Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Closes One Hundred and Twelfth Session, Issues Concluding Observations on the Reports of Albania, Mexico, Qatar, Republic of Moldova and San Marino

Committee Urges Sudan to Prevent Further Escalation of Ethnic Violence and Racist Hate Speech

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon closed its one hundred and twelfth session, during which it reviewed the reports of Albania, Mexico, Qatar, Republic of Moldova and San Marino. The Committee presented a Decision adopted under its early warning and urgent action procedure urging Sudan to prevent further escalation of ethnic violence and racist hate speech.

Michal Balcerzak, Committee Chairperson, said that during the intense but productive one hundred and twelfth session, the Committee conducted five country reviews, examining Mexico, San Marino, Qatar, Albania and Republic of Moldova. The Committee’s concluding observations would be made available on the session’s webpage.

Under its early warning and urgent action procedure, the Committee adopted a Decision on Sudan on 12 April 2024, Mr. Balcerzak said. The Committee was concerned about the increase of ethnic violence in Sudan since the outbreak of hostilities on 15 April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The Committee was alarmed by reports of ethnically motivated attacks committed principally by the Rapid Support Forces and allied militia targeting members of the Masalit, Fur and Zaghawa communities.

Sadly, Mr. Balcerzak noted, since the adoption of the Decision, there had been new reports of escalating violence in and around El-Fasher city, North Darfur, mostly inhabited by the African Zaghawa ethnic community. Dozens of people had reportedly been killed in the past two weeks as hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces had intensified.

According to reports, civilians were trapped in the city, the only one in Darfur still in the hands of the Sudanese Armed Forces, afraid of being killed should they attempt to flee. Delivery trucks were unable to freely transit through Rapid Support Forces-controlled territory. An attack on the city would have devastating consequences for the civilian population. Such attacks raised the risk of further ethnically motivated violence in Darfur, including mass killings.

In this extremely worrisome situation, Mr. Balcerzak said, the Committee urged Sudan to address and prevent further escalation of ethnic violence, incitement to racial hatred and racist hate speech. The Committee also called on the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces and their allied forces to immediately cease hostilities and stop further violations and abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law, notably violent acts targeting people on the basis of their ethnic origin. The Committee had also endorsed letters to States parties assessed under this procedure.

During the one hundred and twelfth session, Mr. Balcerzak said, the Committee considered an individual communication against Switzerland. The Committee decided that the facts of this case did not reveal a violation of any of the provisions of the Convention. Notwithstanding its conclusion, the Committee invited the State party to guarantee to the second author all the care that her situation required while she was still on the territory of the State party, as well as the guarantee of medical assistance upon return to North Macedonia.

The Committee considered two follow-up reports submitted by France and Georgia during the session. Further, it pursued its work towards the elaboration of its general recommendation 37 on racial discrimination and the right to health. In the intersessional period, a large number of written submissions were reviewed and regional consultations were organised. A revised draft general recommendation was prepared by the Committee Rapporteur. The Committee would finalise the second draft for adoption at the one hundred and thirteenth session of the Committee.

Additionally, Mr. Balcerzak said, the Committee discussed its intersessional work with the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, aimed at developing a joint general comment on addressing and eradicating xenophobia and its impact on the rights of migrants, their families and other non-citizens affected by racial discrimination.

In closing, Mr. Balcerzak thanked the Committee Experts, who had all contributed significantly to the Committee’s work throughout the session, and to working towards the Committee’s mandate of the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination wherever it occurred. He also thanked all persons who had contributed to the smooth execution of the Committee’s work.

Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. Other documents related to the session can be found here.

The next session of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is scheduled to take place from 5 to 23 August 2024. In the session, the Committee will review the reports of Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

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