Forty-ninth session

11 August 1997

A lengthy review of alleged human-rights abuses around the globe ended in the morning before the Subcommission as ten countries responded to charges made against them last week by nongovernmental organizations and some national delegations.

Speaking in right of reply were representatives of Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Bahrain, Angola, Tanzania, Turkey, China, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

In all, over the course of five days, some 40 NGOs delivered statements on human-rights circumstances, many containing allegations against specific countries.

Following conclusion of the debate, the Subcommission began review of its agenda item on "comprehensive examination of thematic issues relating to the elimination of racial discrimination", including the situation of migrant workers and questions related to xenophobia.

Introducing the topic, Halima Embarek Warzazi, Subcommission expert from Morocco, contended that although nearly a quarter of a century had passed since the Subcommission had elaborated the Convention for the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the situations had scarcely changed; indeed for many it had worsened. Today, racism was accompanied by hatred and persecution and governments must take strong action against those who fomented violence, aggression and murders, she said.

Providing formal statements over the course of the morning were representatives of the International Institute for Peace; International Council of Jewish Women; Movement Against Racism and for Friendship Among Peoples; Society for Threatened Peoples; Liberation; International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism; Afro Asian People's Solidarity Organization; International Progress Organization; Bangladesh; the Subcommission's expert from Morocco, and its alternate expert from the United States.

The Subcommission has met in the afternoon in private session in the form of its working group on administration of justice and the question of compensation.

Right of reply:

The representative of China said some NGOs had accused China of human rights violations in Tibet. Those groundless accusations had been repeatedly made in the Subcommission and China had responded to them before. Therefore, China would not waste the precious time of the Subcommission in refuting them one by one. China was a unified country with 56 ethnic groups; it had adopted practical measures to promote and protect the human rights of those minorities. All measures China took were based on quality and special protection for the minorities. Harmonious coexistence was the common desire of all ethnic groups in China; however, a very small number attempted to resort to fabrication and dissemination of ethnic hatred to split the Chinese territory. That scheme would come to naught.