Memory of Vieira de Mello pervades start of UN Commission on Human Rights

Seven months after he was killed by a terrorist bomb in Baghdad, the memory of the late United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, hovered over today's opening of the 60th annual session of the UN's top human rights body in Geneva.

Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Bertrand Ramcharan said Mr. Vieira de Mello - who would have celebrated his birthday today - had spurred on many people around the world in their work to protect and uphold human rights.

Mr. Ramcharan said Mr. Vieira de Mello should have been present at today's session, which marks the beginning of six weeks of discussions of human rights issues. But the Brazilian was one of 22 people killed on 19 August last year when a bomb struck the world body's Baghdad headquarters.

Mr. Ramcharan said that even as the Commission on Human Rights opened, gross violations of human rights were still taking place around the world. He called for more attention to the problems of terrorism, poverty and human trafficking.

The Commission's chairman, Mike Smith of Australia, said last week's deadly railway station bombings in Madrid highlighted the human rights impact of terrorism - the devastating personal effect on the victims and their families.

The Commission is scheduled to hear reports from numerous UN rights experts on countries and issues of concern. Among the problems to be examined are the use of mercenaries to undermine peoples' right to self-determination, the illicit dumping of toxic waste, extreme poverty, inadequate housing and access to medicines in the wake of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.