COMMITTEE CLOSES FILE ON COMPLAINT AGAINST NEW HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, REQUESTS FURTHER REPORT ON FRANCE LIBERTÉS' STAND ON TIBET

Committee on NGOs
21st and 22nd Meetings (AM & PM)
29 May 2002





Committee Also Examines Sudan-Sponsored Draft
On Establishing General Voluntary Trust Fund
for UN NGO Network


The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) today recommended three organizations for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and deferred four others. It also considered the special reports of two organizations, and took note of amendments to a draft decision to establish a general voluntary trust fund in support of the United Nations NGO Informal Regional Network.

Following receipt of a satisfactory reply to questions posed last week to a new applicant -- International Higher Academy of Sciences -- the Committee today recommended it for general consultative status, meaning that it can speak at Council meetings or circulate statements of a certain length, and propose items for the agenda. The NGO is based in the Russian Federation and has members in 39 countries.

Taking up applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification deferred from previous sessions, the 19-member body recommended special consultative status for Pro Dignitate Foundation of Human Rights, a national organization of Portugal, and the Hong Kong Federation of Women's Centres, a national NGO. Special status enables an organization to attend Council meetings and circulate statements.

The Committee again deferred a decision on the request for general status from the World Permanent Organization for Education, Science and Development, formerly the World Permanent Organization for Jamahiriyan Youth, pending replies to questions about ownership of commercial enterprises. Decisions were also deferred on Africa for Christ International, based in Uganda, the India-based International Centre for Peace Studies, and two United States-based NGOs -- American Conservative Union and the World Sindhi Institute.

Satisfied with the replies received from New Human Rights Watch (to a complaint lodged by the Iranian delegation that the NGO had allowed a terrorist movement in Iran to participate in the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on Human Rights), the Committee closed the file containing its special report. The national NGO, based in Argentina, would continue to hold special consultative status.

It was decided that Committee Chairperson Mihaela Blajan (Romania) would address a letter to France Libertés: Fondation Danielle Miterrand, an international NGO with special consultative status, requesting another special report on the organization's position on Tibet, following a request by the Chinese delegation. A first draft of the letter would be presented to the Committee tomorrow.

Before the Committee reached that decision, the Chinese representative said the NGO's report had wantonly ignored that Tibet was part of Chinese territory and flagrantly asserted that China had invaded and occupied Tibet. That constituted gross tampering with the United Nations Charter and provocation with respect to China's sovereignty and territory. It also seriously violated Economic and Social Council resolution 96/31 regarding the conduct of NGOs with consultative status. She appealed to the Committee to review the report objectively and reach a fair decision.

The observer for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea expressed concerns about the decision made last week to recommend special consultative status to Korea Freedom League, a national NGO based in the Republic of Korea. Expressing his delegation's deep concern over the Committee's decision, the delegate said the NGO was an "anti-communism political entity created to undermine his nation". The Chairperson ruled that the Committee's decision would stand, and the report of the Committee would reflect those concerns.

Also before the Committee for further review was the draft decision sponsored by the delegation of Sudan on establishing a general voluntary trust fund in support of the United Nations NGO Informal Regional Network. Members took note of amendments to the text.

The Executive Officer of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Catherine Peluso, explained the modalities for such a fund, which had to be consistent with the overall goals of the United Nations. She described the administration and monitoring mechanisms of such a fund, as well as the options for contributing to it.

In other business, the Committee again considered strengthening the NGO Section of the Secretariat.

The Committee will meet again tomorrow to conclude this portion of its 2002 session. A resumed session is scheduled for January 2003.





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