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19 November 1999
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AFTERNOON
HR/ESC/99/36
19 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
DISCUSSES SITUATION IN SOLOMON ISLANDS
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, joined by representatives of United Nations specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), this afternoon discussed the situation of the promotion and protection of those rights in the Solomon Islands
Several speakers focused on the failure of the Government of the Solomon Islands to abide by its reporting obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which it was a party. Since the Solomon Islands ratified the Covenant in 1982, it had not submitted any reports to the Committee, as it was required to do.
In its concluding observations, adopted during a session earlier this year in the absence of a report, the Committee had expressed concern that despite a constitutional non-discrimination clause, women remained subjected to patriarchy. It was also concerned about the rise in unemployment, the downsizing of the public sector, domestic violence, privatization of land under customary tenure and about deforestation and overfishing, among other things.
Several Committee members also expressed views that the situation of the Solomon Islands needed further attention, and international agencies should continue to assist that country technically and financially.
Taking part in the discussion were representatives of International Monetary Fund (IMF); United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); World Trade Organization (WTO); Amnesty International; Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions; and International Commission of Jurists (ICJ). An official of the Solomon Islands also participated in the discussion.
As one of 142 States parties to the International Covenant, the Solomon Islands must submit periodic report to the Committee on its compliance with the treaty. However, in the absence of a report, the Committee continued to review the situation based on reliable governmental and non-governmental sources.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Monday, 22 November, it will take up the initial report of Armenia (document E/1990/5/Add.36). It will also hold a private meeting at the start of the morning session to consider its draft concluding observations on Argentina.
Discussion on Situation of Solomon Islands
Committee Expert Eibe Riedel introduced the situation of the Solomon Islands by recalling the concluding observations on the situation of the Islands that were drafted by the Committee during its last session. He said the Committee, while fully understanding the difficulties the Government encountered in complying with its obligations under the Covenant, recalled that the Solomon Islands had been a party to the International Covenant since 1982. The State party did not submit a report and did not appear before the Committee, thus obliging it to use non-reporting procedures to consider the situation of the Solomon Islands.
Mr. Riedel said that the Committee had taken into account the severely detrimental effects of the Asian financial crisis on the economy of the Solomon Islands, which was largely based on the export of timber, palm oil and cocoa.
Among the principal subjects of concern, the Committee noted that despite a constitutional non-discrimination clause, women remained subjected to patriarchy, Mr. Riedel said. The Committee was also concerned about the rise in unemployment, about the downsizing of the public sector, domestic violence, the privatization of land under customary tenure and about deforestation and overfishing, among other things.
Committee Expert Paul Hunt said today's meeting was called by the Committee, and was reflected in its concluding observations on the State party. The Committee had decided to invite the State party to participate in the dialogue along with representatives of the relevant specialized agencies.
FRANCO PORORARA, Social Planner of the Solomon Islands, said he was able to attend the meeting with the travel assistance extended to him by the Government of New Zealand. He said the failure to report to the Committee could be attributed to the ignorance of the authorities on the obligations entailed by the ratification of the International Covenant. "The authorities did not really understand up to now that they had to submit a report to the Committee following their signing of the Convention", he said.
In addition, Mr. Pororara said the Solomon Islands lacked the necessary know-how, coupled with the shortage of lawyers, educators, planners and policy makers. Since gaining independence, no single political party was able to form a government. The present Government was a marriage of seven political parties with no consistent policies. The Government's main concern was of its political survival instead of real governance.
Mr. Pororara said although the World Bank was helping the country, the Government had no capacity to absorb all what the agency wanted it to do. The reform programme recommended by the Bank was seen by local officials with suspicion. In addition, some agencies offering money had the tendency to dictate what the money should be used for without taking into consideration programmes which allowed the country to sustain itself.
GRANT TAPLIN, of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said the mid-1990s were characterized by rapid growth, driven by an unsustainable boom in logging. During that period, the external current account shifted from large deficits to surpluses, and official reserves rose. Indiscriminate exploitation of forest resources at close to three times the estimated sustainable rate reduced incentives to diversify the productive base of the economy. At the same time, profligate tax and free exemptions, generous public wage increases, and weak governance led to large overall budget deficits.
Mr. Taplin further said policy efforts in 1998 were focused on achieving a broad balance in the central government’s finances primarily through improving revenue collection and civil service retrenchment. Progress was also made in forestry, customs administration, government accounting, civil service reform, and privatization. In the forestry sector, the reforms were aimed at establishing a framework to achieve sustainable forestry and generate more revenue.
MARIT GJELTEN, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said her agency had continued to collaborate with the Government of the Solomon Islands and worked closely to implement the provisions of the International Covenant.
THEMBA MASUKU, of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said although food security was sufficiently ensured, food insecurity existed on the household level in the Solomon Islands. His Organization's priority in that region was to achieve food security.
S. MATHUR, of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said the Solomon Islands, as one of the 48 nations classified by the United Nations as a “least-developed” country, had been a participant and recipient of trade-related assistance under the Integrated Framework. Areas identified by Solomon Islands for technical assistance included assistance for compliance with WTO Agreements and obligations, human and institutional capacity building in both government and private sector, assistance with regard to product and market development, market information and information technology.
SCOTT LELKIE, LEILANI FARHA and CASPER FA'ASALA, of the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), said they were concerned by the magnitude of the ethnic conflict in the Solomon Islands between various ethnic groups, which resulted in the displacement of many people. They said the Government's policy of selling customary land tenures for the purpose of commercial exploitation and tourism would be detrimental to the population. The Government should review its policy and concentrate on other priorities which should allow the enjoyment of the population of their economic, social and cultural rights.
HEINZ SCHURMANN-ZEGGEL, of Amnesty International, said his organization in September accomplished a mission to the Solomon Islands, where it observed the authorities were not aware of the Committee's concluding observations last year. Although there had been an openness on the part of the authorities to cooperate, nothing had been done about the reporting process. In addition, the ethnic conflict had a devastating effect in the society, which needed a reconciliation process in order to establish a permanent peace in the area. The cause of the conflict and social unrest could be attribute to unemployment, he said.
HR/ESC/99/36
19 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
DISCUSSES SITUATION IN SOLOMON ISLANDS
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, joined by representatives of United Nations specialized agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), this afternoon discussed the situation of the promotion and protection of those rights in the Solomon Islands
Several speakers focused on the failure of the Government of the Solomon Islands to abide by its reporting obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which it was a party. Since the Solomon Islands ratified the Covenant in 1982, it had not submitted any reports to the Committee, as it was required to do.
In its concluding observations, adopted during a session earlier this year in the absence of a report, the Committee had expressed concern that despite a constitutional non-discrimination clause, women remained subjected to patriarchy. It was also concerned about the rise in unemployment, the downsizing of the public sector, domestic violence, privatization of land under customary tenure and about deforestation and overfishing, among other things.
Several Committee members also expressed views that the situation of the Solomon Islands needed further attention, and international agencies should continue to assist that country technically and financially.
Taking part in the discussion were representatives of International Monetary Fund (IMF); United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); World Trade Organization (WTO); Amnesty International; Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions; and International Commission of Jurists (ICJ). An official of the Solomon Islands also participated in the discussion.
As one of 142 States parties to the International Covenant, the Solomon Islands must submit periodic report to the Committee on its compliance with the treaty. However, in the absence of a report, the Committee continued to review the situation based on reliable governmental and non-governmental sources.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Monday, 22 November, it will take up the initial report of Armenia (document E/1990/5/Add.36). It will also hold a private meeting at the start of the morning session to consider its draft concluding observations on Argentina.
Discussion on Situation of Solomon Islands
Committee Expert Eibe Riedel introduced the situation of the Solomon Islands by recalling the concluding observations on the situation of the Islands that were drafted by the Committee during its last session. He said the Committee, while fully understanding the difficulties the Government encountered in complying with its obligations under the Covenant, recalled that the Solomon Islands had been a party to the International Covenant since 1982. The State party did not submit a report and did not appear before the Committee, thus obliging it to use non-reporting procedures to consider the situation of the Solomon Islands.
Mr. Riedel said that the Committee had taken into account the severely detrimental effects of the Asian financial crisis on the economy of the Solomon Islands, which was largely based on the export of timber, palm oil and cocoa.
Among the principal subjects of concern, the Committee noted that despite a constitutional non-discrimination clause, women remained subjected to patriarchy, Mr. Riedel said. The Committee was also concerned about the rise in unemployment, about the downsizing of the public sector, domestic violence, the privatization of land under customary tenure and about deforestation and overfishing, among other things.
Committee Expert Paul Hunt said today's meeting was called by the Committee, and was reflected in its concluding observations on the State party. The Committee had decided to invite the State party to participate in the dialogue along with representatives of the relevant specialized agencies.
FRANCO PORORARA, Social Planner of the Solomon Islands, said he was able to attend the meeting with the travel assistance extended to him by the Government of New Zealand. He said the failure to report to the Committee could be attributed to the ignorance of the authorities on the obligations entailed by the ratification of the International Covenant. "The authorities did not really understand up to now that they had to submit a report to the Committee following their signing of the Convention", he said.
In addition, Mr. Pororara said the Solomon Islands lacked the necessary know-how, coupled with the shortage of lawyers, educators, planners and policy makers. Since gaining independence, no single political party was able to form a government. The present Government was a marriage of seven political parties with no consistent policies. The Government's main concern was of its political survival instead of real governance.
Mr. Pororara said although the World Bank was helping the country, the Government had no capacity to absorb all what the agency wanted it to do. The reform programme recommended by the Bank was seen by local officials with suspicion. In addition, some agencies offering money had the tendency to dictate what the money should be used for without taking into consideration programmes which allowed the country to sustain itself.
GRANT TAPLIN, of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said the mid-1990s were characterized by rapid growth, driven by an unsustainable boom in logging. During that period, the external current account shifted from large deficits to surpluses, and official reserves rose. Indiscriminate exploitation of forest resources at close to three times the estimated sustainable rate reduced incentives to diversify the productive base of the economy. At the same time, profligate tax and free exemptions, generous public wage increases, and weak governance led to large overall budget deficits.
Mr. Taplin further said policy efforts in 1998 were focused on achieving a broad balance in the central government’s finances primarily through improving revenue collection and civil service retrenchment. Progress was also made in forestry, customs administration, government accounting, civil service reform, and privatization. In the forestry sector, the reforms were aimed at establishing a framework to achieve sustainable forestry and generate more revenue.
MARIT GJELTEN, of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said her agency had continued to collaborate with the Government of the Solomon Islands and worked closely to implement the provisions of the International Covenant.
THEMBA MASUKU, of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said although food security was sufficiently ensured, food insecurity existed on the household level in the Solomon Islands. His Organization's priority in that region was to achieve food security.
S. MATHUR, of the World Trade Organization (WTO), said the Solomon Islands, as one of the 48 nations classified by the United Nations as a “least-developed” country, had been a participant and recipient of trade-related assistance under the Integrated Framework. Areas identified by Solomon Islands for technical assistance included assistance for compliance with WTO Agreements and obligations, human and institutional capacity building in both government and private sector, assistance with regard to product and market development, market information and information technology.
SCOTT LELKIE, LEILANI FARHA and CASPER FA'ASALA, of the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), said they were concerned by the magnitude of the ethnic conflict in the Solomon Islands between various ethnic groups, which resulted in the displacement of many people. They said the Government's policy of selling customary land tenures for the purpose of commercial exploitation and tourism would be detrimental to the population. The Government should review its policy and concentrate on other priorities which should allow the enjoyment of the population of their economic, social and cultural rights.
HEINZ SCHURMANN-ZEGGEL, of Amnesty International, said his organization in September accomplished a mission to the Solomon Islands, where it observed the authorities were not aware of the Committee's concluding observations last year. Although there had been an openness on the part of the authorities to cooperate, nothing had been done about the reporting process. In addition, the ethnic conflict had a devastating effect in the society, which needed a reconciliation process in order to establish a permanent peace in the area. The cause of the conflict and social unrest could be attribute to unemployment, he said.