The United Nations is making enemies again. Last week, yet another government has announced that it is ready to reassess relations with the world body after being criticized for domestic human-rights policies. This time, however, the complainant is not one of the usual offenders -- China, Sudan, Iraq, Yemen are regulars -- but Australia. Canberra's blast at the U.N. is a mistake. It makes the government of Prime Minister John Howard look petty and short-sighted. It undermines Australia's bid to play a larger international role and it undercuts U.N. authority and the rights it represents.
The source of the controversy is recent U.N. criticism of Australia's treatment of Aborigines and asylum seekers. Australia's 430,000 Aborigines are the country's most disadvantaged group. They make up only 2.3 percent of the population, but they have much higher infant-mortality rates and much lower life expectancies than other Australian citizens. The world body has criticized the federal government's handling of Aboriginal land rights and mandatory sentencing laws in effect in two states that seem to target crimes committed by Aborigines. The result is harsh jail sentences for trivial offenses. In at least one case, an Aboriginal youth committed suicide while incarcerated.
In response to the criticism, the Australian government announced that it would cut back contacts with the U.N. and would not ratify a protocol to the Convention on Eliminating All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said U.N. committees would not be allowed to visit Australia, nor would they be given information unless there was a compelling reason to do so.