Clean bill of health on human rights

Press, 10 February 1983, Page 2

Clean bill of health on human rights

NZPA staff correspondent Washington

The United States has given New Zealand a clean bill of health on human rights. In a country-by-country report presented yesterday to committees of the Senate and the. House of Representatives, the United States State Department said that NewZealand had “an exceptional record" in human rights and was continuing to improve and broaden respect for such rights. Universal suffrage, personal freedom, respect for minority rights, rule by law, humane treatment of prisoners, concern for the economically deprived, freedom of the press, free trade union affiliation, and freedom of religion were deeply ingrained principles in New Zealand society and were “fundamental, unquestioned

tenets in its governance.” the report said. The State Department also said that New Zealand had been responsive, “within the limits of its resources," to the resettlement needs of refugees and that it has practised a liberal asylum policy. “The New Zealand Government, as well as private organisations, has been generous in this regard.” The United States aid to other countries is dependent on satisfactory human rights practices in those countries, but the report covers all countries except the very small ones, such as some of the Pacific Island nations. The Cook Islands are not covered, but Western Samoa, Fiji, the Solomon Islands. Vanuatu, and Australia, are all praised for exemplary human rights practices. Report, page 7