MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
UK praise for Argentina's Human Rights Record
The United Kingdom praised Argentina for the advances in implementing human rights legislation and practice. The UK statement was delivered at the 28th session of the Universal Period Review during the discussion of Argentina's Human Rights Record on 6 November 2017. The Universal Periodic Review takes place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesAs recently as 2013 the Argentinian Foreign Minister said, ”The Falklands islanders do not exist. What exists is British citizens who live in the Islas Malvinas...'' (Argentina: Falklands Islanders 'Don't Exist' Sky News 6 Feb 2013).
Nov 07th, 2017 - 09:59 am - Link - Report abuse -1So much for the human rights of the Falkland Islanders then.
Falklands – Argentina's Sovereignty Aspirations:
https://www.academia.edu/34583696/Falklands_Argentinas_Sovereignty_Aspirations
Because murdering your prosecutors just oozes “human rights.”
Nov 07th, 2017 - 02:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Either Britain is belatedly praising the achievements of Kirchnerism or this is a sick joke by my government, praising Macri for taking human rights backwards as May would like to do at Brexit...
Nov 07th, 2017 - 05:13 pm - Link - Report abuse -1@BK
Nov 07th, 2017 - 05:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“...the introduction of the National Plan of Action for Prevention, Assistance and Eradication of Violence against Women in 2016.”
“The UK also welcomes Argentina’s ratification of the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention 1930...”
Ratified 9 Nov 2016, so yes these were both achieved under Macri. Why do you assume he must be either wholly good or wholly bad for human rights? And he's not a dictator either, his party doesn't even have a majority in congress so plenty of other people have an influence. My impression is that there is a big grassroots movement in Argentina protesting violence against women, and it would be right to give some of the credit to them rather than any politicians.
I agree about the grassroots movement against violence against women, of which Cristina is and was while in office a supporter, Macri less so. I think given the date, 2016, with Cristina in office till the end of 2015, there might have been some continuing momentum from the previous progressive government to push that and the anti-forced labour measure through. As well as the anti-government majority in Congress, as you say. Now that the latest election is being seen as such a blank cheque by the government I don't expect we'll see many more such advances. And it is a bit depressing to see my government selecting things to praise under the Macri administration without condemning the frightening move backwards (Maldonado, Sala, the purge of K and opposition politicians), or acknowledging as far as I can tell the much greater advances of the Kirchner years in jailing the junta, memory politics etc (let alone the anti-austerity policies we could do with a bit of at home!)
Nov 07th, 2017 - 06:12 pm - Link - Report abuse -3“there might have been some continuing momentum from the previous progressive government”
Nov 07th, 2017 - 07:00 pm - Link - Report abuse -1Perfectly possible, and not everything has to be a partisan issue. With Macri's internationalist focus I expect him to continue signing up to agreements like the Forced Labour Convention, and I don't see him as being opposed to human rights in general, but more specifically objecting to protests etc because they are bad for business and, as he sees it, bad for the country.
The UK did bring up some of the problems, as the article said: ”Reports indicating an increase in cases criminalizing those involved in peaceful social protest are concerning, as are ongoing issues concerning prison conditions and issues of overcrowding”.
“there might have been some continuing momentum from the previous 'progressive' government”
Nov 07th, 2017 - 11:37 pm - Link - Report abuse -1Because murdering your prosecutors just oozes progressive government.
@BK
Nov 09th, 2017 - 01:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0Agree that Macri's record is less than positive with the arbitrary imprisonment of Milagro Sala, the government's open protection of the border police (Gendarmerie) in the Santiago Maldonado case, and also by several episodes of police brutality against students, retirees and citizens at large--something Argentines had almost forgotten in the previous 12 years.
@DT
”I don't see (Macri) as being opposed to human rights in general, but more specifically objecting to protests etc because they are bad for business and, as he sees it, bad for the country.”
No. As Macri sees it, protests are bad for business, period. Watch the next chapter, a sweeping reform of Labour law with which Macri expects to wipe out seven decades of progress in the field.
@EM
Nov 10th, 2017 - 10:54 pm - Link - Report abuse -2I'm not sure if you are agreeing with me or not. I think Macri is opposed to things like the right to protest, which he sees as bad for business, but isn't particularly socially conservative so would not oppose things like gay rights or the campaign to reduce violence against women.
What changes are you expecting to the labour laws? I'm not sure how laws in Argentina compare to places like Britain and Canada, but I suspect unions currently have more rights there, is that correct?
Also, random question: since you are also Canadian, do you think Macri is worse than Stephen Harper?
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