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COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION EXPRESSES ALARM OVER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA
20 August 1999
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HR/CERD/99/60
20 August 1999
COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION EXPRESSES ALARM OVER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA
Adopts Concluding Observations on Report of Colombia, Expressing
Concern Over Killings of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian Leaders
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon expressed alarm at the growing mass and flagrant violations of human rights of the peoples and ethnic communities in Central Africa.
In a decision on Africa, which was adopted without a vote, the Committee said it was also alarmed by the acts of massacres and genocide perpetrated against ethnic communities, and resulting in massive displacement, millions of refugees, and ever-deepening ethnic conflict. The Committee urged the United Nations to take urgent action and effective measures under the Charter of the United Nations to put an end to these conflicts in Central Africa.
Also this afternoon, the Committee adopted concluding observations on the report of Colombia welcoming the Government's recognition that Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities continue to be the victims of systemic racial discrimination, which had resulted in their marginalization, poverty and vulnerability to violence. The Committee also noted with grave concern reports of "social cleansing" in urban centres involving the murder of Afro-Colombian prostitutes and street children, some of whom appeared to have been targeted on the basis of their race. Concern was also expressed about the assassination of indigenous and Afro-Colombian leaders.
The Committee also adopted concluding observations on the report of Mauritania, expressing concern that, in some parts of the country, vestiges of slavery and involuntary servitude could still persist, despite the Government's efforts to eradicate such practices.
As the Committee enters its fourth week of session at 10 a.m. on Monday, 23 August, it will continue its adoption of the remaining concluding observations on countries whose reports were already considered during its current session.
Decision on Africa
Under its decision adopted without a vote, the Committee said it was extremely concerned over the growing ethnic conflicts and the inadequacy of attempts to prevent and mitigate them in the Great Lakes region and certain other parts of Africa.
It expressed its alarm at the growing mass and flagrant violations of human rights of the peoples and ethnic communities in Central Africa, in particular, massacres and even genocide perpetrated against ethnic communities, and resulting in the massive displacement of people, millions of refugees, and ever-deepening ethnic conflicts.
Further, the Committee urged the United Nations and the international community to take urgent action and effective measures under the Charter of the United Nations to put an end to those conflicts in Central Africa, to stop the massacres and the genocide, to facilitate the safe return of the refugees and the displaced persons to their homes.
It also urged all States and all United Nations bodies to support the initiative and appeals of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the Heads of States of the four African countries mediating in seeking a solution to current crises and ethnic conflicts in Central Africa.
Concluding Observations on Report of Colombia
The Committee welcomed in particular the candour with which Colombia's report recognized that Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities continue to be the victims of systemic racial discrimination, which had resulted in their marginalization, poverty and vulnerability to violence. It noted with satisfaction that the 1991 Colombian Constitution included important non-discrimination provisions addressing the rights of minorities, including recognition of the rights of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities to claim title to certain ancestral lands.
Further, the Committee welcomed the announcement by the Government representative that a number of measures had been undertaken to promote respect of human rights within the military structure and to restrict the competence of the military tribunals to hear human rights case involving the armed forces.
The Committee expressed concern that the State party had not adopted legislation in conformity with article 4 of the Convention, which required the enactment of specific penal legislation. Concern is also expressed at reports indicating violence in Colombia had been concentrated in areas where indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities lived; that increasingly those communities had been targeted by armed groups; and that the Government's tactics in fighting the drug trade had led to a further militarization of those regions, creating an atmosphere that was conducive to human rights violations and the destruction of cultural autonomy and identity.
Further concern was also expressed, among other things, that according to reports, a climate of impunity had infected all levels of the judicial sector and that few human rights cases had been successfully prosecuted with civilian courts; the more than 500 indigenous leaders had been assassinated in the last 25 years and that leaders of the Afro-Colombian community had come under similar attack; that indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities were under-represented in the Government and other branches of the State; and that the widespread violence which plagued Colombia had led to one of the world's largest populations of internally displaced persons, and that both the Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities had been particularly affected.
The Committee also noted with grave concern reports of "social cleansing" in urban centres involving the murder of Afro-Colombian prostitutes and street children, some of whom appeared to have been targeted on the basis of their race.
Among its recommendations, the Committee urged the Government to take steps to address de facto racial segregation in urban slum areas, where many Afro-Colombians lived in extreme poverty. It recommended that Colombia implement affirmative measures to ensure increased employment opportunities for minority and indigenous communities in both the public and private sectors and to advance the social, political, economic, and educational status of historically marginalized communities.
The Committee further urged the Government of Colombia to take comprehensive steps to protect the security and promote the well-being of Colombia's large internally displaced population, consisting of mainly persons from indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, as a matter of extreme priority, to guarantee the security of their leaders and human rights defenders across the country who had sought to protect the rights of those communities.
Concluding Observations on Report of Mauritania
The Committee welcomed the action and programmes undertaken by Mauritania to protect the most vulnerable ethnic groups in society and noted the establishment of a Commissioner for human rights, poverty alleviation and social integration, among other things.
The Committee said that the information given by the State party was insufficient to verify whether existing legislation was adequate to incriminate the acts of racial discrimination, including the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred. While the Committee noted with satisfaction that Mauritanian legislation had abolished slavery and servitude, it also noted that, in some parts of the country, vestiges of practice of slavery and involuntary servitude could still persist, despite the Government's efforts to eradicate such practices.
The Committee recommended, among other things, that Mauritania supply more detailed information concerning the ethnic composition of the population and socio-economic indicators relating to the implementation of the provisions of the Convention.
HR/CERD/99/60
20 August 1999
COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION EXPRESSES ALARM OVER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CENTRAL AFRICA
Adopts Concluding Observations on Report of Colombia, Expressing
Concern Over Killings of Indigenous and Afro-Colombian Leaders
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon expressed alarm at the growing mass and flagrant violations of human rights of the peoples and ethnic communities in Central Africa.
In a decision on Africa, which was adopted without a vote, the Committee said it was also alarmed by the acts of massacres and genocide perpetrated against ethnic communities, and resulting in massive displacement, millions of refugees, and ever-deepening ethnic conflict. The Committee urged the United Nations to take urgent action and effective measures under the Charter of the United Nations to put an end to these conflicts in Central Africa.
Also this afternoon, the Committee adopted concluding observations on the report of Colombia welcoming the Government's recognition that Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities continue to be the victims of systemic racial discrimination, which had resulted in their marginalization, poverty and vulnerability to violence. The Committee also noted with grave concern reports of "social cleansing" in urban centres involving the murder of Afro-Colombian prostitutes and street children, some of whom appeared to have been targeted on the basis of their race. Concern was also expressed about the assassination of indigenous and Afro-Colombian leaders.
The Committee also adopted concluding observations on the report of Mauritania, expressing concern that, in some parts of the country, vestiges of slavery and involuntary servitude could still persist, despite the Government's efforts to eradicate such practices.
As the Committee enters its fourth week of session at 10 a.m. on Monday, 23 August, it will continue its adoption of the remaining concluding observations on countries whose reports were already considered during its current session.
Decision on Africa
Under its decision adopted without a vote, the Committee said it was extremely concerned over the growing ethnic conflicts and the inadequacy of attempts to prevent and mitigate them in the Great Lakes region and certain other parts of Africa.
It expressed its alarm at the growing mass and flagrant violations of human rights of the peoples and ethnic communities in Central Africa, in particular, massacres and even genocide perpetrated against ethnic communities, and resulting in the massive displacement of people, millions of refugees, and ever-deepening ethnic conflicts.
Further, the Committee urged the United Nations and the international community to take urgent action and effective measures under the Charter of the United Nations to put an end to those conflicts in Central Africa, to stop the massacres and the genocide, to facilitate the safe return of the refugees and the displaced persons to their homes.
It also urged all States and all United Nations bodies to support the initiative and appeals of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the Heads of States of the four African countries mediating in seeking a solution to current crises and ethnic conflicts in Central Africa.
Concluding Observations on Report of Colombia
The Committee welcomed in particular the candour with which Colombia's report recognized that Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities continue to be the victims of systemic racial discrimination, which had resulted in their marginalization, poverty and vulnerability to violence. It noted with satisfaction that the 1991 Colombian Constitution included important non-discrimination provisions addressing the rights of minorities, including recognition of the rights of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities to claim title to certain ancestral lands.
Further, the Committee welcomed the announcement by the Government representative that a number of measures had been undertaken to promote respect of human rights within the military structure and to restrict the competence of the military tribunals to hear human rights case involving the armed forces.
The Committee expressed concern that the State party had not adopted legislation in conformity with article 4 of the Convention, which required the enactment of specific penal legislation. Concern is also expressed at reports indicating violence in Colombia had been concentrated in areas where indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities lived; that increasingly those communities had been targeted by armed groups; and that the Government's tactics in fighting the drug trade had led to a further militarization of those regions, creating an atmosphere that was conducive to human rights violations and the destruction of cultural autonomy and identity.
Further concern was also expressed, among other things, that according to reports, a climate of impunity had infected all levels of the judicial sector and that few human rights cases had been successfully prosecuted with civilian courts; the more than 500 indigenous leaders had been assassinated in the last 25 years and that leaders of the Afro-Colombian community had come under similar attack; that indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities were under-represented in the Government and other branches of the State; and that the widespread violence which plagued Colombia had led to one of the world's largest populations of internally displaced persons, and that both the Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities had been particularly affected.
The Committee also noted with grave concern reports of "social cleansing" in urban centres involving the murder of Afro-Colombian prostitutes and street children, some of whom appeared to have been targeted on the basis of their race.
Among its recommendations, the Committee urged the Government to take steps to address de facto racial segregation in urban slum areas, where many Afro-Colombians lived in extreme poverty. It recommended that Colombia implement affirmative measures to ensure increased employment opportunities for minority and indigenous communities in both the public and private sectors and to advance the social, political, economic, and educational status of historically marginalized communities.
The Committee further urged the Government of Colombia to take comprehensive steps to protect the security and promote the well-being of Colombia's large internally displaced population, consisting of mainly persons from indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, as a matter of extreme priority, to guarantee the security of their leaders and human rights defenders across the country who had sought to protect the rights of those communities.
Concluding Observations on Report of Mauritania
The Committee welcomed the action and programmes undertaken by Mauritania to protect the most vulnerable ethnic groups in society and noted the establishment of a Commissioner for human rights, poverty alleviation and social integration, among other things.
The Committee said that the information given by the State party was insufficient to verify whether existing legislation was adequate to incriminate the acts of racial discrimination, including the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred. While the Committee noted with satisfaction that Mauritanian legislation had abolished slavery and servitude, it also noted that, in some parts of the country, vestiges of practice of slavery and involuntary servitude could still persist, despite the Government's efforts to eradicate such practices.
The Committee recommended, among other things, that Mauritania supply more detailed information concerning the ethnic composition of the population and socio-economic indicators relating to the implementation of the provisions of the Convention.
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