Pakistan, speaking for OIC, accuses West of ‘lip service’ to their pledge to fight hatred

GENEVA: Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), has accused the West of paying “lip service” to their commitment to prevent religious hatred, after the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning recent incidents in which the Holy Quran was burnt, the official news agency reported.

“The opposition of a few in the room has emanated from their unwillingness to condemn the public desecration of the Holy Quran or any other religious book,” Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN offices in Geneva, said after the 47-member Council took action on the resolution by a vote — 28 in favour, 12 against and 7 abstentions.

The resolution was strongly opposed by the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, who say it conflicts with their view on human rights and freedom of expression.

Delivering OIC’s reaction, Ambassador Hashmi, who piloted the resolution, said, “They lack the political, legal and moral courage to condemn this act, and it was the minimum that the council could have expected from them.

“Countries that voted against the resolution have sent a message to Muslims and people of other faiths that their commitment to preventing religious hatred is limited to lip service.”

Countries that voted in favour of the resolution included Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Belgium, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Romania, the UK and the US voted against the resolution.

Dealing with the West’s misgivings about the resolution, Ambassador Hashmi said, “It does not seek to curtail the right to free speech. It aims at striking a prudent balance between the exercise of this right with special duties and responsibilities … Regrettably, some states have tried to shy away from their responsibilities to combat the scourge of religious hatred.”

The text, he said, was balanced, thematic and solution-oriented.

“Contrary to the approach pursued by some countries including those which opposed the present resolution, of maligning and targeting countries, the text does not target any country. It aims to address a systemic human rights impact of the absence of prevention, legal deterrence and deliberate,” Ambassador Hashmi added.