The United Nations Commission on Human Rights has become so discredited that the United States and other nations have moved to create a new UN body to replace it, a Human Rights Council. Negotiations have been going on since last summer and have made progress, according to a briefing by a U.S. State Department official.
However, just as delicate negotiations on details of the new Council were beginning this week, the Organization of the Islamic Conference has called for the insertion of language requiring the new Council to "prevent instances of intolerance, discrimination, incitement of hatred and violence" arising from "any actions against religions, Prophets and beliefs". Yesterday's Financial Times says that supporters of the new Council fear that the OIC demand could be exploited by countries looking to undermine the creation of the HRC for other reasons. The OIC's move, growing out of the recent international furor over published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, has also caused concern over infringing free speech, and over possible delays if the proposal opens the door to demands on other specific issues. (See related Update at prior posting.)
