UN chief will not emulate the Robinson style

The new UN human rights chief vowed today to act as the voice of the oppressed around the world but indicated he would be less outspoken than his predecessor, former Irish president Mary Robinson.

“My job will require speaking out to turn the world’s attention to abuses,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Vieira de Mello.

“But it also requires tact and political acumen, as well as the ability to roll up one’s sleeves and get down to work to protect human rights away from the spotlights and the microphones,” the 54-year-old Brazilian diplomat said in Geneva.

While professing his admiration for Mrs Robinson, Vieira de Mello made it clear that he did not share his predecessor’s penchant for ruffling national feathers.

“Sometimes speaking up will be necessary, will be a moral and legal obligation. In other circumstances, negotiating and exhausting other means will be necessary to achieve the objective,” he said, emphasising that there were many instances of successful quiet diplomacy.

“Judge me on the basis of results, and not on style.”

Mrs Robinson served for five years. She was willing to stay for an extra three years but was effectively squeezed out after alienating the United States and other powerful governments.

She fell foul of Washington for criticising its treament of terrorist suspects at Guantanamo Bay, for intervening against executions and for her perceived anti-Israeli stance. She upset Russia for pressing for an inquiry into abuses committed in Chechnya, and took the Chinese government to task for suppressing political and spiritual opponents.

In an interview shortly before she left office, Mrs Robinson lambasted the United States and other governments for using the war against terrorism to justify trampling on civil liberties through prolonged detention of suspects without charge.

Vieira de Mello offered an olive branch to the Bush administration.

“One should never forget what happened September 11 last year,” he said. “To an exceptional threat often exceptional measures are required.”

“Any society that is attacked as brutally as was the case last year responds and reacts in a manner that some may consider excessive, but this is natural. What we need to ensure is that this reaction is of short duration,” he said.