VOA标准英语2008年-UN Chief Narrows Search for New Human Rights Co

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to name his new High Commissioner¹ for Human Rights as early as this week. The new official will replace Louise Arbour who stepped down June 30 after serving a four-year term at the Geneva-based body. From United Nation's headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has the inside track on the three top candidates.

VOA has learned that the U.N. chief has narrowed his list for the top U.N. human rights post to three candidates.

They are Navanethem Pillay, a black South African woman judge on the International Criminal Court, Hina Jilani, a female Pakistani lawyer and rights advocate, and Argentinean lawyer Juan Mendez who was tortured and detained as a political prisoner.

A panel, chaired by U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and composed of some of Mr. Ban's closest advisors² has led the search. In the interest of transparency, the secretary-general has been sharing his shortlist with diplomats³, who have confirmed the names to VOA. Once Mr. Ban announces his pick, the candidate's name will be put before the General Assembly for formal approval.
　
Louise Arbour (file photo)

The new human rights chief will be taking over from Canadian Judge, Louise Arbour, who said in March that she is leaving the post after one term to spend more time with her family.

Amnesty International's Senior Deputy Executive Director, Curt⁴ Goering, says whoever the new High Commissioner is they must possess certain qualities to carry out what he says is one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

"This has to be someone who is a person of the highest integrity and the highest possible international standing," he said. "Someone who should have a well-established record of advocacy on human rights issues, someone who is able to deal directly with governments in quiet diplomacy⁵ when that is called for, and when there are possibilities of achieving results through quiet discussions, but at the same time be prepared to be vocal⁶ and outspoken⁷ when that is called for. This person -- he or shee -- has to really be a human rights champion."

Former High Commissioner Louise Arbour's tenure⁸ has generally received high marks from human rights groups, but was attacked by many governments for her criticism of their rights records.

Israel came under fire for its military action against Palestinians and its war with Hezbollah in 2006 that killed more than a thousand Lebanese civilians⁹. Arbour cited China for its use of the death penalty and said the United States' war on terror was eroding¹⁰ the worldwide ban on torture.

Human Rights Watch's U.N. Advocacy Director Steve Crawshaw says the criticisms are a credit to the good work she has done.

"In broadest terms, we would say that we are very happy with what she has done, and the criticisms which have been leveled at her do indeed actually confirm the old cliché that the nature of the criticisms is a reminder¹¹ of the toughness of the job and the fact that she did it well," he said.

Human rights groups say Arbour's successor will face a number of challenges, particularly in regard to the war on terror.

"The balance between the pursuit of security and the protection and upholding of fundamental human rights will be a major challenge," said Amnesty International's Curt Goering.

Advocates say the new High Commissioner must be independent of politics and able to address serious human rights abuses wherever they are happening and speak out without fear or favor.

　

 

1 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

2 advisors   

n.顾问，劝告者( advisor的名词复数 )；（指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• The governors felt that they were being strung along by their advisors. 地方长官感到他们一直在受顾问们的愚弄。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• We will consult together with advisors about her education. 我们将一起和专家商议她的教育事宜。 来自互联网

3 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 curt   

adj.简短的，草率的

参考例句：

• He gave me an extremely curt answer.他对我作了极为草率的答复。
• He rapped out a series of curt commands.他大声发出了一连串简短的命令。

5 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

6 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

7 outspoken   

adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的

参考例句：

• He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。
• She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。

8 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

9 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

10 eroding   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。
• Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。

11 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。