REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,JAKARTA -  UN Human Rights Council elected former Indonesian ambassador to the UN Makarim Wibisono as a special rapporteur on the human rights in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories on Thursday.

"I was elected to replace Richard Falk, a United States academic whose mandate ended on May 1," Makarim told Antara an hour after he was informed of his election at the UN Human Rights Council

Discussion on replacement for Falk was delayed for a month. The UN Human Rights Council elected Makarim of Indonesia, who moved ahead of Christine Chinkin, a professor in the London School of Economics. There had been five nominees for the special rapporteur before the council shortlisted them to two -- Professor Christine Chinkin and Makarim Wibisono.

"As a representative of the Republic of Indonesia, I am entrusted with political tasks to handle sensitive issues," Makarim, Indonesia's senior diplomat, said.

As a UN special rapporteur, he will observe and monitor violation of civil, economic and cultural rights in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.

"I will work objectively and begin work without a unilateral attitude," Makarim, a former executive director of the ASEAN Foundation, said.

In the past, UN special rapporteurs had difficulties in performing their duties in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, he added. However, Makarim, also a former chief of the UN Human Rights Commission who is known to be an objective commission leader, expressed hope that he would have wide access to the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories so that he can prepare objective reports. 

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