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UNITED NATIONS COMMITTEE ON ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION REVIEWS SITUATION IN SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
10 March 1999
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AFTERNOON
HR/CERD/99/17
10 March 1999
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon started its consideration of a report presented by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic on the measures undertaken by that country to implement the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Taher Al-Hussami, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, affirmed that there was no place in his country for any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, or ethnic origin which would impair the people's fundamental freedoms and human rights. The phenomenon of racial discrimination was alien to Syrian society, he added.
Agha Shahi, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of Syria, said that the occupation of the Golan Heights by Israel in 1967 and its subsequent annexation in 1981 had prevented Syria from giving effect to the provisions of the Convention. About 135,000 refugees from the Golan had been prevented from returning home in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions, he said.
Also participating in the debate were Luis Valencia Rodriguez, Peter Nobel, Ion Diaconu, Régis de Gouttes, and Ivan Garvalov.
As one of the 153 States parties to the Convention, the Syrian Arab Republic must submit periodic reports to the Committee on how it was complying with the treaty.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 11 March, it will continue its consideration of the report of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Report of Syrian Arab Republic
The fifteenth periodic report of Syrian Arab Republic (document CERD/C/338/Add.1/Rev.1) reviews the measures undertaken to give effect to the Convention. The 5-page report says that Syria was among the first States to accede to the International Convention Against Apartheid. The Constitution, which was proclaimed in 1973, guarantees the basic norms of human rights. It safeguards the personal liberty of all citizens, which is regarded as a sacred right, and considers all citizens to be equal before the law with regard to their rights and obligations.
The report says that adult education and eradiation of illiteracy programmes that are organized for all citizens without exception focus on the need to combat racism and discrimination. The policy of the Ministry of Culture focuses on racial discrimination through the books that it produces and the articles that it publishes in periodicals and magazines.
The report states that the absence of the phenomenon of racial discrimination in the history of the Syrian society explains why Syrian legislature has not promulgated any laws, decrees or judicial or other directives concerning this phenomenon. Syrian society is distinguished from other societies in the world by its tolerance and lack of bigotry.
In conclusion, the report says that there is no so-called Kurdish problem in the Syrian Arab Republic since all citizens enjoy their full and unrestricted civil rights and obligations. The Kurds do not constitute a grouping, since they are found throughout the country and form part of the fabric of Syrian society, adds the report.
Presentation of Syrian Report
TAHER AL-HUSSAMI, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said his country believed in the spirit and principles of the Convention and the need to implement them with the aim of combatting racial discrimination. Throughout its history, the people of Syria had been living together with full understanding between them. Because of the harmonious and peaceful historical coexistence of the population, the phenomenon of racial discrimination was unknown and by far alien to Syrian people.
Mr. Al-Hussami further said that his country's Constitution guaranteed equality among its citizens before the law and that all citizens had the right to enjoy the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution as well as in the Convention. The right to education was also guaranteed together with all other fundamental rights and freedoms. The Constitution guaranteed the principle of equality of opportunity and the right to participate in political, economic, social and cultural life.
The Syrian Representative affirmed that there was no place in the Syrian Arab Republic for any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin which impaired the people's fundamental freedoms and human rights.
Mr. Al-Hussami said that the occupation of the Golan Heights had subjected the population to racial discrimination by the occupying Israeli armed forces. The Government of Syria was not able to implement the provisions of the Convention on that territory which was still occupied. The Syrians in the Golan Heights were not able to exercise their rights under international conventions to which Syria was a party.
AGHA SHAHI, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of the Syrian Arab Republic, said that the report had not followed the Committee's guidelines, nor had it supplied information that was needed to fill the gaps in the previous periodic reports.
Mr. Shahi said that the occupation of the Golan Heights by Israel in 1967 and its subsequent annexation in 1981 had prevented Syria from giving effect to the provisions of the Convention. About 135,000 refugees from the Golan had been prevented from returning home in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions.
Quoting numerous sources of information, including Amnesty International reports and the United States State Department report, Mr. Shahi said that concerning political rights, the 1994 elections to the People’s Assembly had resulted in the ruling Arab Baath Socialist Party and five other parties winning 167 seats out of 250. Out of the 167 seats, 135 went to the Baath while the remaining 32 seats were distributed among the five parties. The rest of the seats were occupied by independent candidates. However, since 1973, it was the Baath Party which had been in charge of State affairs.
Referring to the affirmation that there was no Kurdish problem, that Kurds were fully and willingly integrated into Syrian society and that they were treated without discrimination, Mr. Shahi said that further information was still needed from the delegation. He said according to the World Directory of Minorities report, there were one million Kurds in Syria - 8 per cent of the total Syrian population of 16.4 million.
Mr. Shahi said that according to his sources, forced disappearances and arbitrary detentions were carried out by Syrian security forces. In addition, there were also other acts of human rights violations being perpetrated against dissidents. The state of emergency declared in Syria also had adverse effects on the fundamental rights of the citizens, said the expert.
Other Committee experts also raised a serious of questions focusing on the situation of Syrian Kurds; the followers of Orthodox and Catholic Churches; the Jewish community; and the rights of Syrian women, particularly in the rural areas.
MR. AL-HUSSAMI said that although Syria had been a melting pot for many ethnic entities for a long time, experience had shown that because of the people's harmony and coexistence, the phenomenon of racial discrimination was not known to the society.
Regarding the state of emergency, Mr. Al-Hussami said that it was the lack of security in the region that had prompted the Government to implement an emergency decree aimed at safeguarding its citizens from any external threat. In addition, the state of emergency was applied in certain regions for specific reasons.
The Syrian Representative said that the Government had no policy of retracing the origins of each citizen. "We can make no blood test to determine the racial origin of our people", he said, adding that he did not know if he himself was originally a Kurd or not.
With regard to the situation of Syrian Kurds, Mr. Al-Hussami said that in the 1950s, there were some Kurds who had entered the country illegally. For that reason, it was difficult to exactly tell how many there were.
HR/CERD/99/17
10 March 1999
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this afternoon started its consideration of a report presented by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic on the measures undertaken by that country to implement the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
Taher Al-Hussami, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, affirmed that there was no place in his country for any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, or ethnic origin which would impair the people's fundamental freedoms and human rights. The phenomenon of racial discrimination was alien to Syrian society, he added.
Agha Shahi, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of Syria, said that the occupation of the Golan Heights by Israel in 1967 and its subsequent annexation in 1981 had prevented Syria from giving effect to the provisions of the Convention. About 135,000 refugees from the Golan had been prevented from returning home in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions, he said.
Also participating in the debate were Luis Valencia Rodriguez, Peter Nobel, Ion Diaconu, Régis de Gouttes, and Ivan Garvalov.
As one of the 153 States parties to the Convention, the Syrian Arab Republic must submit periodic reports to the Committee on how it was complying with the treaty.
When the Committee reconvenes at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 11 March, it will continue its consideration of the report of the Syrian Arab Republic.
Report of Syrian Arab Republic
The fifteenth periodic report of Syrian Arab Republic (document CERD/C/338/Add.1/Rev.1) reviews the measures undertaken to give effect to the Convention. The 5-page report says that Syria was among the first States to accede to the International Convention Against Apartheid. The Constitution, which was proclaimed in 1973, guarantees the basic norms of human rights. It safeguards the personal liberty of all citizens, which is regarded as a sacred right, and considers all citizens to be equal before the law with regard to their rights and obligations.
The report says that adult education and eradiation of illiteracy programmes that are organized for all citizens without exception focus on the need to combat racism and discrimination. The policy of the Ministry of Culture focuses on racial discrimination through the books that it produces and the articles that it publishes in periodicals and magazines.
The report states that the absence of the phenomenon of racial discrimination in the history of the Syrian society explains why Syrian legislature has not promulgated any laws, decrees or judicial or other directives concerning this phenomenon. Syrian society is distinguished from other societies in the world by its tolerance and lack of bigotry.
In conclusion, the report says that there is no so-called Kurdish problem in the Syrian Arab Republic since all citizens enjoy their full and unrestricted civil rights and obligations. The Kurds do not constitute a grouping, since they are found throughout the country and form part of the fabric of Syrian society, adds the report.
Presentation of Syrian Report
TAHER AL-HUSSAMI, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said his country believed in the spirit and principles of the Convention and the need to implement them with the aim of combatting racial discrimination. Throughout its history, the people of Syria had been living together with full understanding between them. Because of the harmonious and peaceful historical coexistence of the population, the phenomenon of racial discrimination was unknown and by far alien to Syrian people.
Mr. Al-Hussami further said that his country's Constitution guaranteed equality among its citizens before the law and that all citizens had the right to enjoy the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution as well as in the Convention. The right to education was also guaranteed together with all other fundamental rights and freedoms. The Constitution guaranteed the principle of equality of opportunity and the right to participate in political, economic, social and cultural life.
The Syrian Representative affirmed that there was no place in the Syrian Arab Republic for any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin which impaired the people's fundamental freedoms and human rights.
Mr. Al-Hussami said that the occupation of the Golan Heights had subjected the population to racial discrimination by the occupying Israeli armed forces. The Government of Syria was not able to implement the provisions of the Convention on that territory which was still occupied. The Syrians in the Golan Heights were not able to exercise their rights under international conventions to which Syria was a party.
AGHA SHAHI, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of the Syrian Arab Republic, said that the report had not followed the Committee's guidelines, nor had it supplied information that was needed to fill the gaps in the previous periodic reports.
Mr. Shahi said that the occupation of the Golan Heights by Israel in 1967 and its subsequent annexation in 1981 had prevented Syria from giving effect to the provisions of the Convention. About 135,000 refugees from the Golan had been prevented from returning home in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions.
Quoting numerous sources of information, including Amnesty International reports and the United States State Department report, Mr. Shahi said that concerning political rights, the 1994 elections to the People’s Assembly had resulted in the ruling Arab Baath Socialist Party and five other parties winning 167 seats out of 250. Out of the 167 seats, 135 went to the Baath while the remaining 32 seats were distributed among the five parties. The rest of the seats were occupied by independent candidates. However, since 1973, it was the Baath Party which had been in charge of State affairs.
Referring to the affirmation that there was no Kurdish problem, that Kurds were fully and willingly integrated into Syrian society and that they were treated without discrimination, Mr. Shahi said that further information was still needed from the delegation. He said according to the World Directory of Minorities report, there were one million Kurds in Syria - 8 per cent of the total Syrian population of 16.4 million.
Mr. Shahi said that according to his sources, forced disappearances and arbitrary detentions were carried out by Syrian security forces. In addition, there were also other acts of human rights violations being perpetrated against dissidents. The state of emergency declared in Syria also had adverse effects on the fundamental rights of the citizens, said the expert.
Other Committee experts also raised a serious of questions focusing on the situation of Syrian Kurds; the followers of Orthodox and Catholic Churches; the Jewish community; and the rights of Syrian women, particularly in the rural areas.
MR. AL-HUSSAMI said that although Syria had been a melting pot for many ethnic entities for a long time, experience had shown that because of the people's harmony and coexistence, the phenomenon of racial discrimination was not known to the society.
Regarding the state of emergency, Mr. Al-Hussami said that it was the lack of security in the region that had prompted the Government to implement an emergency decree aimed at safeguarding its citizens from any external threat. In addition, the state of emergency was applied in certain regions for specific reasons.
The Syrian Representative said that the Government had no policy of retracing the origins of each citizen. "We can make no blood test to determine the racial origin of our people", he said, adding that he did not know if he himself was originally a Kurd or not.
With regard to the situation of Syrian Kurds, Mr. Al-Hussami said that in the 1950s, there were some Kurds who had entered the country illegally. For that reason, it was difficult to exactly tell how many there were.