Human rights situation in the OPT – Summary record (excerpts)

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

SUB-COMMISSION ON THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Fifty-sixth session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 2nd MEETING

Held at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,

on Tuesday, 27 July 2004, at 3 p.m.

Chairperson: Mr. SORABJEE

later: Ms. RAKOTOARISOA

CONTENTS

ORGANIZATION OF WORK (continued)

QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS, INCLUDING POLICIES OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND SEGREGATION, IN ALL COUNTRIES, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO COLONIAL AND OTHER DEPENDENT COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES: REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMISSION UNDER COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTION 8 (XXIII)

The meeting was called to order at 3.10 p.m.

…

QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS, INCLUDING POLICIES OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND SEGREGATION, IN ALL COUNTRIES, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO COLONIAL AND OTHER DEPENDENT COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES: REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMISSION UNDER COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTION 8 (XXIII) (agenda item 2) (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/NGO/3-5, 8, 9, 11, 24 and 26)

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17. Ms. AULA (Franciscans International) …

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Other States failed to live up to their obligation to promote and protect human rights. The Government of the Sudan armed militias that violated human rights in Darfur, while the Government of Israel had defied international law in building its security wall. The Sub-Commission should consider how to ensure universal implementation of human rights treaties. It should carry out a detailed study into the impact of economic, social and political indicators on human rights, and strengthen cooperation with special procedures, for instance by suggesting areas for further study.

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24. Ms. SHARFELDDIN (International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination) said that society had been bombarded with scenes of violence and attacks on unprotected civilians to such an extent that they had become almost routine. That had encouraged the aggressors to become totally indifferent to moral and human values and to international law. The most recent example of such indifference was the refusal by the Israeli and United States Governments to accept the ruling of the International Court of Justice demanding that Israel dismantle the wall that it was building in Palestine.

25. Israeli efforts at expansion would only cause more bloodshed and suffering in the region. As Arnold Toynbee had commented, the Israeli entity was arbitrarily implanted in a region inhabited by a civilization that stretched back for millennia and should adapt itself and cooperate with the centuries-old region around it or else it would be rejected. Her organization appealed to the Sub-Commission and to all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to remain alert to the dangers posed, not only to the Arab region, but to the world as a whole, by the fact that Israel possessed nuclear weapons, while refusing any international control of its nuclear arsenal. Lastly, the world had a duty towards Palestinians, be they Christians, Jews or Muslims, to use all possible ways and means to establish a secular state in Palestine.

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The meeting rose at 6 p.m.

*  Re-issued for technical reasons.

Corrections should be submitted in one of the working languages.  They should be set forth in a memorandum and also incorporated in a copy of the record.  They should be sent within one week of the date of this document to the Official Records Editing Section, room E.4108, Palais des Nations, Geneva.

Any corrections to the records of the public meetings of the Sub-Commission at this session will be consolidated in a single corrigendum, to be issued shortly after the end of the session.