Racism and racial discrimination – Summary record (excerpts)

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

SUB-COMMISSION ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Fifty-seventh session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 12th MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,

on Friday, 5 August 2005, at 10 a.m.

 Chairperson:   Mr. KARTASHKIN

later:  Ms. O’CONNOR

    (Vice-Chairperson)

later:  Mr. KARTASHKIN

     (Chairperson)

CONTENTS

ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS (continued)

SPECIFIC HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES:

 (a)   WOMEN AND HUMAN RIGHTS

 (b)  CONTEMPORARY FORMS OF SLAVERY

 (c)   NEW PRIORITIES, IN PARTICULAR TERRORISM AND COUNTER-TERRORISM

PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION:

 (a)   RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND XENOPHOBIA;

 (b)   PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION AND PROTECTION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

 (c)  PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION AND PROTECTION OF MINORITIES

The meeting was called to order at 10 a.m.

PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION: 

 (a)   RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND XENOPHOBIA

 (b)   PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION AND PROTECTION OF

   INDIGENOUS PEOPLES 

 (c)   PREVENTION OF DISCRIMINATION AND PROTECTION OF MINORITIES

(agenda item 5) (continued ) (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/26-31; E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/WP.1; E/CN.4/Sub.2/2005/NGO/8, 17, 31, 32 and 34; E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/28 and 29; E/CN.4/Sub.2/AC.4/2005/5; E/CN.4/2005/81)

…

75. Mr. SHARAFEDDIN (International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), speaking also on behalf of the Arab Lawyers Union, said that it was now more than a year since the International Court of Justice had ruled that the wall erected by Israel in Palestinian territories was illegal and should be removed. However, Israel had continued construction of the wall and had created further challenges to the rule of law and world peace by extending the wall to Jerusalem. Israel continued to defy Security Council and General Assembly resolutions declaring any change to the status of Jerusalem to be illegal and demanding that Israel rescind all actions taken in that respect. Nonetheless, Israel continued to be regarded as a democracy which respected the rule of law, and was allowed to persist in its violation of the rights of the Palestinian people and the Charter of the United Nations, the Geneva Conventions and humanitarian law, while other States parties failed to take any action in discharge of their obligation under those conventions to ensure respect for their provisions.

76. The double standard applied by certain members of the United Nations in terms of the enforcement of resolutions was seriously affecting the credibility of the Organization. One standard should be rigorously applied: respect by all for the rule of law and the Charter of the United Nations and resolutions of its organs.

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