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The director of one of the world's leading rights group believes the German government and the European Union are consistently and selectively looking the other way on the issue of human and civil rights violations in countries like Sudan, China, Uzbekistan and Russia.
 
Kenneth Roth, executive director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said Germany, which has Europe's largest economy and population, is particularly "stifled" by its World War II history from using its military and economic leverage with diplomatic partners who fail to uphold human rights.

But in a recent interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa in his offices in Manhattan's Empire State Building, Roth urged Berlin - now in the leadership position of the European Union - to make use of its huge economic power to go beyond its usual "dialogue and diplomacy" to bring about change in places like Uzbekistan and other repressive countries.

"Why should today's victims of genocide suffer because Germany in the past created its own victims?" Roth asked.

The German foreign office rejected the charges, saying Germany and Europe placed highest priority on human rights. A spokesman took particular exception to the World War II reference, saying he was "amazed" that such a well-known human rights organization which works closely with the German government would make such over- generalizations.

Roth criticized Europe in general, saying it "is not carrying its weight in terms of responsibility to protect people around the world who are facing mass slaughter." Fundamentally, its approach to the injustices practised by some governments is too filled with compromise, Roth said.

Germany regrettably has not used the EU presidency to take up a leading role in human rights questions, Roth said.

Roth said that the US, Britain and France are the only military powers with the capacity to respond to mass slaughter. With the US under fire for violating the human rights of suspected terrorists at its military base in Guantanamo Bay, Germany has a special responsibility to rise to fill the breach, Roth said.

Unfortunately, the EU refuses to accept its responsibility and instead constantly seeks out the lowest common denominator, Roth said.

Roth sees Germany's political credibility eroding if it closes its eyes to human rights violations only to suit itself politically. For example, Berlin has reacted only with weak protests to Russian President Vladimir Putin's "slow strangulation of Russian democracy and civil society."

Chancellor Angela Merkel is tougher than her predecessor Gerhard Schröder, Roth conceded, but energy interests are weighing heavier than the issues of human rights and democracy. He called Germany's view toward Russia on energy politics "short-sighted."

A dictatorial government like that of Russia can threaten the reliability of vital energy supplies, Roth said. Russia already has used its oil and gas delivery as an instrument to pressure neighbouring countries.

In renegotiating a partnership and cooperation treaty between the EU and Russia, human rights in Russia must be guaranteed to play a central role, Roth added.

The Human Rights Watch chairman called on Germany and the EU to intensify the use of drastic economic sanctions to persuade dictators around the world to protect human rights. He said he would like to see a greater commitment to peacekeeping and the "use of military force when genuinely needed."

"There is this somewhat naive tendency for diplomacy unbacked by pressure" in the EU's approach, he said.

HRW was especially disappointed over Germany's handling of Uzbekistan, said Roth. He called it "appalling" that Germany was leading efforts to lift EU sanctions imposed on the central Asian country after the May 2005 massacre in Andijan of hundreds of civilian protestors, law enforcement officials and armed insurgents.

Berlin wants to lift the sanctions despite continued harassment of government opponents and lack of progress on establishing fundamental rights.

Germany always emphasizes "dialogue and diplomacy," but in the case of Uzbekistan, "that's an example where diplomacy is just covering up for mass murder," Roth said. What's needed is massive economic pressure on Uzbekistan in the form of sanctions, he said.

HRW, founded in 1978, is an independent organization devoted to protecting human rights around the world. Its annual budget of 30 million dollars and its 230 full-time employees make it one of the largest human rights organizations in the world.

Source: EUX TV