian Political Activist
kourosh_zaim@yahoo.com
Cell: +98-912-113 8108

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