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15 March 2000
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15 March 2000
Morning
Concludes Consideration of Rwandan Report on Elimination of Racial
Discrimination and Compliance With Convention
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson told the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this morning that her Office was engaged in an energetic fund-raising campaign to collect about $ 4 million to cover activities related to the forthcoming World Conference against Racism.
In an exchange of views with members of the Committee, Mrs. Robinson said that the Committee’s contribution to the success of the Conference was vital because of its experience in the prevention of racial discrimination.
The Committee designated three of its members to follow the preparations for the forthcoming World Conference against Racism and to report back to it. It also stressed that the Committee had to play an important role in contributing to the success of the Conference.
Committee Chairperson Michael E. Sherifis suggested that the Committee holds its August 2001 session in South Africa at the same time as the forthcoming World Conference.
Also this morning, the Committee concluded its consideration of a report presented to it by the Government of Rwanda on its compliance with the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The Committee will issue its final observations and recommendations towards the end of its three-week session, which will conclude on 24 March.
As one of the 155 States parties to the Convention, Rwanda must submit periodic reports to the Committee on the efforts made by the Government to put the terms of the treaty into effect.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up the report of Estonia.
Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
MARY ROBINSON, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the Committee had been an important instrument in promoting preventive and early warning measures in order to avert racial discrimination. She praised the Committee's advocacy for the implementation of article 14 of the Convention on the recognition of its competence by States parties to receive individual communications.
One of the themes of the forthcoming World Conference against Racism was to increase awareness with regard to victims of acts of racial discrimination and the difficulties they had to recourse and compensation, Mrs. Robinson said. The Conference would also analyse acts of racism. The Conference would take place from 31 August to 7 September 2001 in South Africa. A preparatory meeting would be held between 1 and 5 May in Geneva.
Mrs. Robinson said that the Committee's plan to focus on the situation of the Roma population during its August session was of paramount importance. She said she herself had witnessed how the Roma population was suffering during her recent visit to Kosovo.
The High Commissioner said her Office had been engaged in an energetic fund-raising campaign to collect about $ 4 million to cover activities related to the forthcoming World Conference against Racism.
At the beginning of the meeting, Committee Chairperson Michael E. Sherifis said that the Committee supported the efforts of the High Commissioner in considering ethnic-related conflicts. He said that the Committee's contribution to the World Conference would be valuable for its success because of its accumulated expertise on the matter.
Following her brief statement, the High Commissioner held an exchange of views with members of the Committee. An expert said that the effort of some States to internationalize regional conflicts was disappointing. The High Commissioner said that her Office was stressing regionalization of human rights. During the forthcoming Conference, States would be encouraged to bring ideas of plans of action which were applicable to their own regions.
Discussion on Report of Rwanda
CANISIUS KANANURA, Charge d'Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the Rwandese Commission on Human Rights was originally established under a presidential decree. However, later, a parliamentary law re-established the Commission with a new structure and mandate. The Commission was independent and could initiate legal action if a Government official committed human rights violations. Its seven members were appointed on the basis of their competence and reputation.
A number of measures had been taken with regard to corruption in the country, Mr. Kananura said. In addition, following the genocide which left one million persons dead, the Commission had been campaigning to increase the awareness of human values among the population.
The justice system had been destroyed and in the face of that disastrous situation in the field of the administration of justice, Rwanda had appealed to the international community for assistance, the official said. The number of magistrates working in the area of justice was limited. The Rwandan judiciary was independent of the executive system, and it was proven that the influence of the Government had no effect on the proceedings of the courts.
Responding to questions relating to prisons, Mr. Kananura said that the Government since 1994 had been looking for ways to release prisoners. Rwandan criminal law was not sufficient to accommodate the cases of all the prisoners because there was a categorization of the crimes related to the genocide. The categorization defined suspects who were involved in direct killing through participating, inciting or supplying arms. Those who had committed crimes under the "Gacaca" traditional justice system were also held responsible and had been placed under a fourth category.
With regard to minors and child prisoners, Mr. Kananura said that children were not held responsible for crimes although they were held for the purpose of re-education. The exact number of children under detention was to be determined by the Government.
One had to profoundly feel the effects of the genocide before suggesting total amnesty for the prisoners, Mr. Kananura said. There were thousands of traumatized widows and orphans. In addition to the loss of lives, the country’s economic infrastructure had been destroyed. Nevertheless, the Government continued to allocate important financial resources to improve conditions in prisons. It was also receiving outside assistance from non-governmental organizations.
The "Gacaca" traditional justice system was expected to speed up the reconciliation process in the country, Mr. Kananura said. There were at present 10,000 of these bodies whose members were elected by the village communities. The Government had put much trust in those traditional institutions to decrease the number of prisoners through reconciliation.
The introduction of ethnicity in identity cards was one of the factors that led to the massacre of many Tutsis, Mr. Kananura said. Before the genocide, the ethnic identity of the person was indicated in his identity papers. Many of the persons who held Tutsi identity cards were killed in 1994. The identification was established by the colonialists who divided the population according to ethnic criteria. Those who had more than 10 cattle were considered to be Tutsis while those having less cattle were considered Hutus. At present, the new Government had abolished notation of the ethnic identity of any Rwandese citizen.
Since 1995, the Government had been releasing some prisoners due to lack of evidence. However, acts of revenge had been committed against them by relatives of the victims, Mr. Kananura said. In the Butari region, 10 former prisoners had been killed. Because of that reason some prisoners had opted to remain in prison.
PETER NOBEL , the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of Rwanda, said that it was impossible to judge 120,000 persons, and at the same time it was difficult to keep them in prison for ever.
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Morning
Concludes Consideration of Rwandan Report on Elimination of Racial
Discrimination and Compliance With Convention
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson told the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this morning that her Office was engaged in an energetic fund-raising campaign to collect about $ 4 million to cover activities related to the forthcoming World Conference against Racism.
In an exchange of views with members of the Committee, Mrs. Robinson said that the Committee’s contribution to the success of the Conference was vital because of its experience in the prevention of racial discrimination.
The Committee designated three of its members to follow the preparations for the forthcoming World Conference against Racism and to report back to it. It also stressed that the Committee had to play an important role in contributing to the success of the Conference.
Committee Chairperson Michael E. Sherifis suggested that the Committee holds its August 2001 session in South Africa at the same time as the forthcoming World Conference.
Also this morning, the Committee concluded its consideration of a report presented to it by the Government of Rwanda on its compliance with the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The Committee will issue its final observations and recommendations towards the end of its three-week session, which will conclude on 24 March.
As one of the 155 States parties to the Convention, Rwanda must submit periodic reports to the Committee on the efforts made by the Government to put the terms of the treaty into effect.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up the report of Estonia.
Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
MARY ROBINSON, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the Committee had been an important instrument in promoting preventive and early warning measures in order to avert racial discrimination. She praised the Committee's advocacy for the implementation of article 14 of the Convention on the recognition of its competence by States parties to receive individual communications.
One of the themes of the forthcoming World Conference against Racism was to increase awareness with regard to victims of acts of racial discrimination and the difficulties they had to recourse and compensation, Mrs. Robinson said. The Conference would also analyse acts of racism. The Conference would take place from 31 August to 7 September 2001 in South Africa. A preparatory meeting would be held between 1 and 5 May in Geneva.
Mrs. Robinson said that the Committee's plan to focus on the situation of the Roma population during its August session was of paramount importance. She said she herself had witnessed how the Roma population was suffering during her recent visit to Kosovo.
The High Commissioner said her Office had been engaged in an energetic fund-raising campaign to collect about $ 4 million to cover activities related to the forthcoming World Conference against Racism.
At the beginning of the meeting, Committee Chairperson Michael E. Sherifis said that the Committee supported the efforts of the High Commissioner in considering ethnic-related conflicts. He said that the Committee's contribution to the World Conference would be valuable for its success because of its accumulated expertise on the matter.
Following her brief statement, the High Commissioner held an exchange of views with members of the Committee. An expert said that the effort of some States to internationalize regional conflicts was disappointing. The High Commissioner said that her Office was stressing regionalization of human rights. During the forthcoming Conference, States would be encouraged to bring ideas of plans of action which were applicable to their own regions.
Discussion on Report of Rwanda
CANISIUS KANANURA, Charge d'Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said the Rwandese Commission on Human Rights was originally established under a presidential decree. However, later, a parliamentary law re-established the Commission with a new structure and mandate. The Commission was independent and could initiate legal action if a Government official committed human rights violations. Its seven members were appointed on the basis of their competence and reputation.
A number of measures had been taken with regard to corruption in the country, Mr. Kananura said. In addition, following the genocide which left one million persons dead, the Commission had been campaigning to increase the awareness of human values among the population.
The justice system had been destroyed and in the face of that disastrous situation in the field of the administration of justice, Rwanda had appealed to the international community for assistance, the official said. The number of magistrates working in the area of justice was limited. The Rwandan judiciary was independent of the executive system, and it was proven that the influence of the Government had no effect on the proceedings of the courts.
Responding to questions relating to prisons, Mr. Kananura said that the Government since 1994 had been looking for ways to release prisoners. Rwandan criminal law was not sufficient to accommodate the cases of all the prisoners because there was a categorization of the crimes related to the genocide. The categorization defined suspects who were involved in direct killing through participating, inciting or supplying arms. Those who had committed crimes under the "Gacaca" traditional justice system were also held responsible and had been placed under a fourth category.
With regard to minors and child prisoners, Mr. Kananura said that children were not held responsible for crimes although they were held for the purpose of re-education. The exact number of children under detention was to be determined by the Government.
One had to profoundly feel the effects of the genocide before suggesting total amnesty for the prisoners, Mr. Kananura said. There were thousands of traumatized widows and orphans. In addition to the loss of lives, the country’s economic infrastructure had been destroyed. Nevertheless, the Government continued to allocate important financial resources to improve conditions in prisons. It was also receiving outside assistance from non-governmental organizations.
The "Gacaca" traditional justice system was expected to speed up the reconciliation process in the country, Mr. Kananura said. There were at present 10,000 of these bodies whose members were elected by the village communities. The Government had put much trust in those traditional institutions to decrease the number of prisoners through reconciliation.
The introduction of ethnicity in identity cards was one of the factors that led to the massacre of many Tutsis, Mr. Kananura said. Before the genocide, the ethnic identity of the person was indicated in his identity papers. Many of the persons who held Tutsi identity cards were killed in 1994. The identification was established by the colonialists who divided the population according to ethnic criteria. Those who had more than 10 cattle were considered to be Tutsis while those having less cattle were considered Hutus. At present, the new Government had abolished notation of the ethnic identity of any Rwandese citizen.
Since 1995, the Government had been releasing some prisoners due to lack of evidence. However, acts of revenge had been committed against them by relatives of the victims, Mr. Kananura said. In the Butari region, 10 former prisoners had been killed. Because of that reason some prisoners had opted to remain in prison.
PETER NOBEL , the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of Rwanda, said that it was impossible to judge 120,000 persons, and at the same time it was difficult to keep them in prison for ever.
* *** *