27-04-2005 - Explanation of the vote - Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations

New York

Permanent Mission address: 150 East 42 Street, Level 33, New York, New York 10017 - Telephone: 1 212 351 6600 - Fax: 1 212 351 6610

ECOSOC
27 April 2005

Explanation of the vote

Delivered by H.E. Mr Peter Tesch
Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative
Australian Mission to the UN

(Check against delivery)

Australia is very disappointed that Zimbabwe has been re-elected to the Commission on Human Rights. The Mugabe regime and the international community can be in no doubt about our views on Zimbabwe's human rights record. We condemn the systematic use of state-sponsored violence, intimidation and harassment and call for the repeal of anti-democratic legislation that denies rights of free expression, association and assembly.

Zimbabwe's re-election to the Commission reflects badly on the current functioning of the world's pre-eminent human rights body and its credibility, and underscores the need for fundamental reform of the UN's human rights machinery."