COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ADOPTS A DECISION ON SITUATION IN YUGOSLAVIA (KOSOVO)

AFTERNOON


HR/CERD/99/41
6 August 1999



Expresses Concern About Acts of Revenge Against Serbs in Kosovo;
Says Kosovo Albanians Have Been Victims of Gross Human Rights Violations


The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination adopted a decision this afternoon expressing concern over recent violent acts committed against Serbs in Kosovo.

In the decision, the Committee reaffirmed its opposition to all forms of racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing, irrespective of which groups were the perpetrators and which were the victims; and further affirmed its support for multi-ethnic societies.

The Committee said that in the light of recent events in Kosovo, it had reviewed earlier decisions relating to the region, as well as the findings of a mission of three Committee Experts to Kosovo in 1993 to help promote a dialogue between Kosovo Albanians and the Government of Yugoslavia.

Recalling principles set forth in its previous decisions, the Committee said particularly that any attempt to change or to uphold a changed demographic composition of an area against the will of the original inhabitants, by whatsoever means, was a violation of international law. In addition, the Committee stressed that all those who committed violations of international humanitarian law or war crimes should be held responsible for such acts.

The Committee said it was painfully aware that Kosovo Albanians had been the victims of gross violations of their human rights and of crimes against humanity. It equally expressed concern over recent killings, abductions, destruction of property and religious buildings and acts of revenge against Serbian inhabitants of Kosovo. It also said that in recent weeks, Serbian inhabitants of Kosovo had been driven from their homes and murdered, and that Roma inhabitants also had been the targets of violence.


The Committee called for support for the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in his efforts to restore the rule of law and respect for human rights in Kosovo and called upon all those who exercised authority in Kosovo to ensure full and effective respect for human rights without distinction as to race or national or ethnic origin, and to promote understanding and tolerance among all ethnic groups in Kosovo.

Participating in the debate were Committee Experts Michael P. Banton, Eduardo Ferrero Costa, Mahmoud Aboul-Nasr, Regis de Gouttes, Rudiger Wolfrum, Agha Shahi, Mario Jorge Yutsis, Michael E. Sherifis, Yuri A. Rechetov, Ivan Garvalov, Ion Diaconu, Theodoor van Boven and Carlos Lechuga Hevia.

When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. Monday, 9 August, it will hold a general debate before taking up a report of Iraq in the afternoon.