Thank you, Mr. Chair.
As Mr. Shantz has indicated, Canada strongly condemns the human rights situation in North Korea. With respect to the multilateral human rights front, Canada co-sponsors and is actively engaged, working for stronger language, in both the resolution at the UN General Assembly and the resolution at the Human Rights Council on North Korea's human rights violations.
Canada also maintains a dialogue with like-minded countries, including with the United States and South Korea, on multilateral human rights issues with respect to North Korea and engages with these partners in preparing for the resolutions at the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council.
I understand we are here today to consider the question of a commission of inquiry. Commissions of inquiry, as members likely know, are generally used in the context of the rapid onset of gross and systematic violations, such as the situations in Libya, Darfur, and currently Syria. The mandates vary, but commissions of inquiry often have a fact-finding mandate along with a mandate to make preliminary determinations as to whether violations of human rights or humanitarian law have occurred.
Commissions of inquiry are usually established by the UN Security Council or by the Human Rights Council through resolutions, which are often very controversial and divisive and which generate vote calls.
It has also been possible in rare circumstances for the UN Secretary-General to establish a COI under his own auspices, but this has normally been at the request of the state of concern.
Generally speaking, however, there are concerns regarding the utility of a commission of inquiry in the context of the North Korean situation. It is not clear what additional information would surface that has not already been flagged by the current special rapporteur for the human rights situation in North Korea, Marzuki Darusman. North Korea would not grant access to a commission of inquiry, making it very difficult for the commission to have contact with victims and witnesses. This would greatly reduce the effectiveness of the commission of inquiry.
There are also concerns regarding whether or not, should a request for a commission of inquiry be sought in any one of the bodies, the request would be successful in the resulting votes that would be required. This makes the situation even more challenging.
By way of an alternative to a commission of inquiry, there is currently work being done by Special Rapporteur Marzuki Darusman on a comprehensive report likely to be tabled at the March session of the Human Rights Council. It is expected to be very comprehensive and to respond to some of the issues that were raised by the International Coalition to Stop Crimes Against Humanity in North Korea in some of the work they have done over the last year in arguing for a commission of inquiry. We understand that this report will include a specific focus on arbitrary detention; enforced and involuntary disappearances; torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; and executions.
Thank you.