Opening Statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council

Thank you, Mr. President.

The United States would like to add its voice to those of our colleagues in thanking the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Lousie Arbour, for her timely report.

We welcome the High Commissioner calling attention to these urgent situations that the Council needs to address.  The deteriorating situation in Sudan/Darfur is of great concern to my government and one shared with many other countries who have spoken today.  We have also watched with great regret the growing violence in Sri Lanka.  These are but two of the worrying instances of widespread abuse of human rights in urgent need of constructive action by the Human Rights Council.  We join the High Commissioner and the Council President in noting that we all share a responsibility to address these situations and to answer the cry for help of the victims of human rights abuses.

Madame High Commissioner, the United States would welcome hearing your views on what steps the Council could take to support the efforts of your office in Sudan, Sri Lanka, and other situations where OHCHR has programs.

The United States also wishes to note its intention to continue our active engagement in the work being done to build the structures of the Human Rights Council, specifically the Universal Periodic Review and the Review of Mandates.  In this regard, we welcome the High Commissioner’s interest in these important efforts.

Thank you, Mr. President