HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE OPENS SEVENTY-THIRD SESSION

Human Rights Committee
73rd session
15 October 2001
Morning



High Commissioner for Human Rights Urges Unified Effort
to Combat Terrorism



The Human Rights Committee opened this morning its seventy-third session, adopting a programme of work for its three-week series of meetings and hearing a report from the Chairperson/Rapporteur of its Working Group on communications and upcoming reports.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, in an opening address, said the 11 September terrorist attacks against the United States had been attacks on all humanity, that all humanity had a stake in defeating the forces behind them, and that bodies such as the Human Rights Committee could make important contributions to a global strategy for combatting international terrorism.

Mrs. Robinson went on to say that the right balance had to be struck between security and human rights concerns, and she had written to the Chairpersons of the treaty bodies soliciting advice on the impact that the ongoing international response to the events of 11 September might have on the human rights protected by their various mandates.

The High Commissioner also called on the Committee to help with follow-up to last month's World Conference against Racism, saying such follow-up had become more rather than less relevant in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

In adopting its programme of work, the Committee decided, after lengthy discussion, to delay a decision on whether or not to consider the situation in Afghanistan, which had been scheduled for review on 23 and 24 October. Committee members said they would act on the matter when it came up. A Secretariat representative reported that the Afghan Government had indicated that a Government delegation would not attend the relevant sessions.

According to the Committee's programme of work, the fifth periodic report of Ukraine will be considered this afternoon and the morning of 16 October; the fifth periodic report of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories on 17 and 18 October; the second periodic report of Switzerland on 19 October; and the second periodic report of Azerbaijan on 26 October.

Rafael Rivas Posada, Chairperson/Rapporteur of the Committee's Working Group on communications and upcoming reports, which met last week, said the seven-member panel had reviewed 12 draft decisions under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and had adopted seven recommendations for views under the Optional Protocol. The Protocol allows individual communications to be considered by the Committee from persons alleging violations of the Covenant by the 98 countries that have ratified it. Mr. Rivas Posada said that due to the complexity of the communications considered, the Working Group would require more time to consider several remaining drafts. He also reported that the group had adopted lists of issues to be raised with countries whose reports would considered at upcoming sessions, among them Gambia, Georgia, New Zealand, Sweden, and Vietnam.

The Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. this afternoon to begin review of a fifth periodic report of Ukraine.

Address by High Commissioner for Human Rights

MARY ROBINSON, High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the Committee that the terrorist attacks in the United States on 11 September had been attacks on all humanity, that all humanity had a stake in defeating the forces behind them, and that Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001), adopted 28 September, designed to reduce and ultimately eliminate financing, political support and sanctuaries for terrorism, along with other UN Conventions, provided a legal framework for many steps that should be taken to eradicate terrorism. There also had been a week-long General Assembly debate on terrorism.

It was important not to forget that the attacks were acts of individuals, and should not bring about retribution against one people or one religion, Mrs. Robinson said. She further considered that the human rights treaty bodies could make important contributions to a global strategy to combat international terrorism and also could provide standards and guidance for how to do so while fully respecting individuals' human rights. The right balance had to be struck between security and human rights concerns, and she had written to the Chairpersons of the treaty bodies soliciting advice on the impact that the ongoing international response to the events of 11 September might have on the human rights protected by their various mandates.

Her Office was actively engaged in the follow-up to the World Conference against Racism, Mrs. Robinson said, and although it might be thought that follow-up must take less priority given the current international crises, she thought it became more rather than less relevant. Implementation of the Conference's Durban documents was central to the preventive part of an effective global campaign against terrorism. She would be delighted if the treaty bodies could fashion a coordinated approach to follow-up to the World Conference.



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