ECONOMIC EMBARGO EXPLOITS HUMAN RIGHTS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES, IRAQ TELLS THIRD COMMITTEE
Press Release
GA/SHC/3339
ECONOMIC EMBARGO EXPLOITS HUMAN RIGHTS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES, IRAQ TELLS THIRD COMMITTEE
19951130 Ten Speakers Address Human Rights Questions; Draft Texts Introduced on Rights of Child, Indigenous PeopleThe economic embargo against Iraq had affected the lives of millions of Iraqi people and it was a "a clear example of the exploitation of human rights for political reasons", the representative of Iraq told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) this afternoon, as it continued its consideration of questions relating to human rights.
One of ten speakers on human rights questions this afternoon, Iraq's representative said objectivity and non-selectivity were needed when dealing with human rights issues. However, instead of calling for the lifting of the unjust economic embargo against his country, the special rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights to his country had said instead that sanctions were in the purview of the Security Council.
The representative of Myanmar accused the Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights of selectivity and lack of balance in his report. The report gave credence to the allegations of violations of human rights in his country by placing them at the beginning of the report, while relegating the responses of his Government at the end.
The representative of Iran said the problems faced by the United Nations with regard to human rights did not lay in the ratification of instruments, but in the fact that they were implemented through the perception of only one ideology. He, thus, called for an integrated approach to human rights.
Statements were also made by the representatives of the Republic of Korea, Kenya, Togo, Japan, Kyrgyzstan and the Gambia. The representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also made a statement. The representative of China spoke in exercise of the right of reply.
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Also this afternoon, the Committee heard the introduction of three draft resolutions. The General Assembly would urge all States that had not yet done so to sign and ratify or accede to the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a matter of priority, with a view to reaching universal adherence by the end of 1995, by the terms of an orally amended six-part draft resolution on the rights of the child, introduced by the representative of Sweden.
Under the terms of a draft resolution on the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations, the General Assembly would decide that the Voluntary Fund should also be used to assist representatives of indigenous communities and organizations to participate in the deliberations of the open- ended inter-sessional working group of the Commission on Human Rights, as well as in the deliberations of the working group on indigenous populations. The text was introduced by the representative of Australia.
By the terms of an orally amended draft resolution also introduced by Australia on the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, the Assembly would decide that the programme of activities might be reviewed and updated throughout the Decade and that at the mid-point of the Decade the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly should review the results of the activities to identify obstacles to achievement of the goals of the Decade and to recommend solutions for overcoming those obstacles.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday, 1 December, to continue its consideration of human rights questions and to take action on draft resolutions related to the advancement of women.
Committee Work Programme
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue its consideration of human rights questions. Those include how the provisions of human rights instruments are being carried out, as well as alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of those rights. The Committee will also examine human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives. It will also discuss the comprehensive implementation of and follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
Under its sub-item on the implementation of human rights instruments, the Committee has before it the report of the Human Rights Committee (document A/50/40); report of the Committee against Torture (document A/50/44) and one on the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture (document A/50/512); and a report by the Secretary-General on the status of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (document A/50/469). It will also consider the report on the status of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and of the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (document A/50/472). (For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/3331 of 24 November.)
On another sub-item, on human rights questions, including alternative approaches for improving the effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Committee has before it reports on the following: respect for the principles of national sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of States in their electoral processes (document A/50/495); effective promotion of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (document A/50/514); human rights and mass exodus (document A/50/566); human rights and terrorism (document A/50/685); assistance to States in strengthening the rule of law (document A/50/653); strengthening of the Centre for Human Rights (document A/50/678); and the geographical composition and function of the staff of the Centre for Human Rights (document A/50/682).
Also before the Committee are: the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the plan of action for the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education (document A/50/698); report of the Secretary-General on the Recommendations made by his Special Representative for human rights in Cambodia (document A/50/681); report of the Secretary- General on the role of the United Nations Centre for Human Rights in assisting the Government and people of Cambodia in the promotion and protection of human rights (document A/50/681/Add.1); report of the Secretary-General on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (document A/50/452); and report of the Secretary-General on enhancing the effectiveness
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of the principle of periodic and genuine elections (document A/50/736). (For background on these reports, see Press Release GA/SHC/3331 of 24 November, GA/SHC/3335 of 28 November and GA/SHC/3336 of 29 November.)
Under its sub-item on human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives, the Committee had before it notes by the Secretary-General transmitting the following: interim report prepared by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar (document A/50/568); the interim report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Sudan (document A/50/569); the interim report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cuba (document A/50/663); and the three reports by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Rwanda (document A/50/709). (For background, see Press Releases GA/SHC/3333 and GA/SHC/3334 of 27 November as well as GA/SHC/3335 of 28 November.)
Also before the Committee is a report on the situation of human rights in Kosovo (document A/50/767). The General Assembly adopted resolution 49/204 of 23 December 1994, by which it requested the Secretary-General to seek ways and means to establish an adequate international monitoring presence in Kosovo and to report thereon to the Assembly.
According to the report, in the light of serious allegations of human rights violations and the history of tensions among the communities in the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) in general, and in the Kosovo region in particular, various efforts have been made since 1992 to establish a human rights monitoring presence. The Special Rapporteur visited Belgrade on 13 October 1995. During meetings with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Federal Minister for Human Rights, she requested the opening of an office of the Centre for Human Rights to assist her in the gathering and analysis of information on the human rights situation in all parts of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). The Minister for Human Rights replied that a written proposal should be submitted to the authorities for proper consideration.
On 17 October 1995, the Special Rapporteur addressed a letter to the Federal Minister for Human Rights, in which she stated that it was indeed indispensable to establish a similar presence in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) in order to obtain direct access to information concerning the human rights situation. Without that arrangement, her ability to present reliable and objective reports would be seriously hampered. Therefore, she strongly recommended that field officers of the Centre for Human Rights be granted unimpeded access to the entire territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). At the time of the writing of the present report, no reply had been received from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).
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On 14 August 1992, by a decision of the Fifteenth Committee of Senior Officials, the then Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established a mission of long duration in Kosovo, Sandjak and Vojvodina, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), the report continues. The mission maintained its presence in Kosovo for 10 months. It carried out its mandate with the formal consent and support of the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Following the decision by CSCE to suspend the participation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), the Government withdrew its formal consent for the mandate of the mission. The CSCE mission ceased its operations in July 1993. Since its departure, CSCE (now OSCE), the Security Council and the General Assembly have made repeated requests to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) for the reinstatement of the mission of long duration. The position of the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) has been that reinstatement is not possible until its full participation in OSCE is resumed.
According to the present report, with the renewed willingness of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) to cooperate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and with the Special Rapporteur of the Commission, the establishment of an international monitoring presence in the territory appears to be more attainable. The possibility of establishing an office of the Centre for Human Rights in Belgrade will be actively pursued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur of the Commission as an initial step in building a human rights monitoring presence with specific regard to the situation in Kosovo.
Under its sub-item on the implementation of the follow-up to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, the Committee has before it the Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development (document A/50/670). (For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/3335 of 28 November.)
The Committee is also expected to hear the introduction of draft resolutions on the promotion and protection of the rights of children as well as the programme of activities of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.
Draft Resolutions
The Committee has before it a six-part draft resolution on the rights of the child (document A/C.3/50/L.28). Part 1 of the draft resolution would have the General Assembly welcome the unprecedented number of 180 States that had ratified or acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as a
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universal commitment to the rights of the child. It would urge all States that had not yet done so to sign and ratify or accede to the Convention as a matter of priority, with a view to reaching universal adherence by the end of 1995.
Under the terms of the draft text, the Assembly would also urge States parties that had made reservations to review the compatibility of their reservations with article 51 of the Convention and other relevant rules of international law, with the aim of withdrawing them.
It would also call upon States parties to ensure that the education of the child was carried out in accordance with article 29 of the Convention and was directed to the development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, for the Charter and for different cultures and to the preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of the sexes and friendship among peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin.
Under Part II of the draft resolution, the General Assembly would call upon States to fully respect the dispositions contained in the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and the Additional Protocols thereto, of 1977, as well as those in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which accorded children affected by armed conflicts special protection and treatment.
The draft text would also have the Assembly express its support for the work of the expert to undertake a comprehensive study of the situation of children affected by armed conflict, with the mandate established by the General Assembly in its resolution 48/157 of 20 December 1993.
In addition, the Assembly would urgently request that appropriate measures be taken by Member States and United Nations agencies, to facilitate the extension of humanitarian assistance and relief and humanitarian access to children in situations of armed conflict and the immediate aftermath of such conflict. It would also invite the working group on the elaboration of a draft optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child related to the involvement of children in armed conflicts to pursue its mandate.
Part III of the draft resolution would have the General Assembly request that all States support efforts in the context of the United Nations system aimed at adopting efficient international measures for the prevention and eradication the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and consider contributing to the drafting of an optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It would also have the Assembly welcome the convening of the first World Congress on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, to be held in Stockholm from 26 to 31 August 1996.
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By the terms of Part IV the General Assembly would call upon governments to take legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to ensure the protection of children from economic exploitation. It would also urge Governments to take all necessary measures to eliminate all extreme forms of child labour, such as forced labour, bonded labour and other forms of slavery.
In addition, the draft text would have the Assembly request that measures be taken by Governments, at the national and international levels, within the framework of multisectorial approaches, to end exploitation of child labour in line with the commitments undertaken at the World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen in March 1995 and the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995, and taking into account the results of other relevant United Nations conferences.
Part V of the draft resolution would have the Assembly urge Governments to continue actively to seek comprehensive solutions to tackle the problems of street children and to take measures to restore their full participation in society and to provide adequate nutrition, shelter, health care and education. It would also strongly urge all governments to guarantee the respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, particularly the right to life, and to take urgent measures to prevent the killing of street children and to combat torture and violence against them.
The draft text would, in addition, call upon the international community to support, through effective international cooperation, the efforts of States to improve the situation of street children, and encourage States parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in preparing their reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, to bear that problem in mind and to consider requesting technical advice and assistance for initiatives aimed at improving the situation of street children.
By the terms of Part VI of the draft resolution, the Assembly would invite Governments, United Nations bodies and organizations, including the United Nations Children's Fund and relevant mechanisms of the Commission on Human Rights, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to cooperate with each other to ensure greater awareness and more effective action to solve the problem of children living in exceptionally difficult conditions by, among other measures, initiating and supporting development projects that could have a positive impact on the situation of those children.
It would also request the special rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography to submit an interim report to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session. The Secretary-General would also be requested to submit a report on the rights of the child to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session, containing information on: the status of
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the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the findings of the expert on the effect of armed conflicts on children; and the problems of exploitation of child labour, its causes and consequences.
The draft resolution is sponsored by Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia Cape Verde, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Togo, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
By the terms of a draft resolution on the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations (document A/C.3/50/L.29), the General Assembly would decide that the Voluntary Fund should also be used to assist representatives of indigenous communities and organizations to participate in the deliberations of the open-ended inter-sessional working group of the Commission on Human Rights, as well as in the deliberations of the working group on indigenous populations.
The draft resolution is sponsored by Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Greece and New Zealand.
Under the terms of a draft resolution on the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (document A/C.3/50/L.30), the General Assembly would take note of the final report of the Secretary-General on a comprehensive programme of action for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. It would decide to adopt the programme of activities for the Decade contained in an annex to the resolution.
It would also have the Assembly decide that the programme of activities might be reviewed and updated throughout the Decade and that at the mid-point of the Decade the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly should review the results of the activities to identify obstacles to achievement of the goals of the Decade and to recommend solutions for overcoming those obstacles.
It would also have the Assembly recognize among the important objectives of the Decade the consideration of the possible establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous people within the United Nations, as recommended in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights, held at Vienna from 14 to 25 June 1993, and welcome the report of the workshop on the possible establishment of a permanent forum for indigenous people held at Copenhagen from 26 to 28 June 1995.
The draft resolution would also have the General Assembly request the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to promote the objectives of the Decade, taking into account the special concerns of indigenous people, in the fulfillment of his functions. Further, it would request the Assistant
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Secretary-General for Human Rights, in his capacity as Coordinator of the Decade, to establish, within existing resources, a unit within the Centre for Human Rights including indigenous persons, to support its activities related to indigenous people, in particular to plan, coordinate and implement activities for the Decade.
Also by the terms of the draft text, the General Assembly would request the Administrative Committee on Coordination, through its inter-agency process, to consult and coordinate on the Decade, with a view to assisting the Coordinator of the Decade to fulfil his function, and to report on activities of the United Nations system in relation to the Decade to the General Assembly in each year of the Decade.
Annexed to the draft resolution is the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.
The draft resolution is sponsored by Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Mexico, New Zealand and Peru.
KWANG JAE LEE (Republic of Korea) expressed the hope that the Peace Agreement initialled in Dayton, Ohio to end the war in the former Yugoslavia would mark the conclusive end to the bloodshed and suffering that had afflicted that region for the past four years. It was distressing that flagrant human rights abuses and gross violations of fundamental freedoms continued to be perpetrated in virtually every corner of the globe. Human rights abuses, whether they be persecution against minorities or the atrocious acts of torture or genocide, were a blatant affront to civilized society.
He shared the view of the High Commissioner for Human Rights that the protection of human rights was a fundamental requirement of the United Nations Charter and that it was closely linked to peace, security and development. He praised the effort of the High Commissioner to help develop action-oriented mechanisms within each country to rectify and punish human rights abuses. The High Commissioner should play an enhanced role in coordinating the efforts of countries and integrating human rights concerns into United Nations field operations, including peace-keeping, peacemaking and humanitarian programmes.
The presence of strong human rights instruments was an element of any human rights programme, he said. Every effort should be made to gain universal ratification of outstanding human rights treaties. The Republic of Korea was striving to achieve consistency between national and legal institutional instruments and global human rights standards. It had acceded to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment this year and in 1994 had ratified the International Labour Organization Convention Number 142 on Human Resource Development.
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PE THEIN TIN (Myanmar) said that he was struck by the selectivity and lack of objectivity and balance that characterized the interim report of the special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar. The report gave credence and prominence to the allegations of violations of human rights in Myanmar by placing them at the beginning of the report. The responses of the Government were placed in a less prominent and more obscure section towards the end. That gave the reader a dishonest and distorted picture of the situation in Myanmar.
He said that the allegations against Myanmar's armed forces would leave the unwary reader with the impression that members of the armed forces were committing unseemly acts against Myanmar nationals in border areas. In fact, the people in those areas were experiencing unprecedented levels of progress in the political, economic and social fields. Some delegations had referred to similar allegations in their interventions, but there was not an iota of truth in those allegations.
He said that women in Myanmar had enjoyed full suffrage since the beginning of the century and their marital rights were more extensive than the rights of their counterparts in many other countries. A Myanmar woman enjoyed her full marital rights even without a formal marriage ceremony or court marriage, once the couple was recognized as husband and wife by their immediate neighbourhood. She was also entitled to inherit the property of her deceased husband, regardless of any whim or personal wish of her husband to hand over his property to a third party. In some, the characterization of the current situation in Myanmar by the representative of the United States as the path of the status quo did not square with the reality.
ESTHER M. TOLLE (Kenya) called for the strengthening of national and regional capacities of the Member States in order to enable them to deal more efficiently and effectively with he protection and promotion of human rights. However, to achieve such an objective, financial, technical and material support needed to be extended, especially to developing States in the African continent.
She called on the High Commissioner for Human Rights to assist in discouraging the "protectionist attitude of some Member States" who were still skeptical in recognizing the right to development as a fundamental human right. Also, the High Commissioner needed to further assist the working group on the right to development. She hoped that the High Commissioner would be provided with adequate human, financial, and material resources needed to carry out, fully and in a timely manner, the United Nations human rights mandates. Human rights should not be used as a political weapon, she said.
MOHAMMED Al-DOURI (Iraq) said in order to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights, a responsive environment and suitable political and economic conditions were needed. Human rights were negatively affected by
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wars, regional or international conflicts and the interference of foreign powers in the internal affairs of countries. The use of the United Nations mechanisms to impose economic sanctions on States overlooked their impact on the basic human rights of the people -- such as their right to food, medicine, education and work. The economic embargo, geared by the dominating country of the world against his, had affected the lives of millions of Iraqi people. Those sanctions were a clear example of "the exploitation of human rights for political reasons", he said.
The special rapporteur's report on the situation of human rights in his country had no credibility. The rapporteur had become captive to his political position. He had ignored the impact of the economic sanctions and had sought to distort the reputation of the Government of Iraq. Instead of calling for the lifting of the economic embargo, the rapporteur had said that sanctions were in the purview of the Security Council. With regard to amnesty decrees, they were all of a humanitarian nature and the special rapporteur had been misinformed on such decrees. "He selectively searches for any hint of negative implication against Iraq, for what seems to matter most for him is to use any opportunity to exaggerate any shortcoming or weakness, to undermine the position of Iraq", he stated.
Also, the special rapporteur had said that the referendum of the President had taken place out of fear of the prevailing political and legal order in his country, he said. However, that was incorrect and reflected the tendency to accept information and analysis which came from friends, without any scrutiny. He should have read the many existing reports prepared by the representatives of States and the non-governmental organizations who had attended the referendum. In addition, unlike what the special rapporteur had said, his country had already repatriated all prisoners of war, Kuwaitis and non-Kuwaitis. Furthermore, efforts were being made to determine the fate of missing persons.
ABRA AFETSE TAY (Togo) said that in its effort to an create environment for the full enjoyment of human rights, her country had organized national meetings aimed at guaranteeing judicial independence. She commended the initiative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to mobilize public opinion for the Decade for Human Rights Education. She also commended his initiative to continue dialogue with countries for the promotion and protection of human rights. The dialogues that he had already started during his trips to various countries deserved to be sustained.
She hoped that the High Commissioner would accept the invitation to visit Togo, she said. The protection and promotion of human rights deserved the support of the international community. Efforts should be focused on adapting the United Nations for its role in the area of human rights and at providing resources to the High Commissioner to undertake urgent measures when necessary. That would help to save victims of mass violations of human
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rights. She deplored the insufficiency of resources for human rights programmes. If that situation persisted, it could shatter the spirit of the Vienna Declaration. It was, therefore, imperative that the international community support the efforts of the High Commissioner by providing him the necessary resources. The credibility of the United Nations depended upon it.
She stressed the importance of development in the promotion and protection of human rights. Democracy, which was necessary for the full enjoyment of human rights, could not be achieved without the enjoyment of the right to development. Countries in transition to democracy must, therefore, be supported with appropriate development assistance, in order to enable the young States to fully comply with their obligations under the various human rights instruments. Human rights should be a legitimate and constant concern of the entire international community.
MOSTAFA ALAEE (Iran) called for the universality of human rights and cultural diversity. Human rights drew its legitimacy from the existing distinctions among cultures that comprised the world. All nations shared the concept of general universality of human rights, while stressing their specific cultural and religious values. The problem faced by the United Nations with regard to human rights did not lay in the ratification of instruments, but in the fact that they were implemented through the perception of only one ideology. An integrated approach to human rights was necessary.
System-wide rationalization, cooperation and coordination were indispensable in the field of human rights, he said. He welcomed the High Commissioner's attempts to initiate structural reforms in the Centre for Human Rights. Furthermore, the foundation of freedom must not become victim to owners of the mega-billion dollar sex industries, nor be trivialized by society. "Freedom between the sexes and the cult of homosexuality and lesbianism, mass abortion, trafficking of persons and prostitution are all the most abhorrent affronts to human rights and human dignity", he said.
SHUNJI MARUYAMA (Japan) said that careful efforts needed to be made to elaborate human rights instruments, bearing in mind the manner in which they were likely to be applied and the need to avoid unnecessary duplication with existing agreements. For new international instruments to be consistent with existing international human rights laws, it was important that the standard setting activities of the United Nations be preceded by adequate preparation.
There was a need for further improvement in the way human rights treaty bodies, such as the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, carried out their mandates, he said. Most of those bodies currently had a backlog of reports submitted by State parties that were waiting to be
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considered. The process of considering such reports should be much more efficient. Also, the Centre for Human Rights should provide advisory services and technical assistance relating to the ratification process to any State requesting such help.
He said that international cooperation was essential to the promotion and protection of human rights. Expressing concern over a grave violation of human rights and encouraging the country concerned to remedy the situation should not be regarded as interference in its internal affairs. Working to achieve international cooperation in the field of human rights meant that the governments of all Member States should regard the protection and promotion of all human rights as a matter of the highest priority.
He said that the civil, economic and social rights of individuals were being violated today in many countries. Japan would continue to express the concern it felt at the human rights situations in such countries as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, Sudan, Rwanda, Nigeria, Myanmar and the former Yugoslavia, while also acknowledging progress when it took place.
ASKAR AITMATOV (Kyrgyzstan) said his country supported the role of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide. The world today faced a new era, characterized by globalization and fragmentation. Thus, a new level of international cooperation in the field of human rights was necessary.
As a new democracy, his country had established a political culture of tolerance and inter-ethnic relationships, he continued. In his country, there were various cultural and religious associations, because political stability depended on the harmony among the different ethnic groups. The newly established democratic institutions were a safeguard in the protection of human rights. He reiterated his Government's commitment to cooperate, at the international level, in the field of human rights.
MOMODOU KEBBA JALLOW (Gambia) expressed concern at the frequency of human rights violations around the world. Numerous tragedies, including civil war, man-made disasters and underdevelopment had resulted in human rights violations. The prevention of such tragedies would go a long way towards reducing human rights violations.
Unfortunately, existing human rights instruments had still not been signed, ratified or acceded to by some States, he continued. The failure to ratify those instruments tended to limit their full implementation. The full implementation of those instruments was also hindered because some States that had acceded to or ratified them had failed to publish them. Furthermore, the lack of adequate resources in the face of increasing responsibilities had hindered the work of the monitoring bodies. A strengthened Centre for Human Rights would play a useful role in providing vital and necessary assistance to
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governmental and non-governmental organizations. Recently, the Electoral Assistance Division had been finding it difficult to meet all requests for electoral assistance. The request by the Gambia was a case in point. That situation should be rectified.
His country had always been a champion of human rights, he continued. Despite the peaceful takeover of the Government by the military in 1994, it had maintained that position as champion by its strict adherence to a timetable for the transition to democratic rule. Freedom of the press, movement and speech still existed in the Gambia. There were also no political prisoners and progress and tranquility had reigned since the takeover. Programmes and institutions, with human rights components, had been established to enhance the transition programme.
ZOFIA OLSZOWSKA, representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that UNESCO had, since its inception, been engaged in promoting the respect and realization of the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Globalization and the complexity of the problems that had emerged in the area of human rights required concerted action by all actors and by the United Nations in particular. In that context, the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Director-General of UNESCO, Federico Mayor, signed a memorandum of understanding in October defining key areas of cooperation, with the principal aim of implementing the programme of action adopted by the Vienna Conference.
She said that UNESCO and the United Nations would cooperate in planning and implementing such activities as the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1998 and the convening of a world conference on the elimination of racism, racial and ethnic discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance in 1997. Further, the General Conference of UNESCO had repeatedly highlighted the link between human rights and international humanitarian law. It had emphasized at its twentieth session that "teaching of human rights should also be concerned with the protection of human beings in times of armed conflict and should, to this end, include instruction in international humanitarian law."
Right of Reply
FENG CUI (China), speaking in right of reply, said the United States and the European Union had presented unfair accusations against her country. Her Government had always promoted human rights. Wei Tingsheng had been arrested because he had intended to overthrow the Chinese Government. "Criminal activities should not be confused with the protection of human rights", she said. No State had the right to interfere in the internal affairs of another.
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She said Tibet had been an inalienable part of China for years. Over the past three decades, the economy of that region had greatly improved and more than $100 million had recently been allocated for the development of that region. The allegations of the United States and the European Union were designed to sabotage her country's national unity. Tibet would not be separated from China. The United States and the European Union behaved with arrogance and detestable racial supremacy. Meanwhile, all kinds of violence existed within their territories. "We will never allow certain powers to interfere in our affairs under the pretext of human rights", she said.
Introduction of Draft Resolutions
ANDERS ROENQUIST (Sweden) introduced the draft resolution on the rights of child. He announced that Andorra, Burkina Faso, Canada, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Croatia, Monaco, Philippines, Bulgaria, Ghana, Russian Federation, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, Niger, Gambia, Papua New Guinea, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea and Poland had joined in sponsoring the text.
He said that in operative paragraph 1, the number of States that had ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child should read 181 instead of 180.
KATE NEWELL, Committee Secretary, made technical corrections to the draft resolution on the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Population. She said that in operative paragraph 1, the words "in its resolution 1995/32" is replaced with "on 25 July 1995."
COLIN WILLIS (Australia) then introduced the draft resolution on the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations. He said that Costa Rica, Fiji, Luxembourg and Norway had joined as sponsors of the draft resolution.
Mr. WILLIS (Australia) then introduced the text on the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. He said that Antigua and Barbuda, Colombia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Greece, Guyana, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway and Sweden had become co-sponsors of the draft resolution.
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