SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD ISSUES A STATEMENT ON HIS MISSION TO BRAZIL

21 March 2002



Jean Ziegler Denies Erroneous Comments Attributed to Him



Jean Ziegler, the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the right to food, today issued a statement on his mission to Brazil which was carried out from 1 to 18 March 2002 in accordance with his mandate. The statement follows the publication of erroneous comments which were attributed to the Special Rapporteur. Mr. Ziegler underlined that he had not given any authorized interviews to the media, and denied comments which quoted him as saying that the Government was carrying out a genocide against the Brazilians. He said that the erroneous comments were absurd and were the result of a misunderstanding.
"Brazil is one of the few Member States of the United Nations which has invited all the Special Rapporteurs of the Commission on Human Rights to carry out missions in the country.
The mission was carried out under the best possible conditions. The Special Rapporteur was received by the highest ranking authorities. He was allowed to carry out his investigations as requested. He also benefited from the support of the Civil Society in Brazil which was exceptionally vital and dynamic.
During his visits to several regions of the country, the Special Rapporteur had many contacts with media representatives at their request. He did not give any authorized interviews. Some erroneous comments were attributed to the Special Rapporteur, including one in which he is alleged to have said that the Government was carrying out a genocide against its people. Mr. Ziegler denied the comments and said that they were absurd. He said they were the result of a misunderstanding for which he could not be held responsible.
The Special Rapporteur said that he knew that the Government had taken many measures to fight the situation of hunger and malnutrition in the country, especially the food subsidy for the poorest families. The number of people affected by the malnutrition was nevertheless high: 23 million according to the Government; 44 million according to the opposition in parliament; or 55 million according to Dom Mauro Morelli, the President of the National Forum for Food Security.
The persistence of serious and chronic malnutrition affecting millions of human beings in a country as powerful and rich as Brazil is difficult to accept. The Special Rapporteur considers this situation a violation of the right to food. According to his mandate, he will put his recommendations in his report".
The Special Rapporteur will present the report on his mission to Brazil to the fifty-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly, which will start its work in September 2002.



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