In a United Nations Human Rights Council meeting yesterday, Iceland proposed that the Philippine war on drugs be investigated. The proposition is supported by 28 other nations and led by Iceland. The proposition has been met with resistance from the Philippines, most notably when Philippine Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted that he believed Iceland would now receive a hefty payout from Philippine drug gangs following the proposition, along with other supporting countries.
The proposition accounts for a full inspection into the status of human rights in the Philippines, as well as an investigation into the war on drugs currently ongoing in the country led by president Duterte. The non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch has condemned the minister’s tweet and says this it reflects the desperate position Philippine authorities find themselves in, as well as an attempt to whitewash their part in the disgusting war on drugs.
A recent report from Amnesty International reveals that illegal executions and misuse of power are by now a dangerous and an accomplished habit in the Philippines. 6000 people have been murdered during President Rodrigo Duterte’s reign, as part of his ongoing war on drugs.
Lucsin Jr. has repeatedly declared his support of Duterte’s drug policy. On Twitter, he has previously compared the war on drugs to the so-called final solution that the Nazis and the Third Reich proposed to the “Jew problem”.
Votes will be cast on Iceland’s proposition today. The proposition involves encouraging Manila authorities to ensure that all measures be taken to stop illegal executions and forced disappearances. The Philippine government is also asked to start independently investing the situation in the country as well as accepting international inspection agents. Furthermore, the proposition calls for authorities to bring those responsible for human rights violations to justice.
47 countries in total have a right to vote on the human rights council. The Philippine representatives have protested the proposition heavily and repeatedly left the area when it is being discussed. Philippine authorities believe that the proposition is a harsh attack on the country’s independence. They state that President Duterte enjoys overwhelming support in the country and has a right to fulfil his drug policy. In fact, Philippine authorities have accused Iceland of hypocrisy.
