COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUES DEBATE ON PROTECTION OF MIGRANT WORKERS AND ETHNIC, LINGUISTIC AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
Press Release
HR/CN/777
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS CONTINUES DEBATE ON PROTECTION OF MIGRANT WORKERS AND ETHNIC, LINGUISTIC AND RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
19970331 (Reproduced as received; delayed in transmission.)GENEVA, 24 March (UN Information Service) -- A series of country representatives and non-governmental organizations spoke before the Commission on Human Rights this afternoon on problems faced by minorities, migrant workers and others subject to intolerance or discrimination.
Statements ranged from a plea by the World Council of Churches that States and intergovernmental bodies desist from using such "dehumanizing" terms as "illegal migrants" or "illegal aliens"; to the contention by the Asian Cultural Forum on Development that there was a "yawning gap" between legal rhetoric and actual protection of religious minorities in Asia; to charges by Ireland that religious considerations were being used in some countries to discriminate against women.
Meanwhile, a representative of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions gave a lengthy review of the situation of migrant workers, saying severe unemployment problems and growing social tensions in industrialized countries had encouraged several Governments to take restrictive measures to curb migration flows, and that the use of migrants as scapegoats for the failure of Government economic policies would undoubtedly reinforce the unjustified perception of the local population that their jobs had been taken by migrant workers. In such situations residents started to believe in the "false and malicious" speeches of extreme right-wing politicians, the spokesman said.
Addressing the afternoon meeting were representatives of Ireland, Cyprus, Slovakia, Austria, Philippines, Angola, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, El Salvador and the United States, as well as the observer for the Holy See.
The following non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also provided statements: World Council of Churches; International Association for the Defense of Religious Liberty; Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Organization;
Asian Cultural Forum; Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation; International Confederation of Free Trade Unions; Pax Christi International; Movement Against Racism and for Friendship Among Peoples; International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists; African Association of Education for Development; Transnational Radical Party; Franciscans International, and World Muslim Congress.
The representatives of Turkey, Greece, China, Israel, Ethiopia and Cyprus spoke in exercise of the right of reply.
The Commission will reconvene at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 25 March, and is expected over the course of the morning to take up a new agenda item, that on the report of its principal subsidiary body, the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. It also will hear an address by the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia.
Statements in Debate
PATRICK TARAN, of the World Council of Churches, said the abuse of basic rights and human dignity suffered by migrants was a vital concern of Christian Churches. Violence against migrants had reached proportions of a global epidemic, and the expression of xenophobic and racist sentiments against migrants, refugees, and other foreigners had entered mainstream political and public discourse, not only in many Western industrialized States, but also in many countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Migrants had become scapegoats for rising unemployment, crime, and a host of other social ills in many countries. Some Governments excused their own inaction by saying that the 1990 International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families was "going nowhere"; this slowness reflected that to date no concerted effort had been made to publicize the Convention. The Commission should urge all States to ratify the Convention promptly; request a concerted international campaign to bring the Convention into force; and request States and intergovernmental bodies to desist from use of the dehumanizing terms "illegal migrants" or "illegal aliens" in legislation and public discourse.
WILFRED WONG, of the International Association for the Defence of Religious Liberty, said Christian minorities were suffering severe persecution in different parts of the world. The Government of Iran continued to murder Christian leaders, the latest victim being Assemblies of God pastor Mohammed Bagher Yusefi, killed on 28 September 1996 in a forest near his home city of Sari. Protestant evangelical church leaders had been especially targeted by the authorities. In Sudan, the Government had destroyed numerous churches. In that country, food aid for displaced people was often offered only to those who claimed allegiance to Islam, placing strong pressure on non-Muslims to convert. Furthermore, Government militias had been permitted
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to attack Christian civilians with impunity. In China, there had been an intensive crackdown by the Government on unregistered churches. Churches were required to register with the official religious organizations, which brought them under official control. The crackdown against Christians had resulted in the forced closure of many unregistered churches throughout China. The Commission should put pressure on these Governments to end their persecution of Christians, using economic sanctions if necessary.
A. M. ALI, of the Afro Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization, said although pluralism was an accepted ideal in theory, in many States the actual implementation of this noble ideal left much to be desired. There was a growing tendency on the part of ostensibly democratic States to gradually try and assimilate minorities in such a manner that future generations would have no legacy left to remind them of their uniqueness. States in South Asia were using religion as the main instrument of such repression. This had happened in Pakistan to the Mohajirs, the Sindhis, the Christians, the Ahmediyas, the Shias and others. Fundamentalism in Pakistan was finding an echo in Bangladesh and in India. The eruption of religious and ethnic intolerance, and attendant violence, needed to be urgently curbed. This was no easy task, but it was not impossible either if the international community exercised the instrument of censure wherever such developments became evident.
SUHASS CHAKMA, of the Asian Cultural Forum on Development, said the Commission must make serious efforts to ensure the safety of persons giving information to Special Rapporteurs, as evidenced by the case of Venerable Yulo Dawa of Tibet. There was a yawning gap between legal rhetoric and implementation of legal mechanisms to protect the right to religion in Asia; the rising religious fundamentalism in India should be considered from this perspective, and the Government should take steps to counter extremism. The Enemy Properties Act and the Vested Properties Act had been consistently used against the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh for decades; the indigenous Jumma peoples were being forcibly converted to Islam. And in Pakistan, the plight of religious minorities like Ahamadis and Christians had alarmingly deteriorated due to active participation of State agencies their persecution. The proposed resolution on the so-called rationalization of the work of the special procedures system by some members of the Commission from the Asia-Pacific region was a clear attempt to further water down those procedures by restricting the flow of information; censorship should not be allowed right here at the United Nations.
K. WARIKOO, of the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, said the pluralistic and composite societal and cultural set-up in Kashmir had been obliterated by terrorists and mercenaries cloaking their actions under the guise of religion. Several extremist/terrorist organizations such as Markaz Dawat al Irshad, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Harkat-ul-Ansar, and Jamiat-ul-Mujahedin had been taking pride in "killing Hindus" and were still collecting funds,
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arms and ammunition openly for export into Kashmir. Such groups and others also had influenced Constitutional and legal structures in Pakistan, resulting in a campaign against minorities; there were daily killings between Sunnis and Shias, and repression of Christians, Ahmediyas, Zikris, and even Hindus and Buddhists. In Kashmir, the Kashmiri Pandits were being subjected to ethnic-religious "cleansing"; about 1,500 had been murdered and thousands forced from the valley during the last seven years. Shia and Gujjar Muslims also were being targeted. The Commission must take a resolute stand against the perpetrators of such terrorist crimes.
JOHN D. BIGGAR (Ireland) said the report of the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance (document E/CN.4/1997/91 and Add.1) underlined that unfortunately, in many parts of the world, freedom of religion and belief continued to be violated. Violations of other human rights -- like the right to life, the right to liberty and security of person, and the right not to be subjected to torture -- on religious grounds continued to be widespread. The report listed the case of the Baha'is in Iran, who were subjected to grave discrimination. Cases of religious discrimination in southern Sudan, Saudi Arabia and China were also listed in the report. In many cases, religious considerations served as a motive for discriminating against women, like in Afghanistan and Algeria. The Special Rapporteur emphasized the right to change religion was an essential aspect of religious freedom. Ireland believed that any limitation imposed on human rights must conform fully and strictly to international human rights standards, with no limitation whatsoever permitted on the freedom of thought or conscience. Members of sects were entitled to the same freedoms and protection as other believers. At the same time, members of sects were no more entitled than any other individual to infringe public safety or order, or to violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of others.
SOTOS ZACKHEOS (Cyprus) said tolerance was an absolute necessity in an ever-changing world where interdependence and cooperation had replaced antagonism. Cyprus allowed Jehovah's witnesses to practice their faith. This position should be appreciated in view of the tragic predicament as a result of the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus. Turkey continued its systematic efforts to destroy, profane and even sell places of worship in the occupied part of Cyprus. Yet, Cyprus had taken all necessary measures for the preservation of mosques, considered part of the country's cultural heritage, in the free areas of the island. Cyprus had raised issues of the sale of Christian pieces with the international community and provided photographic evidence of the deliberate neglect or destruction of places of worship. United Nations bodies, Members, observers and non-governmental organizations were asked once more to raise their voices against this crime, which was an affront to human civilization.
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GIUSEPPE BERTELLO, observer for the Holy See, said the report of the Special Rapporteur on the Implementation of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief had highlighted, once again, the importance of respecting religious convictions as a means of ensuring peaceful coexistence. This sentiment was reflected in the remarks made by Pope John Paul II during World Peace 1991: "Do not deny the right to anyone to freedom to belief, and notably the right to search for the truth, or try to impose a particular manner to understand the truth". Christians had been victims of various forms of religious intolerance. In one instance, in the capital of an African country, 25 catholic schools had been demolished as part of an urban development scheme. He wished to echo the call by the Special Rapporteur for the need to build a culture of tolerance; an inter-religious dialogue played an important part in the edification of a harmonious and peaceful society.
JURAJ HORVATH (Slovakia) said one of the basic tasks of the State was to guarantee fundamental human rights and freedoms, including rights of persons belonging to minorities, and to implement them by means of internal mechanisms. The system of legal regulations and means of their application, including international procedures, could not be efficient without the positive attitude of individual countries towards the protection of rights of persons belonging to minorities. International standards of protection of persons belonging to minorities represented an effective imperative and limit to State behaviour towards the individuals under its jurisdiction. Human rights education at all levels was a substantial contribution to the shift in the development of human society away from the cult of violence and towards a culture of human rights.
DAN CUNNIAH, of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, said increased globalization had fuelled growing economic interdependence, rapid population growth, environmental problems, civil war, ethnic and religious conflicts and worsening poverty. All these issues had led to the increase of international population movements. At the same time, severe unemployment and growing social tensions in industrialized countries had encouraged several governments to take restrictive measures to curb migration flows. The use of migrants as scapegoats for the failure of government economic policies would undoubtedly reinforce the unjustified perception of host country populations that their jobs were being taken by migrant workers. People had started to believe in the false and malicious speeches of extreme right-wing politicians. The international community lacked the interest and enthusiasm to pay due attention to the issue of migrant workers, which was nevertheless extremely important in international relations.
MICHAEL C. VAN WALT VAN PRAAG, of Pax Christi International said there had been an improvement of the situation of the Hungarian minority in Romania. However, harassment by authorities in Yugoslavia of the Sanjak Bosnians had
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not ended, nor had the situation of the Bulgarian national minority in Yugoslavia improved. Great concern was felt over the current turmoil in Albania, and about the fragile situation of the Greek minority there. Meanwhile, in Russia, the renewed tendency to concentrate power in the Kremlin and the devastating results of the war waged against the people of Chechnya was causing increased concern. Circassians, many of whom had been forced to leave their homeland at the turn of the century, were claiming their right to return, but elsewhere in the Caucasus, the 70,000 displaced Ingush, who had fled ethnic cleansing, had not been able to return. Assyrians and Iraqi Turkomans in northern Iraq had been victims of a KDP-Iraqi Army offensive, and Iraqi agents had targeted Assyrian and Turokoman organizations and leaders. In Burma, ethnic groups continued to undergo extreme suffering at the hands of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, a situation that deserved the special attention of the Commission.
ALEXANDER OKHTOV, of the Society for Threatened Peoples, said the mandate of the Working Group on Minorities (see documents E/CN.4/Sub.2/1996/2 and E/CN.4/Sub.2/1996/28) should be continued. In the debate so far, the Circassian people's problems had been little mentioned, although they had suffered greatly in their traditional lands in the northern Caucasus. The Circassians were scattered, after being forced from their homes and deported, across the near East. Where they lived now they often could not speak their original languages and were discriminated against in other ways. In some regions, they were gradually disappearing into Russian-language society, their culture and identity was so little protected. Yet, the Russian Government was taking no measures to help them, or to protect their culture. The Russian Government had an obligation to help such minorities, and to cooperate in this case with associations representing Circassians; it should allow those deported decades ago to return to their original homelands.
CHRISTIAN STROHAL (Austria) said that minority rights constituted an effective tool for the promotion of international peace and conflict resolution, contributing not only to the social and cultural enrichment of a country but also to its stability. Austria acknowledged the important role of the Working Group as a main forum for discussion of minority-related issues in order to facilitate constructive dialogue between and among minorities and governments. Austria was committed to actively and comprehensively protect and support its national minorities. It would continue to follow the work of the Working Group with keen interest and pledged full support for its activities. Austria was particularly concerned about the plight of the Albanian-speaking population in Kosovo and the harmful effects of this situation on both the Albanian and the Serb populations. It regretted that the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the educational system had so far not brought about any change in the situation in the Kosovo.
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OLIVIA PALALA (Philippines) said human beings who toiled and contribute their talents for the development of countries, especially those which were not their own, deserved at least the same protection as that given to other instruments of development. Host economies had often showed ingratitude with relation to the contributions of migrant workers, heaping abuse on these productive but vulnerable groups. Migration for work had concomitant economic and social costs, as evidenced by the untold suffering and problems experienced by workers' families as a result of forced separation. The Philippine Government has adopted certain measures to offset some of the negative aspects of expatriate labour. Such measures included the "Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995", which provided for better protection and services for workers. This was a recognition that the effective protection of migrant workers also required the resolve and cooperation of both sending and receiving governments. However, many governments had expressed reservations regarding agreements to protect Filipino migrant workers. And yet, unrelenting reports of abuses, maltreatment and discrimination meant that much more needed to be done. The international community should give its full support to the United Nations International Convention for the Protection of All Migrants Workers and Members of their Families as there were not enough ratifications to bring it into force.
ADRIANO PARREIRA (Angola) said the growing signs of racism, xenophobia, degrading treatment, excessive violence and arbitrary judicial proceedings against migrants constituted a serious impediment to the enjoyment of fundamental rights. Given this situation, he was deeply concerned that the Programme of Action for the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination had remained largely unimplemented. There should be a focal point on racism and for the coordination of the activities under the Third Decade within the Centre for Human rights. Also, the Secretary-General should engage in consultations on the possibility of holding, before the new millennium, a world conference to combat racism, xenophobia and other related forms of intolerance; such a meeting would give a clear signal of the willingness of the international community to deal decisively with the scourge of racism.
ZORAN TODOROV (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said protection of minority rights in the country were regulated by a clear and comprehensive legal framework, and was being actively pursued by the State on a number of fronts, including education and affirmative action. For example, the number of secondary school students of the Albanian minority had increased by 206 per cent in the past couple of years; and there had been a significant increase in the number or persons belonging to national minorities working in the State administration. The Government cooperated with a number of experts of international organizations in the field of human rights. Certain extreme segments in society negated the positive character of many of
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these efforts; events linked with adoption of the already mentioned Law on Pedagogical Faculty were an example of utterly opposite and extreme reactions. Such extremism with the slogan "all" on one side and "nothing" on the other were dangerous, and their extreme manifestations and tragic consequences in the Balkans were well known; instead of tolerance they could threaten civil society. The Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia had adopted a Declaration on the Promotion of Inter-ethnic Relations in the Spirit of Tolerance, Dialogue, Mutual Respect and Confidence, which reaffirmed the basic approach of the Government in protecting minorities.
J. J. KIRKYACHARIAN, of the Movement Against Racism and For Friendship Among Peoples, said more and more people were migrating to developed countries to escape poverty and/or repression. At the same time, the countries they were fleeing to had introduced dissuasive and even repressive measures against migrants. But the distinction between economic and political refugees was not significant and the measures taken by developed countries to halt the inflow of migrant workers would most probably fail as long as the gap between rich and poor zones existed. Recent French legislation affecting the right to residency permits mirrored political campaigns in other developed countries aimed at making the situation of migrants even more fragile. There was a link between the development of racism and the situation in which migrants and their families found themselves; legislative measures that identified migrants as suspects only fanned xenophobia.
FRANCOIS ULLMANN, of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, speaking on behalf of the non-governmental organizations Coordinating Board of Jewish Organizations and the World Union for Progressive Judaism, said survivors or descendants of acts of genocide and gross violations of human rights, who often found themselves stripped of all their personal possessions, should be able to benefit from international laws in order to receive rapid and equitable settlements. This could be included in the proposals to be formulated for an international tribunal that would be charged with pronouncing itself on the effects of crimes against humanity committed against national, ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities. The groups he represented was extremely concerned over the rise of the extreme right in certain countries, including the National Front in France, as this considerably affected minorities.
GHENNET GIRMA, of the African Association of Education for Development, underlined the importance of participation in local elections as a preventive measure. Within the European Union, she said, the practice of allowing foreigners to vote in local elections was common in Nordic countries; this could be an initiative for other member countries to emulate. In Israel, the Falasha minority group was undergoing a stressful experience as a result of the accelerated pace of the integration process. The Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance had also mentioned the country the Falashas had
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emigrated from, Ethiopia, in his report. That Government had been trying to control both the Ethiopian Islamic Council and the Orthodox Church Synod by putting elements loyal to it, all of whom came from the same region. This in a multi-cultural country where different religions coexisted harmoniously. It was important that the Commission send the Special Rapporteur to investigate the worsening situation in Ethiopia.
ERKIN ALPTEKIN, of the Transnational Radical Party, said human rights, including the rights of minorities, had to be the concern of the entire international community because they were part of international law; they could not be the "internal" affair of any State. China had carried out a systematic policy of repression against the Uighurs and their Muslim religion on the one hand, and of massive implantation of Chinese settlers into Eastern Turkestan, on the other. The Uighurs and other Turkik peoples felt they had only two choices: accepting national extinction through assimilation, or waging a mortal struggle to defend their cultural and religious identity. The Uighurs had been made a minority of China against their wishes. Without illustrations which provided a true understanding of what was happening to them and other minority peoples, how could the Commission take effective action to protect their rights and prevent conflicts? The Uighurs' Tibetan brothers and sisters, and oppressed peoples throughout the world looked to the Commission to bring hope and peaceful change.
PHILIPPE LEBLANC, of Franciscans International, said thousands of militant Muslims had attacked two Christian villages in Shantinagar and Khanewal in Pakistan in February 1997. These incidents were inconsistent with, and a violation of, the provisions of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, and other human rights treaties. In Pakistan, minorities represented 3 per cent of the total population, of which Christians constituted 1.55 per cent. He echoed the call by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Major Superiors of the Catholic Church in Pakistan to, inter alia, ensure that those responsible for the human rights violations in Shantinagar and Khanewal, and the Government, rebuild and restore all the churches, schools, hostels and dispensaries destroyed.
M. AHMAD, of the World Muslim Congress, said all human beings were born free and equal, with equal rights. This principle applied with equal force to individual freedom in matters of religion or belief. The individual's religious convictions and acts of worship, ideally, remained isolated from his or her activities in other fields of life. According to a differing view, the purpose of religion was the growth and development of human personality in accordance with the divinely-ordained values which no other source of knowledge could provide. The text of the report by the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance seemed inclined to favour a belief system of the form of the first view. The freedom to change one's religion followed from the right
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to freedom of thought and conscience. Concerted efforts should be directed at eliminating all forms of prejudices. A society with a positive attitude had to be developed, in which a person's religious affiliation did not evoke hostility.
ALEXANDER KELLMAN (El Salvador) said the treatment of migrants and their rights by the Commission gave hope that they were no longer seen as just cold statistics and were taking on human dimensions. This would lead to a better understanding of the difficult situation experienced by hundreds of thousands of migrants. Their ordeal should be addressed from the human rights angle, for behind the figures, there were humans with aspirations and needs who had to be protected. The issue of migrants was complex because it included many elements touching on national sovereignty, economic and social development and cultural factors, among others. El Salvador recognized the sovereign right of countries to safeguard their borders; but it also urged them to strictly observe the human rights of all persons within their borders, regardless of nationality. Priority should be given to setting up a mechanism to study and protect migrants. El Salvador was ready to participate in this and other undertakings aimed at the promotion and protection of the fundamental freedoms of migrants.
ALEXANDRA ARRIAGA (United States) said the Sudanese Government had failed to stop the persecution of Christians and traditional believers; there was hostility shown to evangelical Protestants, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses in many countries of Latin America, Asia, and the "Newly Independent States". Much had been written about the supposed incompatibility of Islam with the nations of the West. That was absolute nonsense: Muslims made up one of the fastest-growing religions in the United States. None the less, it was necessary to condemn violence perpetrated by armed groups in countries like Algeria, who hid behind the cloak of Islam; this was not Islam, but a perversion of a great religion. The United States also was concerned about attacks on Copts in Egypt; about periodic violence Muslims and Hindus perpetrated against each other in South Asia; about Iran's continuing persecution of Baha'is and Christians; about abuses committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan; about restrictions on the activities of Buddhists, Catholics, and Protestants in Viet Nam; about Pakistan's blasphemy law which affected Christians and Ahmaddiya Muslims; about anti-Semitism around the world; about increased repression by China of Tibetan monks and nuns; and about China's harassment and persecution of Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists.
Right of Reply
NELIP EGÜZ (Turkey), speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said a reply was needed on behalf of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus for remarks made earlier in relation to Cyprus. Greek Cypriots abused this forum regularly, and made unfounded allegations against Turkish Cypriots with the
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intention of misleading world public opinion. In fact, this premeditated campaign was designed to hide the destruction of Islamic mosques and holy sites and antiquities in Greek Cyprus, which had gone on for years. Recently one mosque had been bombed and two had been burned. Greek Cypriot smugglers regularly sold priceless Muslim antiquities abroad. What had been done to the invaluable Islamic heritage on the island made it clear that what the speaker had said was true -- that persons or countries that did not respect religion should be isolated by the international community.
EMMANUEL MANOUSSAKIS (Greece) said he had not wished to make a point of order earlier so as not to interrupt a statement by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. He reminded that delegation, however, that the Security Council resolution which admitted that country into the United Nations said it was to be given that name pending a settlement of the difference over its name. This difference had not yet been settled.
LI WUFENG (China) said the Transnational Radical Party had made unfounded accusations against China. The facts were that a handful of people with ulterior motives had resorted to violence in a region of China, had killed and injured people, including women and children; and in result had been condemned by people of all nationalities in the region. Rumours had been fabricated about what had happened by outside interests who opposed China. However, China pursued a policy of equality for all persons of all nationalities and minorities within the country; guided by this principle, all peoples had made tremendous cultural and economic progress. The region of the country referred to had seen a significant increase in economic well-being. Any attempt to interfere with China's sovereignty would not be tolerated. The United States and a certain NGO had also accused China of mistreatment of religious minorities; but rumour mongering only reflected badly on those who spread the inaccuracies. In China there was complete religious freedom.
YOSEF LAMDAN (Israel) said his delegation commended Hanan Ashrawi for her deep commitment to the peace process in the Middle East and associated itself entirely with her call to keep it alive and press on until a lasting peace could be achieved. However, Mrs. Ashrawi was fantasizing about a reality which simply did not exist. Fine words about the Palestinian Authority's commitment to human rights did not square with its abysmal record. Twelve Palestinians had died, some by torture, in Palestinian jails in the past few months. Israeli legislation sanctioning torture simply did not exist. On another point, it was not Israeli extremism that was feeding Palestinian extremism -- the Palestinians had never given up terror, as evidenced by the attack in Tel Aviv last Friday. The Palestinian Authority must recognise that it could not conduct a peace dialogue while at the same allowing terrorist organizations like Hamas to operate in the territories and in Israel. The Palestinians could not have it both ways; they could not resort to violence every time they had disagreements with Israel.
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MINELUK ALEMU GETAHUN (Ethiopia) said his delegation felt obliged to respond to allegations made by the African Association of Education for Development. That group had tried to misrepresent the case of a fanatic who had tried to assassinate the Patriarch and who had been subsequently killed. The representative of the group had also made allegations about the selection of the Patriarch. The Ethiopian Constitution provided that the Government did not interfere in religious affairs and that religion did not interfere in State affairs. The Patriarch had been elected without Government interference five years ago. The speaker had also misrepresented disturbances in Addis Ababa between groups claiming to represent the African Islamic Council. Muslims members of the council had condemned the violence and those who had instigated it had been brought to justice.
SOTOS ZACKHEOS (Cyprus) said the intervention of the Turkish delegation deserved a response. It was not important that Turkey recognize the legitimate Government of Cyprus -- aggressors rarely publicly recognized their victims. It was important for the rest of the world to know the true situation, however. The reference to the Muslim religious heritage showed the typical Turkish fixation on the past. To resolve the problems of Cyprus it was necessary to focus on the future. Turkey was one of the world's most flagrant violators of human rights; it had no standing to make accusations against the legitimate Government of Cyprus.
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