Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination finishes adopting recommendations on reports of Uganda, continues adopting conclusions on reports of Morocco

CERD
62nd session
19 March 2003
Afternoon


The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon finished adopting its conclusions on the reports of Uganda and continued to adopt its observations and recommendations on the reports of Morocco.
The Committee Experts approved a remaining paragraph on the reports of Uganda in which they expressed deep concern about the allegations of abuses committed by Ugandan forces against members of particular ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and urged the State party to comply fully with Security Council resolutions 1304 and 1332.
On the reports of Morocco, the Committee expressed concern at reports that members of Amazigh associations had suffered violations of the right to freedom of assembly and association. It recommended the inclusion of more programmes in Amazigh in public media broadcast schedules.
While noting Morocco's long tradition of reception and integration, particularly with respect to the Jewish community, concern was expressed at reports of anti-Semitic acts and hate speech in the State party.
The Committee noted that Morocco had expressed a willingness to provide information on socio-economic indicators relating to the situation of the Amazigh, Blacks, Sahraouis and other minorities and would like to see such information included in the State party's next report.
The Committee noted the submission of two bills to the State party's Parliament on regulating foreigners' entry into and residence in Morocco and the residence and departure of foreigners in an irregular situation, and the other on terrorism. It drew the State party's attention to the statement of the Committee adopted in March 2002. The Committee recommended that the State party should ensure that the provisions of those bills were consistent with the principles of the Convention and with international law in general.
The Committee recommended that Morocco should take into account the relevant parts of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action when implementing the Convention in the domestic legal order.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 20 March, it will first meet in private to deal with communications before continuing its work in a public meeting.