DATE=1/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-226111
TITLE=HUMAN RIGHTS-OVERVIEW (L)
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON 
HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD.  IT SAYS ABUSES CONTINUE IN MANY 
PARTS OF THE GLOBE, THOUGH IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOTED IN SOME 
COUNTRIES, INCLUDING CHINA.  VOA'S GIL BUTLER HAS A REPORT.

TEXT:  IN ITS OVERVIEW TO THE COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY HUMAN RIGHTS 
ASSESSMENT, THE STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT SAYS STRONG AUTHORITARIAN
GOVERNMENTS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD CONTINUED TO COMMIT 
WIDESPREAD AND WELL DOCUMENTED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN 1997.  IT 
WAS, THE REPORT SAYS, A DISMAL SCENARIO THAT IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR.

THE PROBLEM OF IRAQ'S DEFIANCE OF WEAPONS INSPECTIONS WAS 
OBVIOUSLY ON THE MINDS OF STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS.  IN 
INTRODUCING THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ON 194 COUNTRIES AROUND THE 
WORLD, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOT POINTED TO IRAQ AS
A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHY CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IS IMPORTANT.

                       /// TALBOT ACT ///

         REGIMES THAT RULE BY REPRESSION AND VIOLENCE AT HOME ARE
         MUCH MORE LIKELY TO THREATEN THEIR NEIGHBORS AND WORLD 
         PIECE AS A WHOLE.  SADDAM HUSSEIN IS EXHIBIT 'A'.

                         /// END ACT ///

SOME HUMAN RIGHTS IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOTED AROUND THE WORLD.   
(OPT)  THE REPORT SAYS CHINA TOOK SOME POSITIVE STEPS ON HUMAN 
RIGHTS LAST YEAR, THOUGH SERIOUS PROBLEMS REMAINED.  IT SAYS THE 
CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO DISSENT WAS SOMEWHAT MORE 
TOLERANT THAN IN RECENT YEARS AND A FEW POLITICAL PRISONERS -- 
SUCH AS WEI JINGSHENG -- WERE RELEASED.  BUT THE REPORT SAYS 
THOUSANDS OF CHINESE REMAIN IN PRISON FOR PEACEFULLY EXPRESSING 
POLITICAL, SOCIAL, OR RELIGIOUS VIEWS. (END OPT)

 (OPT) ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, JOHN 
SHATTUCK SAID THERE WERE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN BOSNIA.

                      /// SHATTUCK ACT ///

         I BELIEVE WHEN THE DUST SETTLES, HISTORY WILL MARK 1997 
         AS THE TURNING POINT TOWARD PEACE AND JUSTICE IN BOSNIA.

                         /// END ACT ///

                            (END OPT)

BUT SOME OF THE COUNTRIES SURVEYED BY THE REPORT SHOWED LITTLE 
IMPROVEMENT.

 (OPT) THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE BURMESE GOVERNMENT CHANGED 
ITS NAME BUT NOT ITS RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES AND SECURITY FORCES 
CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT KILLINGS, BEATINGS AND RAPE, AND THERE ARE 
STILL GOVERNMENT RESTRICTIONS ON BASIC RIGHTS. (END OPT)

 (OPT) THE REPORT SAYS DESPITE THE TIMETABLE ANNOUNCED BY 
NIGERIAN GENERAL SANI ABACHA FOR A TRANSITION TO MULTIPARTY RULE,
THERE WAS NO MEANINGFUL PROGRESS AND CHIEF MOSHOOD ABIOLA, THE 
WINNER OF THE ANNULLED 1993 ELECTION, REMAINED IN DETENTION. (END
OPT)

 (OPT) CUBA'S AGREEMENT TO A PAPAL VISIT ATTRACTED POSITIVE 
ATTENTION ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, BUT, WHAT IT CALLED,  FIDEL 
CASTRO'S TOTALITARIAN STRUCTURE REMAINS UNCHANGED. (END OPT)

 (OPT) THE REPORT SAID HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES PERSISTED IN IRAN, 
THOUGH IT NOTED THAT PRESIDENT KHATAMI HAS PUBLICLY PLEDGED 
SUPPORT FOR THE RULE OF LAW AND INCREASED PERSONAL FREEDOMS. (END
OPT)

(OPT) THE REPORT FOUND SCANT PROGRESS IN HUMAN RIGHTS IN SYRIA 
AND SAID, IN ITS WORDS, LIBYA'S ENDURING DICTATORSHIP SURVIVED 
ANOTHER YEAR THROUGH INTIMIDATION AND DENIAL OF BASIC RIGHTS.(END
OPT)

 (OPT)  AND IN ALGERIA, THE REPORT SAYS, THE ALARMING BRUTALITY 
OF MASSACRES AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN COMMANDED THE 
WORLD'S ATTENTION AND AS MANY AS ONE THOUSAND CIVILIANS WERE 
BEING KILLED EACH MONTH. (END OPT)

 (OPT) RUSSIA WAS CRITICIZED FOR WHAT IT CALLED A BIG STEP 
BACKWARD WITH PASSAGE OF A LAW RESTRICTING FREEDOM OF RELIGION. 
(END OPT)

 (OPT) THE REPORT NOTED SAUDI ARABIAN RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOMS 
INCLUDING BASIC FREEDOMS OF WOMEN.  AND IT SAYS IN TURKEY THERE 
WERE WIDESPREAD HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. (END OPT)

THE ANNUAL STATE DEPARTMENT HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT IS CRITICISED BY 
SOME GOVERNMENTS AS REFLECTING ONLY WESTERN VALUES AND AS AN 
EXAMPLE OF KIND OF CULTURAL IMPERIALISM.  THE STATE DEPARTMENT 
CHALLENGES THAT VIEW BY SAYING HUMAN RIGHTS ARE UNIVERSAL AND THE
ABUSES DETAILED IN THE REPORT ARE FACTS.(SIGNED)

NEB/MGB/KL  

30-Jan-98 2:16 PM EST (1916 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.