UN General Assembly
1993

on behalf of my country and Government, to appeal again for massive aid from the most developed nations of the Earth to that afflicted and impoverished neighbouring brother country. Since the conquest and colonization of America, the Dominican Republic has defended human rights. It was in our island, Hispaniola, that a loud voice was first raised on behalf of the rights of the indigenous inhabitants of our American lands - the voice of Brother Antón de Montesinos, in his famous Advent sermon. Faithful to that first call for the redemption of our continent, our Government honours this historical tradition, which is fully valid today in our country’s official and private practice. It has been working on instruments - which might eventually become international in nature - that will contribute to giving juridical force to that tradition. 18 General Assembly - Forty-eighth session Our country has advocated the universality of human rights. We believe that neither geographical, economic, social, religious nor cultural differences can ever be used as a pretext for showing contempt for human rights.