World Report 2011 - Human Rights Watch

INTRODUCTIONA Facade of Action:The Misuse of Dialogue and Cooperationwith Rights AbusersBy Kenneth RothIn last year’s World Report, Human Rights Watch highlighted the intensifyingattacks by abusive governments on human rights defenders, organizations,and institutions. This year we address the flip side of the problem–the failureof the expected champions of human rights to respond to the problem, defendthose people and organizations struggling for human rights, and stand upfirmly against abusive governments.There is often a degree of rationality in a government’s decision to violatehuman rights. The government might fear that permitting greater freedomwould encourage people to join together in voicing discontent and thus jeopardizeits grip on power. Or abusive leaders might worry that devotingresources to the impoverished would compromise their ability to enrich themselvesand their cronies.International pressure can change that calculus. Whether exposing or condemningabuses, conditioning access to military aid or budgetary support onending them, imposing targeted sanctions on individual abusers, or even callingfor prosecution and punishment of those responsible, public pressure raisesthe cost of violating human rights. It discourages further oppression, signalingthat violations cannot continue cost-free.All governments have a duty to exert such pressure. A commitment to humanrights requires not only upholding them at home but also using available andappropriate tools to convince other governments to respect them as well.1