GPPi publishes two articles in Asia issue of German periodical Vereinte Nationen

GPPi researchers Katrin Kinzelbach and Gerrit Kurtz have each published an article for the April 2013 issue of the German academic periodical Vereinte Nationen, published by the UN Association of Germany. Kinzelbach assesses China’s human rights diplomacy at the UN, while Kurtz identifies shortcomings in UN actions during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka in 2008 – 2009. 

Following China’s December 2012 retirement by rotation from the UN Human Rights Council, Kinzelbach reflects on how China is shaping human rights debates as well as the mandates of UN human rights mechanisms. She argues that Beijing does not question the legitimacy of the UN human rights system as such. Rather, Chinese diplomats focus on rebuking statements by Western democracies. China also continues to insist that human rights are internal affairs and that international criticism is an inacceptable interference. Because China frequently finds wide support for this position, Kinzelbach concludes that Western democracies, including Germany, should seek equally strong support for upholding human rights standards and international monitoring on compliance. 

In another article, Kurtz analyzes how the United Nations dealt with the dire humanitarian situation in the final stages of the secessionist civil war in Sri Lanka in 2008 – 2009. Kurtz points out that while the UN could not prevent the suffering, killing and displacement of the Tamil civilians who were trapped in the conflict area, UN member states nonetheless bear a significant share of responsibility. They encouraged the Sri Lankan government to fight ​“terrorism” and at the time sent mixed signals regarding the implementation of the concept of the responsibility to protect. Still, the UN Secretary-General personally pressed the Sri Lankan government for a meaningful accountability process concerning the alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.