COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Sub-commission on Promotion
and Protection of Human Rights
Fixty-sixth session
Item 4 of the provisional agenda
Comments on the human rights impact of debt
3 August 2004
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
I would like to thank Mr. Guisse for his working paper on the effects of debt on human rights (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/27). Under the circumstances I think the paper shows admirable restraint. I speak as one living the reality of these problems.
The concept of equality which underpins the notion of human rights, has been greatly undermined, in fact I will say ignored, in the making of contracts and agreements between governments and international lending agencies, particularly in developing countries. The concept of a contract implies a negotiated agreement between equal partners. Where we have human rights violations which derive from contracts that were entered into, then we must conclude that no government based on democratic voting could have agreed to those contracts on behalf of the people. The concept of sovereignty is negated when you are in a position with international financial institutions where you have to sign or else.
In my country for every dollar that is gained, 89 cents goes back to repayment of foreign debt. What is to be done about education, health, quality of life and realization of other rights with the remaining 11 cents? I have a real difficulty in feeling that the rights of people in my region are taken into consideration when these types of contracts are entered into. I have a difficulty with economists who don’t live the reality of globalization, in telling me that there are positive benefits to globalization. These agreements expose our people to unfair competition with countries whose farmers are heavily subsidized, when we have no such subsidies.
So what are we talking about when we speak about revisiting the issue of debt? We would like to revisit the contracts entered into, the consequences, the massive human rights violations deriving therefrom. In keeping with the accepted principle of right to redress we need to find a just way of repaying, of clearing, of assisting, in removing the hindrances of debt repayment in these countries, and in creating a more level playing field.
If we are serious about the indivisibility of rights, then we need to revisit these contracts, these agreements entered into which have led to this situation. And we need to examine those consequences not only in an economic framework, but also from the human rights framework. Perhaps if we begin that route, we could also be starting down the road of lessening the creation of the new poor. Because it is not just the deepening of existing poverty, but it is the creation of new poor that is a concern here. The new poor – persons who were previously able to sustain themselves, but are no longer able to do so because of these massive debts burdening the developing world.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.