NGO COMMITTEE HEARS GOVERNMENT COMPLAINTS ALLEGING ABUSE OF RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES BY SOME ORGANIZATIONS

Committee on NGOs

2001 Session

10^th Meeting (PM) 

NGO COMMITTEE HEARS GOVERNMENT COMPLAINTS ALLEGING ABUSE OF RIGHTS

AND PRIVILEGES BY SOME ORGANIZATIONS

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations this afternoon heard complaints from governments regarding the alleged abuse by some non-governmental organizations (NGOs), enjoying consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, of their rights and privileges, particularly during recent sessions of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

The representative of Sri Lanka, speaking in his capacity as observer, drew the Committee’s attention to an organization, which last spring had not been recommended for consultative status due to its links with a terrorist group.  At the fifty-seventh session of the Commission, officials of that NGO had been listed on the delegation of another accredited organization and had grossly defamed his country as well as his President.  As the country was in the midst of a crucial peace process, such acts did nothing to advance the cause of human rights.  He requested the Committee to raise the matter with the Office of Legal Affairs. 

Several members noted that it had not been the first time that such an incident had taken place.  It was a recurring problem that required a long-term solution.  Organizations were responsible for their members and should be aware of exactly who their members were.  It was decided that the Committee’s working group would take up the matter in all its aspects.  

Iran’s representative noted that last year, the Committee had not recommended the application of the Mojahedin Khalgh (MKO), a core organization of the National Council for Resistance (NCR).  In addition, some NGOs, such as the World Confederation of Labour, had decided to freeze the group’s activity in the organization because of its terrorist links.  However, members of those organizations had appeared at the Commission, which clearly could not have been possible without the assistance of some NGOs with consultative status abusing their rights and privileges.  Such abuse ranked high among the challenges facing the Committee.

Therefore, he said, NGOs participating in the Commission should be required not to provide any facility or coverage to individuals and organizations generally understood to be affiliated with terrorist organizations.  He also registered his formal complaint against five specific NGOs on the grounds that they provided assistance to individuals from the MKO/NCR.  [International Association of Democratic Lawyers, International Federation of Human Rights Leagues, New Human

Rights, Women’s Human Rights International Association and the Movement Against Racism and for Friendship Among Peoples.]

He demanded that the Committee take concrete measures to put an end to the ongoing trend characterized by violations and abuses by some NGOs of their rights and privileges.  The Committee decided to request reports from those organizations on the alleged abuses and violations.

In other action, the Committee took note of a letter of apology from the World Confederation of Labour, with regard to a complaint brought by the Government of Mauritius and decided to close its consideration of the case.

Also this afternoon, the Committee decided to request the organization Freedom House to submit a detailed special report at the 2001 resumed session of the Committee, about its activities carried out with relation to Cuba, particularly its activities inside the country, including those of persons who have been sent by the NGO to Cuba.  The report should also include the criteria followed by the organization to designate and accredit its representatives to the meetings of the subsidiary bodies of the Council.

With regard to the special report of the United Towns Agency for North-South Cooperation, the Committee decided to defer its consideration of that report to its regular session in May 2002.

The 19-member Committee, a standing body of the Economic and Social Council established in 1946, considers applications submitted by NGOs for consultative status and their requests for reclassification; considers quadrennial reports submitted by those organizations; implements the provisions of Council resolution 1996/31 and the monitoring of consultative relationships; and considers other issues as requested by the Council. 

Non-governmental, non-profit voluntary organizations can be admitted into consultative status with the Council if they meet the requirements detailed in Council resolution 1996/31, regarding matters such as the organization’s activities, decision-making processes and resources.

Statements were also made this afternoon by the representatives of Cuba, India, Algeria, China, France, Chile, Germany, Pakistan, United States, Romania, Sudan and the Russian Federation.  In addition, the representative of Canada spoke in his capacity as observer.

The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 14 May to take up requests received from NGOs in consultative status to be heard by the Council in connection with items on the provisional agenda of its 2001 substantive session, as well as to consider quadrennial reports.  

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