COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION 'DEEPLY CONCERNED' ABOUT GRAVE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN KOSOVO
Press Release
RD/886*
COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION 'DEEPLY CONCERNED' ABOUT GRAVE VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN KOSOVO
19980819 Committee Adopts Concluding Observations on Report of Morocco(Reissued as received.)
GENEVA, 17 August (UN Information Service) -- The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon expressed deep concern over persisting grave violations of basic human rights in Kosovo and Metohija.
In its decision, the Committee further expressed deep concern about the disproportionate use of force by the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's law enforcement agencies and the military against the Albanian population of Kosovo and Metohija. It said that the use of force had resulted in numerous violations of the rights to life, destruction of property and a great number of people displaced or made refugees.
Also this afternoon, the Committee adopted its concluding observations on the report of Morocco by expressing concern about the insufficiency of information in the report on the ethnic composition of the Moroccan population. Concern was also expressed about the absence of information on the number of complaints and judicial decisions relating to acts of racism in all forms, and the subsequent indemnities accorded.
Participating in the discussion were Committee members Régis de Gouttes, Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr, Ion Diaconu, Theodoor van Boven, Michael P. Parker, Agha Shahi, Michael E. Sherifis, Rüdiger Wolfrum, Yuri A. Rechetov, Mario Jorge Yutzis, and Deci Zou.
Decision on Situation in Kosovo and Metohija
In its decision, the Committee called upon the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the leadership and the Albanian community in Kosovo
* Press Release RD/884 of 28 July 1998 should have been numbered RD/885.
and Metohija to immediately stop all military and paramilitary activities or hostilities, and to enter into negotiations on a just and lasting solution, which should include a status of highest level of autonomy, which would make it possible for everyone to enjoy human rights and in particular to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination.
The Committee affirmed that the questions relating to Kosovo and Metohija could be solved only by peaceful political means in accordance with international standards in the field of protection of human rights and in particular for the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. Any solution should be based on respect for the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The Committee expressed deep concern over the persisting grave violations in Kosovo and Metohija of basic human rights and the disproportionate use of force by the State party's law enforcement agencies and the military against the Albanian population in Kosovo and Metohija which had resulted in numerous violations of the rights to life, destruction of property and a great number of people being displaced or made refugees, as reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Committee concluded by requesting the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to provide it with information about the status of the attempts that had been undertaken to achieve through a meaningful dialogue with the Kosovo-Albanian leadership a political solution for the status of Kosovo and Metohija.
The members of the Committee voted on two sentences in the text of the decision, with the results of 13 in favour and one abstention each time.
Concluding Observations on Report of Morocco
In its concluding observations on the report of Morocco, the Committee welcomed with satisfaction the new policy of Morocco to render more attention to issues pertaining to human rights. It also noted with interest the activities of the Consultative Council on Human Rights and the Ministry charged with human rights concerning the efforts to examine legislation in order to bring it in line with international human rights norms. The Committee, however, expressed concern about the insufficiency of information on the ethnic composition of the Moroccan population. Although the Committee welcomed the alignment of the domestic law with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination during the revision of the penal code, it was concerned about the actual absence of any legislative provisions specifically prohibiting racial discrimination. Concern was also expressed about the absence of information on the number of complaints and judicial decisions relating to acts of racism in all their forms and the subsequent indemnities accorded.
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The Committee recommended, among other things, that Morocco furnish information on the ethnic composition of the population in its next report; that the State inform the Committee on the outcome of the reform of the penal code to align it with the International Convention; that it include in its next report the results of the various programmes aimed at promoting human rights and the activities of the Consultative Council on Human Rights; that it provide detailed information on the number of complaints and their subsequent judicial decisions; and that the Government furnish the Committee with information on the socio-economic indicators on the situation of Berbers, Blacks, nomads, Saharawis and other minorities.
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