Alfred-Maurice de Zayas Quotes - Page 2

Quotes about:

• The drafting of a legally binding instrument concerning the human rights impacts of the activities of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises has been proposed. Such a treaty or convention should strengthen the United Nations “protect, respect and remedy” framework of the Guiding Principles, which were unanimously endorsed by the Human Rights Council in 2011.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Impact, Rights, Negative

  "Transnational Corporations must be legally accountable for the negative human rights impacts of their activities". Statement at the Workshop at the Human Rights Council, www.ohchr.org. March 11-12, 2014.

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• The families of the killed and disappeared are entitled to the right to know what happened to their loved ones, and to adequate reparation for the suffering endured.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Suffering, Adequate, Loved Ones

  "UN experts urge Iraq to establish the whereabouts of the seven missing residents of Camp Ashraf". dezayasalfred.wordpress.com. December 9, 2013.

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• The abuse of the veto power has become so predictable that frequently resolutions are not even tabled because of the certainty of a veto against their adoption. Necessary discussion is thereby suppressed. Concerted action by the Security Council, the General Assembly and other United Nations agencies is necessary to prevent major human rights violations, stop ongoing breaches and provide remedies to victims.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Agency, Rights, Adoption

  "Promotion of a democratic and equitable international order". August 07, 2013.

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• If you censor yourself, if you cannot articulate your needs, if you cannot articulate your priorities, then whatever you do, putting a little cross in a ballot box, etc, does not represent your view. It is an act of desperation.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Views, Priorities, Doe

  "UN Expert on Democracy Highlights Importance of Free Expression, Information". news.un.org. October 28, 2013.

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• You should not be subjected to the pressures, the intimidation, whether by Government or by the private sector, which would force you into self-censorship.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Government, Self, Pressure

  "Un Expert on Democracy Highlights Importance of Free Expression, Information". news.un.org. October 28, 2013.

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• One of the problems that we have in the human rights community is that special interests often forget the interests of other victims, and there's competition among victims expressions that are unnecessary.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Rights, Expression, Community

  "Un Expert on Democracy Highlights Importance of Free Expression, Information". news.un.org. October 28, 2013.

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• Representative democracy betrays the electorate when laws have no roots in the people but in oligarchies. Studies on the concept and modalities of direct democracy are therefore becoming more topical

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Law, Roots, People

  "Report of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Alfred -Maurice de Zayas". July 01, 2013.

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• The diagnosis is clear, but changing the status quo has proven difficult, because often those who are elected do not govern, and those who do govern are not elected.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Diagnosis, Difficult, Status Quo

  Report of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, 2013.

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• A ten per cent reduction in military expenditures per year would be reasonable, coupled with a programme of retraining the workforce and redirecting the resources in a manner that creates employment and advances social welfare. I also encourage all States to contribute to the UN's annual Report on Military Expenditures by submitting complete data on national defence budgets.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Military, Years, Data

  "UN Expert Urges States to Cut Military Spending and Invest More in Human Development". www.ohchr.org. April 14, 2014.

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• Peace is not the silence of cemeteries, but the song of social justice.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Song, Justice, Silence

  "Rights Expert Urges the UN General Assembly to Adopt a More Decisive Role in Peace-making". "Alfred de Zayas' Human Rights Corner" blog, dezayasalfred.wordpress.com. September 26, 2013.

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• The unfair composition of the Security Council is largely acknowledged. The principal defects are the anachronistic privileges of the five permanent members of the Council and the Council's insufficient representativeness.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Privilege, Unfair, Members

  "Promotion of a democratic and equitable international order". August 07, 2013.

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• It is time to reinvigorate the UN General Assembly so that it can exercise a more decisive role in peace-making and peace-keeping, consistent with the will of the international community.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Exercise, Community, Roles

  "Rights Expert Urges the UN General Assembly to Adopt a More Decisive Role in Peace-making". "Alfred de Zayas' Human Rights Corner" blog, dezayasalfred.wordpress.com. September 26, 2013.

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• Democracy entails a correlation between the public interest as expressed by a majority of the population and the governmental policies that affect them. The term encompasses various manifestations, including direct, participatory and representative democracy, but Governments must be responsive to people and not to special interests such as the military-industrial complex, financial bankers and transnational corporations. Democracy is inclusive and does not privilege an anthropological aristocracy.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Military, Government, People

  "Report of the Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order". United Nations General Assembly Human Rights Council, Session 24, July 01, 2013.

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• Respect for human rights requires transparent and accountable institutions and governance as well as the effective participation of all individuals and civil society, who are an essential part of realizing social and people-centred sustainable development.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Rights, People, Essentials

  "India: Urgent Call to Halt Odisha Mega-Steel Project Amid Serious Human Rights Concerns". "Alfred de Zayas' Human Rights Corner" blog, dezayasalfred.wordpress.com. October 01, 2013.

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• The mandate entails a generous synthesis of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights. The title requires the expert to be truly independent, keep an open mind, conduct his/her research objectively and without ideological prejudices, listen to all sides of an argument and seek the opinion of all stakeholders. The essence of an independent expert is not merely his/her expertise - which must be considered a given - but the faculty of thinking outside the box, while rigorously respecting the terms of reference laid down in the resolution establishing the mandate, and observing the code of conduct of rapporteurs.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Independent, Rights, Political

  "Recent Developments & Highlights". Message on the personal website, alfreddezayas.com. March 05, 2018.

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• Representative democracy frequently manifests a disconnect between parliamentarians and the people, so that parliamentarians have agendas that do not correspond with the wishes of the electorate. This has led in many countries to apathy, cynicism and large-scale absenteeism in elections. What is needed is not only parliaments, but parliamentarians who genuinely represent the wishes of the electorate.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Country, People, Democracy

  "Report of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, Alfred-Maurice de Zayas". July 01, 2013.

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• I condemn the lack of proper investigation of the massacres and the impunity of those responsible for them.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Responsible, Investigation, Massacres

  "UN experts urge Iraq to establish the whereabouts of the seven missing residents of Camp Ashraf". dezayasalfred.wordpress.com. December 9, 2013.

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• Self-censorship as a result of intimidation or social pressures, sometimes referred to as "political correctness", constitutes a serious obstacle to the proper functioning of democracy. It is important to hear the views of all persons,including the "silent majority", and to give heed to the weaker voices.

  Alfred-Maurice de Zayas

  Self, Views, Voice

  Interim report of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, August 9, 2012.

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