NGO COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS SUSPENSION OF CONSULTATIVE STATUS FOR ‘REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS’
| Press Release NGO/509 |
Committee on NGOs
20th & 21st Meetings (AM & PM)
NGO COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS SUSPENSION OF CONSULTATIVE STATUS
FOR ‘REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS’
Also Defers Four Decisions on Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) today decided to recommend suspension of the consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the Paris-based “Reporters without Borders” for one year. The decision was made by a roll-call vote of nine in favour of suspension and six against, with four abstentions, following defeat of a no-action motion.
The decision was one of two actions the Committee took on complaints as it continued its 2003 regular session. Meeting in the morning and the afternoon, the Committee also took note of four quadrennial reports, deferred consideration of another report and deferred four decisions on consultative status.
The 19-member Committee makes recommendations on an NGO’s standing or reclassification with ECOSOC using a variety of criteria, including applicant mandate, governance and financial regime.
Currently, 2,234 NGOs have such status. Those with roster status can attend meetings; those with special status can attend meetings and circulate statements; and those with general status can attend meetings, circulate statements and propose items for the Council’s agenda. The NGOs with special and general status are required to submit quadrennial reports on the relevance of their work to the United Nations.
The roll-call vote on “Reporters without Borders” stemmed from a complaint by Cuba that the organization had violated its obligations under ECOSOC resolution 1996/31. Cuba’s representative said his delegation would have preferred a withdrawal of consultative status for a year but it would be flexible in seeking a suspension.
France’s representative called for a no-action motion based on the principle of due process that called for an NGO being given an opportunity to appear before the Committee before actions were taken against it. Speaking in support of the motion were the representatives of the United States and Chile. Speaking against the motion were the representatives of China and the Sudan.
Voting in favour of the no-action motion were Peru, Romania, United States, Chile, France and Germany. Voting against the no-action motion were Iran, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Sudan, Turkey, Zimbabwe, China, Côte d’Ivoire and Cuba. Abstaining were Senegal, Cameroon, Colombia and India.
On the recommendation to suspend consultative status, voting in favour were China, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Iran, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Sudan, Turkey, and Zimbabwe. Voting against were France, Germany, Peru, Romania, United States and Chile. Abstaining were Colombia, India, Senegal and Cameroon.
Speaking after the vote on the suspension of “Reporters Without Borders”, France’s representative said the question did not concern the NGO or its behaviour, but the principle. The representative of Libya, speaking as an observer, said the recommendation to suspend was the minimum action to take.
Speaking in explanation of position before the vote were the representatives of Germany, Zimbabwe, China and Peru. Speaking in explanation of position after the vote were the representatives of Iran, Pakistan, Chile and Romania. Also speaking after the vote were Cuba, Peru, Iran, Sudan and India.
The representatives of Iran and Cuba spoke on a point of order relative to a statement by the representative of France.
On another complaint, the Committee closed the file against the “Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples” when the representative of Iran said he was satisfied with the latest letter from the organization assuring the Committee that it would not accredit members of the Modjahedin Khalgh Organization/National Council of Resistance (MKO/NCR). That was a group Iran considered a terrorist organization. Also speaking on that issue were the representatives of India, France, Cuba, China, Pakistan, Sudan, and Russian Federation.
On the quadrennial reports before it today, the Committee took note of reports by three organizations holding special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council: World Federation of Therapeutic Communities, an international organization advancing aims of the world therapeutic movement; Oxfam Great Britain, dedicated to poverty-relief; and World Society of Victimology, an international organization advocating the welfare of victims.
The Committee deferred consideration of the report submitted by Human Rights Watch, pending clarification of criteria used in the organization’s work as requested by Iran and Cuba. The representatives of Turkey, Colombia and China also made statements on quadrennial reports.
On applications for consultative status, the Committee deferred consideration of a request by the World Trade Point Federation, a Swiss-based international organization promoting international trade with special attention to least developed countries. The representatives of Germany and Turkey expressed concerns about the organization’s financial and administrative strength as an independent NGO.
The request of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy was also deferred since China asked for clarification of expenditures by the international organization based in the Republic of Korea and aimed at preventing power abuse.
Consideration of consultative status was deferred for the Mexican-based International Association Promoting Human Rights, based on a request by Cuba’s representative for more time to consider the application; and for the Canada-based Kids Can Free the Children, an international network of children helping children, pending a request by China’s representative for time to consider the organization’s work in Taiwan. Finally, the Committee took note that the International Study Association for Cross-Cultural Human Resource Development had withdrawn its application for consultative status.
Information about the organizations considered today can be found in documents E/C.2/2003/2/Add.2,3,5,8; E/C.2/2003/R.2/Add.1-3; E/C.2/2003/CRP.2. It is also available to the Committee in electronic form on laptop computers, as part of the “Paperless Committee” being launched during this session of the Committee. (See Press Release NGO/497 of 5 May.)
Current members of the NGO Committee are Cameroon, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, China, Pakistan, India, Iran, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Cuba, Russian Federation, Romania, Germany, France, United States and Turkey.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., Wednesday, 21 May, to continue consideration of applications for consultative status and reclassification of status and of reviewing quadrennial and special reports.
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