COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION DECIDES TO HOLD FIFTY-EIGHTH SESSION IN MARCH 2001 IN NEW YORK
26 August 1999
AFTERNOON
HR/CERD/99/68
26 August 1999
Adopts Concluding Observations on Report of Guinea
The Committee on the Elimination on Racial Discrimination this afternoon decided to hold its fifty-eighth session in March 2001 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in order to discharge its responsibilities under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The Committee further decided to request the General Assembly to take appropriate measures to implement the decision to hold the session in New York. The Committee said it took the decision after realizing that some States parties to the Convention, especially developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, maintained diplomatic missions in New York but not at Geneva, and that some of those States encountered financial and other difficulties in attending the meetings of the Committee when their reports were to be examined at Geneva.
The Committee also amended its current General Guidelines regarding the form and contents of reports to be submitted by States parties under article 9, paragraph 1, of the Convention.
It inserted the following paragraph: "The inclusion of information on the situation of women is important for the Committee to consider whether racial discrimination has an impact upon women different from that upon men. Reporting officers are asked to describe, as far as possible in quantitative and qualitative terms, factors affecting and difficulties experienced in ensuring for women the equal enjoyment, free from racial discrimination, of rights under the Convention. It is also difficult to protect against racial discrimination the rights of persons, both women and men, who belong to any vulnerable groups."
Also this afternoon, the Committee started to adopt its annual report, which will be submitted to the General Assembly.
During the course of its afternoon meeting, the Committee adopted concluding observations on a report of Guinea considered earlier this week. Among other things, the Committee expressed concern about the destruction by the Government of more than 10,000 homes in the Conakry Ratoma neighbourhood, belonging mainly to members of the Puhlar ethnic group.
The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. Friday, 27 August, to finalize its work before concluding its four-week summer session.
Concluding Observations on Report of Guinea
The Committee welcomed the willingness and acceptance of the State party to receive over 1 million refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring countries.
Among other things, while noting that the State party's Constitution established the principle of equality and that domestic legislation established that all acts of racial discrimination were punishable by law, the Committee expressed concern at a lack of information in the Guinean report on the implementation of articles 2 and 4 of the Convention. The Committee also cited concern over the destruction by the Government of more than 10,000 homes in the Conakry Ratoma neighbourhood, belonging mainly to members of the Puhlar ethnic group, which had resulted in the deaths of eight persons; and expressed concern over inter-ethnic tension which remained in the area. The Committee was also concerned about a lack of compensation for those persons whose properties were expropriated.
In its recommendations, the Committee encouraged the State party to ensure that any measures taken in connection with the Conarky Ratoma neighbourhood would not lead to racial discrimination. It invited that Government of Guinea to include in its next report further information on the situation in Conakry Ratoma and the measures taken to address inter-ethnic tension in that area and to accommodate and compensate those persons whose properties were expropriated; and to include measures undertaken for improving public awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention.
HR/CERD/99/68
26 August 1999
Adopts Concluding Observations on Report of Guinea
The Committee on the Elimination on Racial Discrimination this afternoon decided to hold its fifty-eighth session in March 2001 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in order to discharge its responsibilities under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The Committee further decided to request the General Assembly to take appropriate measures to implement the decision to hold the session in New York. The Committee said it took the decision after realizing that some States parties to the Convention, especially developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, maintained diplomatic missions in New York but not at Geneva, and that some of those States encountered financial and other difficulties in attending the meetings of the Committee when their reports were to be examined at Geneva.
The Committee also amended its current General Guidelines regarding the form and contents of reports to be submitted by States parties under article 9, paragraph 1, of the Convention.
It inserted the following paragraph: "The inclusion of information on the situation of women is important for the Committee to consider whether racial discrimination has an impact upon women different from that upon men. Reporting officers are asked to describe, as far as possible in quantitative and qualitative terms, factors affecting and difficulties experienced in ensuring for women the equal enjoyment, free from racial discrimination, of rights under the Convention. It is also difficult to protect against racial discrimination the rights of persons, both women and men, who belong to any vulnerable groups."
Also this afternoon, the Committee started to adopt its annual report, which will be submitted to the General Assembly.
During the course of its afternoon meeting, the Committee adopted concluding observations on a report of Guinea considered earlier this week. Among other things, the Committee expressed concern about the destruction by the Government of more than 10,000 homes in the Conakry Ratoma neighbourhood, belonging mainly to members of the Puhlar ethnic group.
The Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. Friday, 27 August, to finalize its work before concluding its four-week summer session.
Concluding Observations on Report of Guinea
The Committee welcomed the willingness and acceptance of the State party to receive over 1 million refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring countries.
Among other things, while noting that the State party's Constitution established the principle of equality and that domestic legislation established that all acts of racial discrimination were punishable by law, the Committee expressed concern at a lack of information in the Guinean report on the implementation of articles 2 and 4 of the Convention. The Committee also cited concern over the destruction by the Government of more than 10,000 homes in the Conakry Ratoma neighbourhood, belonging mainly to members of the Puhlar ethnic group, which had resulted in the deaths of eight persons; and expressed concern over inter-ethnic tension which remained in the area. The Committee was also concerned about a lack of compensation for those persons whose properties were expropriated.
In its recommendations, the Committee encouraged the State party to ensure that any measures taken in connection with the Conarky Ratoma neighbourhood would not lead to racial discrimination. It invited that Government of Guinea to include in its next report further information on the situation in Conakry Ratoma and the measures taken to address inter-ethnic tension in that area and to accommodate and compensate those persons whose properties were expropriated; and to include measures undertaken for improving public awareness of the principles and provisions of the Convention.