Committee on NGOs

784^th Meeting (AM)

NGO COMMITTEE REVIEWS SPECIAL REPORTS

ON THREE ORGANIZATIONS

The Committee on Non-governmental Organizations this morning reviewing special reports, decided to close the matter of complaints against the World Confederation of Labour, and to defer the matter of United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation.  It also deferred action regarding complaints by governments against Freedom House.

The Committee had before it the special report of the World Confederation of Labour (deferred from former sessions) which had been requested in response to a complaint by the Government of Iran regarding the organization's accreditation of unacceptable representatives to the fifty-fourth session of the Commission on Human Rights.  After receiving the report, additional information was requested and a dialogue between the Confederation and the delegation of Iran commenced, which was still ongoing at the Committee's 2000 session.

In a letter dated 28 November 2000, transmitted in a note from the Secretary-General (document E/C.2/2000/3), the General Secretary of the Confederation informed the NGO Section of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs that the aforementioned individuals were no longer members of the Democratic Union of Iranian Workers and did not have any relationship with the Confederation.

The representative of Iran expressed “satisfaction” with the Confederation’s response, but noted that the response also contained “mixed impressions”.  He also called on the Confederation to expel the Democratic Union of Iranian Workers from its organization.  Germany’s representative proposed to close the matter and the Committee decided to do so.

Regarding United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation, the Committee had before it a special report transmitted in a note from the Secretary-General (document E/C.2/2000/3).  According to the note, the report was requested after a Cuban complaint to the Commission on Human Rights regarding the accreditation in Geneva by the International Council of the Association for Peace in the Continents.  Noting the ties between the two, the Committee requested the organization to provide information on the activities undertaken between them.  The report stated that there was no collusion between the United Towns Agency and the International Council and that the United Towns Agency did not have any relationship with "active" opposition movements.  The Committee had also received the organization’s responses to additional questions asked.

The representative of Cuba asked for more time to study the latest answer by the organization, as she had just received it.  She also had more questions -– to

which she requested a written answer –- as to the details of the organization’s relationship with the International Council and to the organization’s interpretation of the expression “people in exile”.  The Committee therefore deferred the case.

A complaint against Freedom House by China concerned the organization’s request for interpretation provided by the United Nations in Geneva for a panel discussion directed against the Chinese Government.  China’s representative said that the organization’s answer to allegations was not satisfactory and that Freedom House had obtained interpretation services through “deceptive means”.  The organization had acted in violation of resolution 1996/31 and accepted codes of conduct, he said, and called for punitive measures.  He also asked questions about the organization’s Web site, in which reference was made to the Chinese province of Taiwan as an independent country.

Cuba’s delegate also raised questions concerning the organization’s response.  The organization had attained consultative status through pressure exercised by the United States and engaged in subversive and illegal actions against his country.  He asked for a special report from the organization about its activities regarding Cuba.  The representative of Sudan asked for information about Freedom House’s activities concerning its actions to deny her country a Security Council seat.  She also asked that the Committee send a letter to the non-governmental organization community, expressing respect for non-governmental organizations’ freedom to criticize Member States, but urging them to shoulder their responsibilities in their relationship with the United Nations.

The representative of the United States, however, stated that Freedom House was not controlled by his Government.  Regarding the interpretation request, he pointed out that the report of the secretariat of the Human Rights Commission had not concluded that the representative of Freedom House had any ill intent and that the organization had offered payment for the services received and expressed its regret.  He was satisfied with that response.

The Committee decided to defer action on the case, pending the organization’s response to questions submitted.

The 19-member Committee makes recommendations on applications from non-governmental organizations for standing with the Economic and Social Council, and on requests for reclassification of that standing.  Non-governmental organizations may be granted either general, special or roster consultative status, according to their work, and have different privileges and obligations according to their category.

The representative of India also spoke.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m.

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