Status of preparation of documentary material of World Conference on Human Rights – DPR contribution – Addendum

STATUS OF PREPARATION OF PUBLICATIONS, STUDIES AND DOCUMENTS FOR THE WORLD CONFERENCE

Addendum

Contribution from the Division for Palestinian Rights

1.   The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, in accordance with its mandate as reaffirmed by the General Assembly in resolution 46/74 A of 11 December 1991, has continued to keep under review the situation relating to the question of Palestine as well as the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Achievement of Palestinian Rights and to report and make suggestions to the General Assembly or the Security Council, as appropriate. An Information Note No. 7 of April 1992 on the work of the Committee and the Division for Palestinian Rights is available for consultation in the files of the Centre for Human Rights.

2.   The Committee has repeatedly expressed its concern with regard to the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem.  In his letters distributed as documents of the General Assembly and the Security Council, the Committee Chairman has drawn attention to various instances of human rights violations by the Israeli authorities, such as casualties resulting from the indiscriminate use of armed force, summary executions, deaths in detention, torture and ill-treatment of prisoners, deportations, land confiscation and the building of settlements, and others. The Committee held a special meeting to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the occupation and on that occasion, the Chairman issued a summary account of human rights violations resulting from the occupation. Copies of communications issued by the Chairman in 1992 are available for consultation.

3.   In its programme of work for 1992, the Committee has given priority to the following issues:

(a)  The imperative need to end human rights violations and to ensure the international protection of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention and Security Council resolutions, and the promotion of measures to be taken by the High Contracting Parties to the Convention to ensure respect for its provisions;

(b)  The adverse impact of Israel's settlement policy and practice on the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the achievement of a just settlement of the question of Palestine;

(c)  The deteriorating economic situation of the Palestinian people and the urgent need for international assistance to promote the independent social and economic development of the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem;

(d)  The promotion of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region based on internationally recognized principles and United Nations resolutions, and the convening of an International Peace Conference on the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations.

4.   Regional seminars and NGO symposia and meetings organized by the Division for Palestinian Rights under the auspices of the Committee have accordingly addressed these issues as well as other aspects of the Palestine question.  Of particular interest was the North American Seminar on the Question of Palestine held in New York in June 1992 on the theme "Enforcing the Fourth Geneva Convention for ensuring the protection of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem", which made a number of important recommendations in this regard.  Other seminars and NGO meetings have also contributed to a concrete and action-orientated analysis of the various issues, and have made specific recommendations.  Their reports, in so far as available at present, or papers presented at these seminars are available for consultation, as well as Issue No. 3 (October 1991) of an information note on cooperation with NGOs.

5.   The Committee intends to continue this programme of events in the various regions in 1993, focusing on priority themes.  In accordance with a suggestion made by the Economic and Social Council in resolution 1992/58, which is expected to be approved by the General Assembly at the forty-seventh session, the Committee intends to devote its European regional seminar to the question of assistance to the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory.

6.   The programme of studies carried out by the Division for Palestinian Rights in consultation with, and under the guidance of the Committee, has also addressed various aspects of the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and helped identify assistance needs of Palestinians. Studies recently issued by the Division included the following:  "Palestinian children in the occupied Palestinian territory" (1990); "Water resources of the occupied Palestinian territory" (1992); "The question of Palestine, 1979-1990".  Copies of these three studies are also available for consultation in the files of the Centre for Human Rights.

7.   In carrying out its mandate programme of work, the Division for Palestinian Rights cooperates with all agencies and bodies in the United Nations system which have relevant programmes, such as UNRWA, ILO, UNESCO, WHO, ESCWA, UNCTAD, Centre for Human Rights, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, and others, particularly by exchanging information and inviting their participation in seminars and NGO meetings organized by the Division under the auspices of the Committee.

Annex

LIST OP DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR BACKGROUND REFERENCE BY THE DIVISION FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS AND WHICH ARE AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION IN ENGLISH IN THE FILES OF THE CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

1.   Inalienable Rights of Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights (Information note, Issue No. 7, April 1992)

2. Letter dated 8 October 1992 from the Chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to the Secretary-General (A/47/522-S/24648)

3.   Letter dated 13 August 1992 from the Chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People addressed to the Secretary-General (A/46/458-S/24436)

4.   Letter dated 16 July 1992 from the Chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People addressed to the Secretary-General (A/46/947-S/24304)

5.   Letter dated 5 June 1992 from the Chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People addressed to the Secretary-General (A/46/933-S/24045)

6.   Letter dated 11 February 1992 from the Chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People addressed to the Secretary-General (A/46/875-S/23570)

7.   Letter dated 6 January 1992 from the acting Chairman of the Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People addressed to the Secretary-General (A/46/837-S/23374)

8.   The United Nations and non-governmental organization activities on the question of Palestine (Information note, Issue No. 3, October 1991)

9.   Sixth United Nations Asian Seminar on the Question of Palestine (Twenty-ninth United Nations Seminar) and fourth united Nations Asian NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine, Nicosia, Cyprus, 20-24 January 1992

10. Water Resources of the Occupied Palestinian Territory

11. Palestinian Children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

12. The question of Palestine, 1979-1990

13.  Question of Palestine:  legal aspects. A compilation of papers presented at the United Nations Seminars on the question of Palestine