Jewish Efforts for Individual Complaints on Human Rights Violations Fall at U.N.

The United Nations Human Rights Commission voted today to accept the principle of setting up a permanent international body to handle the complaints submitted by states and tentatively decided to include in the forth-coming covenant an article limiting the right of appeal against violations of the instrument to ratifying governments.

In a series of votes, the commission unanimously approved the right of states to appeal against violations of human rights and rejected proposals to permit appeals by non-governmental bodies and by individuals.

Representatives of Jewish organizations had pressed for extension of the right of appeal to individuals. In the voting, India, Uruguay and the Lebanon supported this position. Dr. Charles A. Malik, Lebanon representative, speaking in the Commission, praised the World Jewish Congress and the Coordinating Council of Jewish Organizations for their contribution to the cause of human rights.

Jewish circles regarded the decision to establish a permanent appeals body instead of a system of adhoc committees, as proposed by Great Britain and the United States, as a victory for their viewpoint.