Human rights situation in the OT – CHR report (excerpts)

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

REPORT ON THE FIFTY­THIRD SESSION

(10 March­18 April 1997)

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

OFFICIAL RECORDS, 1997

SUPPLEMENT No. 3

UNITED NATIONS

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IV.  QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE

     OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES, INCLUDING PALESTINE

52. The Commission considered agenda item 4 concurrently with item 7 (see chap. VII) at its 3rd to 9th meetings, from 11 to 14 March, and at its 26th meeting, on 26 March 1997. 1/

53. For the documents issued under agenda item 4, see annex IV to the present report.  For a list of all resolutions and decisions adopted by the Commission and Chairman's statements, by agenda item, see annex V to the present report.

54. At the 3rd meeting, on 11 March 1997, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Mr. Hannu Halinen, introduced his report (E/CN.4/1997/16).  At the 9th meeting, on 14 March 1997, the Special Rapporteur made his concluding remarks.

55. In the general debate on agenda item 4, statements 2/ were made by the following members of the Commission:  Algeria (8th), Bangladesh (7th), Canada (6th), China (4th), Cuba (4th), Egypt (5th), India (6th), Indonesia (on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference) (4th), Japan (6th), Malaysia (6th), Netherlands (3rd), Nicaragua (8th), Pakistan (6th), Republic of Korea (5th), Russian Federation (8th), United States of America (6th), Zimbabwe (5th).

56. The Commission heard statements by the observers for:  Iran (Islamic Republic of) (8th), Israel (9th), Jordan (5th), Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (8th), Morocco (4th), Norway (6th), Senegal (4th), Sudan (4th), Swaziland (3rd), Syrian Arab Republic (3rd), Tunisia (5th), Yemen (4th).  The Observer for Palestine also made a statement (3rd).

57. A statement was also made by the Observer for the League of Arab States (3rd).

58. The Commission also heard statements by the following non­governmental organizations:  Amnesty International (3rd), Arab Lawyers Union (9th), Centre Europe­Tiers Monde (4th), Franciscans International (6th), International Commission of Jurists (7th), International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (3rd), Pax Christi International (5th), Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (4th), World Jewish Congress (3rd), World Organization against Torture (4th).

59. Statements in exercise of the equivalent of the right of reply were made by the observers for the Islamic Republic of Iran (9th), Israel (3rd) and the Syrian Arab Republic (7th).  The Observer for Palestine also made statements (3rd, 9th).

60. At its 26th meeting, on 26 March 1997, the Commission took up consideration of the draft resolutions submitted under agenda item 4.

Question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories,

including Palestine

61. The representative of Indonesia introduced draft resolution E/CN.4/1997/L.3, sponsored by Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Yemen.  Mauritania and the Sudan subsequently joined the sponsors.

62. 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 3/ of the draft resolution.

63. Statements in explanation of vote before the vote were made by the representatives of the Netherlands (on behalf of the European Union) and the United States of America.

64. At the request of the representative of the United States of America, a roll-call vote was taken on the draft resolution, which was adopted by 25 votes to 1, with 23 abstentions.  The voting was as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Against:  United States of America.

Abstaining: Angola, Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay.

65. Statements in explanation of vote after the vote were made by the representatives of Chile and Colombia.

66. The delegation of Gabon later advised the Secretariat that, had it been present, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution.

67. For the text of the resolution as adopted, see chapter II, section A, resolution 1997/1.

Human rights in the occupied Syrian Golan

68. The Observer for the Syrian Arab Republic introduced draft resolution E/CN.4/1997/L.5, sponsored by Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.  The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Mauritania and Pakistan subsequently joined the sponsors.

69. Statements in explanation of vote before the vote were made by the representatives of the Netherlands (on behalf of the European Union) and the United States of America.

70. At the request of the representative of the United States of America, a roll­call vote was taken on the draft resolution, which was adopted by 26 votes to 1, with 23 abstentions.  The voting was as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Against:  United States of America.

Abstaining:  Angola, Austria, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay.

71. The delegation of Gabon later advised the Secretariat that, had it been present, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution.

72. For the text of the resolution as adopted, see chapter II, section A, resolution 1997/2.

Israeli settlements in the occupied Arab territories

73. The representative of the Netherlands introduced draft resolution E/CN.4/1997/L.6, sponsored by Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Jordan, Nepal and New Zealand subsequently joined the sponsors.

74. Statements in explanation of vote before the vote were made by the representatives of Algeria, Egypt, Mexico and the United States of America.

75. The representative of the United States of America requested a vote.  At the request of the representative of Egypt, a roll­call vote was taken on the draft resolution, which was adopted by 47 votes to 1, with 2 abstentions.  The voting was as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Zimbabwe.

Against:  United States of America.

Abstaining:  Dominican Republic, Uruguay.

76. The delegation of Gabon later advised the Secretariat that, had it been present, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution.

77. For the text of the resolution as adopted, see chapter II, section A, resolution 1997/3.

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Situation in occupied Palestine

142. The representative of Egypt introduced draft resolution E/CN.4/1997/L.4, sponsored by Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Yemen.  Mauritania, South Africa, the Sudan and the United Arab Emirates subsequently joined the sponsors.

143. Statements in explanation of vote before the vote were made by the representatives of the Netherlands (on behalf of the European Union) and the United States of America.

144. At the request of the representative of the United States of America, a roll-call vote was taken on the draft resolution, which was adopted by 28 votes to 1, with 21 abstentions.  The voting was as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Zimbabwe.

Against:  United States of America.

Abstaining:  Argentina, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay.

145. The delegation of Gabon later advised the Secretariat that, had it been present, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution.

146. For the text of the resolution as adopted, see chapter II, section A, resolution 1997/4.

…/…

Middle East peace process

149. The representative of the United States of America introduced draft resolution E/CN.4/1997/L.8, sponsored by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America.  Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and Ukraine subsequently joined the sponsors.

150. Statements in connection with the draft resolution were made by the representatives of Algeria and Egypt and by the observers for Israel and Palestine.

151. The draft resolution was adopted without a vote.

152. The representative of France made a statement in connection with the resolution after its adoption.

153. The delegation of Gabon later advised the Secretariat that, had it been present, it would have voted in favour of the draft resolution.

154. For the text of the resolution as adopted, see chapter II, section A, resolution 1997/6.

…/…

Human rights situation in southern Lebanon and West Bekaa

340. At the 64th meeting, on 15 April 1997, the representative of Egypt introduced draft resolution E/CN.4/1997/L.83, sponsored by Algeria, Bahrain Bangladesh, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, the Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.  Pakistan subsequently joined the sponsors.

341. The draft resolution was orally revised by the representative of Egypt as follows:

(a) In the second preambular paragraph, the word resolution was replaced by resolutions and the words and 509 (1982) of 6 June 1982 were added at the end of the paragraph;

(b) In operative paragraph 2, the word resolution was replaced by resolutions and, after 19 March 1978, the words and 509 (1982) of 6 June 1982 were inserted.

342. Statements in connection with the draft resolution were made by the observers for Israel and Lebanon.

343. The representative of the United States of America requested a vote by show of hands.  At the request of the representative of Egypt, a roll­call vote was taken on the draft resolution, as orally revised, which was adopted by 51 votes to 1, with 1 abstention.  The voting was as follows:

In favour:  Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Germany, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Uruguay, Zaire, Zimbabwe.

Against:  United States of America.

Abstaining:  Dominican Republic.

344. For the text of the resolution as adopted, see chapter II, section A,  resolution 1997/55.

…/…

Notes

1/ Summary records of each of the meetings are subject to correction.  They are considered final with the issuance of a consolidated corrigendum (E/CN.4/1997/SR.1­70/ Corrigendum).

2/ The number in parentheses following the name of a State or organization indicates the meeting at which the statement was made.

3/ An estimate of the administrative and programme budget implications of Commission resolutions and decisions appears in annex III.