Human rights situation in the OPT – Report to ECOSOC on CHR 58th session (excerpts)

REPORT TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL ON THE

FIFTY-EIGHTH SESSION OF THE COMMISSION

Draft report of the Commission

CONTENTS*

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* Documents E/CN.4/2002/L.10 and addenda will contain the chapters of the report relating to the organization of the session and the various items on the agenda. Resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission, as well as draft resolutions and decisions for action by, and other matters of concern to, the Economic and Social Council, will be contained in documents E/CN.4/2002/L.11 and addenda.

1.   The Commission considered agenda item 4 at its 4th and 5th meetings, on 20 March, at its 22nd meeting, on 2 April, at its 28th meeting, on 5 April, at its 37th meeting, on 12 April, at its 40th meeting, on 15 April, at its 41st meeting, on 16 April, and at its 56th to 58th meetings, on 25 and 26 April 2002.

2.   For the documents issued under agenda item 4, see annex VI to the present report. For a list of all resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission and Chairperson’s statements, by agenda item, see annex V to the present report.

3.   At the 4th meeting, on 20 March 2002, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Mary Robinson, introduced her report (E/CN.4/2002/18).

4.   At the 22nd meeting, on 2 April 2002, the High Commissioner made a statement in relation to the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.

5.   At the 28th meeting, on 5 April 2002, the High Commissioner made a statement at the beginning of the special sitting held in response to her statement on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.

6.   At the 40th meeting, on 15 April 2002, the High Commissioner made a statement in relation to the status of the preparations for a visiting mission to the occupied Palestinian territory pursuant to Commission resolution 2002/1.

7.   At the 54th meeting, on 24 April 2002, the High Commissioner introduced her report, as called for in decision 2002/103, on the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory (E/CN.4/2002/184).

8.   In the general debate on agenda item 4, statements were made by members of the Commission, observers and representatives of non-governmental organizations. For a detailed list of speakers, see annex III to the present report.

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Situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory 

13.   At the 28th meeting, on 5 April 2002, the representative of Algeria (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference) introduced draft resolution E/CN.4/2002/L.13.

14.   At the same meeting the representative of Sweden orally amended the draft resolution by introducing a new first preambular paragraph.

15.   At the same meeting the representative of Canada moved a motion under rule 52 of the rules of procedure.

16.   At the same meeting the representative of Pakistan moved a motion to suspend rule 52.

17.   At the request of the representative of Guatemala, a recorded vote was taken on the motion moved by Pakistan, which was adopted by 50 votes to 2, with 1 abstention. The voting was as follows:

In favour:   Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia. 

Against:   Canada, Guatemala.

Abstaining:  Peru.

18.   In accordance with rule 28 of the rules of procedure of the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council, the attention of the Commission was drawn to the estimated administrative and programme budget implications of the draft resolution.

19.   At the request of the representative of Canada, a recorded vote was taken on the draft resolution as orally amended, which was adopted by 44 votes to 2, with 7 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:   Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia.

Against:   Canada, Guatemala.

Abstaining:   Armenia, Cameroon, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

20.   Statements in explanation of vote after the vote were made by the representatives of Canada, Germany, Peru and the Russian Federation. A written statement in explanation of vote was submitted by the representative of Ecuador.

21.   For the text of the resolution see chapter II, section A, resolution 2002/1.

Deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territory

22.   At its 40th meeting, on 15 April 2002, the representative of Pakistan (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference) introduced a draft decision on the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.

23.   At its 41st meeting, on 16 April 2002, statements in connection with the draft were made by the representative of Spain and the observers for Israel and Palestine.

24.   At the same meeting the representative of Pakistan orally revised operative paragraphs 1 and 3.

25.   A statement in explanation of vote was made by the representative of Guatemala.

26.   At the request of the representatives of Canada and Guatemala, a recorded vote was taken on the draft resolution as orally revised, which was adopted by 41 votes to 2, with 9 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:   Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia.

 Against:   Canada, Guatemala.

Abstaining:   Argentina, Cameroon, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

27.   Statements in explanation of vote after the vote were made by the representatives of Canada and Germany.

28.   For the text of the decision see chapter II, section B, decision 2002/103.

The situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory 

29.   At its 56th meeting, on 25 April 2002, the representative of Pakistan (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference) introduced a draft resolution on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory (E/CN.4/2002/L.116).

30.   At its 57th meeting, on 26 April 2002, the representative of Pakistan orally revised the draft resolution, as contained in a separate document before the Commission.

31.   Statements in connection with the draft resolution were made by the representatives of Algeria, Chile, Cuba, India, Pakistan, Peru, Portugal and Uruguay and the observers for Israel and Palestine.

32.   At its 58th meeting, on 26 April 2002, at the request of the representative of Peru a recorded vote was taken on the proposal by the representative of Peru requesting the deletion of the words “in the context of” in operative paragraph 4. The proposal was rejected by 12 votes to 27, with 14 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:   Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Sweden, Uruguay. 

Against:   Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Brazil, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia.

Abstaining:   Austria, Burundi, Cameroon, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Spain, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

33.   Explanations of vote before the vote were made by the representatives of Canada, Chile, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Uruguay.   

34.   At the request of the representative of Guatemala, a recorded vote was taken on the draft resolution, as revised, which was adopted by 33 votes to 1, with 19 abstentions. The voting was as follows:

In favour:   Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Brazil, Burundi, Chile, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia.

 Against:  Guatemala.

Abstaining:   Austria, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Costa Rica , Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay.

35.   For the text of the resolution see chapter II, section A, resolution 2002/90.

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