ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE DECIDES ON PROCESS OF CONSULTATION WITH BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA; TO RESUME GOOD OFFICES ON KOSOVO
Press Release
RD/868
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMITTEE DECIDES ON PROCESS OF CONSULTATION WITH BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA; TO RESUME GOOD OFFICES ON KOSOVO
19960314 Recommends Convening Constitutional Conference in Rwanda; Removes Russian Federation from 'Early Warning' List; Adopts Observations on United KingdomGENEVA, 13 March (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon decided to institute a process of consultation with Bosnia and Herzegovina to determine how its good offices could be drawn upon to promote understanding between races and ethnic groups in that country.
The Committee, charged with monitoring the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, took its decision as it considered its possible contribution to the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina drawn up in Dayton, in the United States, last year. Through a text on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), the Committee also decided to resume the good offices work started in 1993 with the purpose of helping to promote a dialogue for a peaceful solution of issues concerning respect for human rights in Kosovo, in particular, the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination.
In another text adopted this afternoon, the Committee recommended the convening of a constitutional conference in Rwanda and declared its readiness to assist in its preparation.
Also this afternoon, the Committee noted with satisfaction the special effort made by the Government of the United Kingdom to increase the representation of ethnic minorities in the police force. That observation, along with others adopted this afternoon in relation to that country, were based on the panel's examination of a report submitted by that Government on how it gave effect to the provisions of the Convention. A British Government delegation came before the Committee earlier in this forty-eighth session to present the report.
The Russian Federation, one of the countries to come before the Committee during this session, was taken off the list of countries under the panel's "early warning and urgent procedures" mechanism this afternoon, while
Croatia was kept on the list. This mechanism allows the Committee to take early warning measures aimed at preventing existing problems from escalating into conflicts, or to decide to initiate urgent procedures aimed at responding to problems requiring immediate attention to prevent or limit the scale or number of serious violations of the Convention. The Committee considered the situation in the Russian Federation could be examined in the framework of the periodic reporting process.
Decision on Bosnia and Herzegovina
In the framework of its possible contribution to the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina drawn up in Dayton, United States, last year, the Committee decided to institute a process of consultation with Bosnia and Herzegovina to determine how its good offices could be drawn, in consultation with all parties concerned, to promote understanding between races and ethnic groups and to build a society free from all forms of racial or ethnic segregation or discrimination. The Committee invited the Government to cooperate in organizing a meeting between a delegation of the Committee and the newly established Commission on Human Rights for Bosnia and Herzegovina so as to place the Committee's experience at the disposal of that body.
Decision on Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Through a text on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), the Committee considered that the time had come to resume the good offices work it started to undertake in 1993 with the purpose of helping to promote a dialogue for a peaceful solution of issues concerning respect for human rights in Kosovo, in particular, the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. The Committee requests its Chairman to take up contacts with the authorities of that State in order to explore the possibilities of re-opening this dialogue. The Committee recalled that at its forty-fourth session, its Chairman had proposed that a number of specific steps be taken with a view to normalizing the situation in Kosovo.
Declaration on Rwanda
In a text on the situation in Rwanda, the Committee declared that the current efforts of the international community in Rwanda would not be sufficient to establish lasting peace, reduce the deep-seated causes of instability, and secure a return to democracy and the rule of law, unless structural measures were taken to secure agreement on the form of government acceptable to all people of Rwanda, to guarantee personal security for everybody and to build a democratic society. The Committee recommended the convening of a constitutional conference for that purpose, involving all parties to the conflict. The Committee is ready to assist in the preparation of such a conference in cooperation with other human rights bodies, notably the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
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Observations on Situation in United Kingdom
As it continued to adopt observations on the implementation of the Convention in the United Kingdom, the Committee welcomed the legislative proposal to allow the Commission on Racial Equality to accept legally binding undertakings and the introduction of new legislative provisions to tackle the issue of persistent harassment.
With respect to Hong Kong, the Government had stated that South Asian residents of the territory were granted some form of British nationality, whether of a British National Overseas or a British Overseas Citizen. Hence, no resident of Hong Kong would be left stateless following the transfer of sovereignty to China. It was a matter of concern that a person holding that status might not be entitled to the right of abode in the United Kingdom. That status contrasted with the full citizenship status conferred upon a predominantly white population living in another dependent territory.
The Committee recommended that the State party submit information on why anti-discrimination legislation was not applied equally throughout the territory of the United Kingdom. Further, the panel recommended that the Race Relations Act be re-examined with a view to elevating its status in domestic law so that it may not be superseded by new rules or laws. The Committee also recommended that the United Kingdom reconsider its interpretation of article 4. (Article 4 calls for prohibition of racial propaganda and racist groups which incite hatred between people.)
The Committee also recommended that the question of citizenship status of Hong Kong residents belonging to ethnic minorities of Asian origin be reviewed to ensure that their human rights were protected and that they were not discriminated against, as compared with residents of other former colonies of the United Kingdom.
The Committee adopted its concluding observations on the United Kingdom as a whole with the understanding that it would return to one paragraph addressing the relationship between religious discrimination and questions of race and ethnicity.
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