COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION DISCUSSES METHODS OF WORK

MORNING


HR/CERD/99/42
9 August 1999




Forms a Working Group on Situation in Central Africa


The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this morning decided to set up an open-ended working group to prepare a draft decision on the situation in central Africa.

The Committee also discussed matters related to its methods of work, such as balancing the speaking times of Government delegations and members of the Committee when considering the reports of State parties. In addition, Committee members considered how to deal with its review procedure of States parties whose reports were seriously overdue, and with situations to be examined under its early warning measures and urgent action procedures.

The Committee exchanged views on how to make known its working procedures and methods to States parties in relation to the consideration of periodic reports, and how to make clear the role of country rapporteurs in relation to reports. The members also underlined the impact of their interventions under their early warning measures and urgent-action procedures when a particular violation of racial discrimination arose. Through the submission of reports from States parties and its urgent measures, the Committee had the possibility to continue its dialogue with States parties, members said.

During the course of the discussion, an Expert wondered why in Europe there were States which continued calling their ethnic groups "ethnic minorities" or "ethnic communities", while other States parties were not allowed to do so, and were forced to call their ethnic groups "national minorities" with all the implications that the term entailed. Was it not a sign of double standards when certain States parties were granted the discretion by the Committee, though tacitly, to consider themselves less ethnically diverse countries, while others were being held accountable for not recognizing the existence of ethnic groups and minorities? the Expert asked.

Also this morning, under its review procedure, the Committee heard a report of one of its Experts who served as country rapporteur on the situation in the Maldives, whose reports were seriously overdue.

When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up a report of Iraq (document CERD/C/320/Add.3).

Report of Maldives

The fourth periodic report of Maldives (document CERD/C/203/Add.1), a two-page document submitted in 1992, says that the country has a small homogeneous population of 213,215 and the people are of the same ethnic origin, pursue the same religion and speak the same language. It says that no form of discrimination exists in the Maldives based on race or any other differences among the population. For that reason, no specific legislation is required to implement the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the report contends. However, in addition to the application of the principles of social equality amongst its citizens, the Government continues to condemn any policy of racial discrimination and to support all measures for the total eradication of all forms of racial discrimination.

Discussion

IVAN GARVALOV, the Committee Expert who served as country rapporteur for the situation in the Maldives, said that it was a pity that the Committee should do the review in the absence of a Government delegation, because a number of very serious issues to which the Committee had drawn attention back in 1992 remained unexplained. He regretted the absence of national legislation to implement the Convention.

Mr. Garvalov said he believed the reason the Maldives had not submitted any periodic reports since 1992 was because the country might be in need of technical assistance. He was inclined to believe that that was the case because the fourth periodic report was not done in accordance with the Committee's guidelines, he said. That had been noticed already in 1992, and the Committee had recommended that the State party avail itself of the facilities of the United Nations for Centre for Human Rights at Geneva, he said.