Defence Forces Review 2010

Defence Forces Review 2010ConclusionsThe Opinion in the Canhasi case constituted a milestone as the first instance in whichthe UN was found to have been in violation of the ECHR in its capacity as a transitionaladministrative authority. The importance of this Opinion rests in the fact that the UN maybe held accountable for violations of human rights under the ECHR and other internationalhuman rights instruments in the future when it exercises executive powers in peacekeepingmissions.The Opinion was commended by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who statedthat the delivery of the Opinion represented an important advance in the demonstration ofthe commitment of the UN to ensure its own accountability for human rights violations. TheCommissioner also expressed the sentiment that careful and timely scrutiny would be givento the implementation of the Panel’s recommendations over which UNMIK held exclusiveauthority and discretion to act.The Panel is now well established within the organisational structure of the UN as an effectivemechanism for the protection and promotion of human rights and as a mechanism to ensure UNaccountability for breaches of the ECHR and other international human rights instruments.It has also set a precedent for the observance of human rights standards and for the redress ofhuman rights grievances by the UN and its components in future peacekeeping missions. Assuch it constitutes a potential model for an accountability mechanism for the protection andpromotion of human rights when the UN exercises executive authority in future missions.The Annual Reports of the Human Rights Advisory Panel Website and other useful informationmay be viewed on the Panel Website:>www.unmikonline.org/human_rights/index.htm