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Yawn

by JP Bill May 12, 2006 12:23AM PDT

GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. human rights chief Louise Arbour on Wednesday said the election of members to the organization's new rights watchdog marked a new beginning in the fight for fundamental freedoms.

However, the United States declined to take part in the council elections because it said that it was still too easy for states with a history of abuse to get elected.

Several countries on the new body, including Russia, China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Azerbaijan, were named by rights groups as being unworthy of membership.

But others, including Iran, failed to win election.

Red Cross rips U.S. refusal

GENEVA (AP) - The head of the international Red Cross on Friday deplored the refusal of the U.S. administration to allow its neutral delegates to visit people being held in secret detention.

In an unusually strongly worded statement, the agency known for its discretion expressed disappointment that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other officials refused to yield to the demand.

"No matter how legitimate the grounds for detention, there exists no right to conceal a person's whereabouts or to deny that he or she is being detained," said Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, following a series of top-level meetings in Washington.

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Aw gee. What a shame.

by EdH May 12, 2006 12:30AM PDT

Several countries on the new body, including Russia, China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Azerbaijan, were named by rights groups as being unworthy of membership.

But we should accept it anyway?

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