UN Human Rights Commissioner skips Peace Prize ceremony

UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has made a mockery of her office by skipping today's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for laureate Liu Xiaobo. Pillay's office first said she couldn't be in Oslo because of a previous commitment, and insisted more recently that she wasn't actually invited. But she surely could have attended if she chose. Pillay, a South African, played an honorable role in the struggle against apartheid. But if she can't withstand pressure from China to snub the Nobel ceremony, how can her UN Human Rights Commission be expected to defend other dissidents who are jailed and tortured by UN member governments?

The same official routinely attacks Western nations-and has a special animus towards Israel, for example.

But for the Chinese dictators? When she was given a chance to honor a freedom fighter, she takes a pass-as have 19 and counting other nations.

But many of those nations are dictatorships themselves - or fear Chinese wrath.

The UN Human rights commissioner is supposed to stand up for human rights-and not stay sitting.