United States has singled out North Korea and Syria over human rights violations. She also warned at the United Nations that new conflicts could be triggered by rights abuses in Iran, Cuba and North Korea. US Ambassador Nikki Haley made the case at the Security Council yesterday that more attention should be focused on rights abuses to prevent conflict, a view challenged by Russia, China and other countries at the UN body.
Turning to Syria, she recalled that the war, now in its seventh year, began with anti-government protests, and took a swipe at the Council for being reluctant to address the crisis early on.
Ms Haley also mentioned cases of torture in Burundi and Myanmar’s crackdown on ethnic Rohingyas as human rights concerns.
The United States, which holds the council presidency this month, was able to hold the meeting on human rights following negotiations with countries that did not want it to be a formal agenda item
