UNITED NATIONS

Economic and Social ·· Council

Distr. GENERAL E/CN.4/1992/SR.4 23 March 1992 ENGLISH Original:

FRENCH

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Forty-eighth session

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE 4th MEETING Held a t the P a l a i s des N a t i o n s , Geneva, on Wednesday, 29 January 1992, a t 3 p.m. Chairman; Mr. SOLT CONTENTS Q u e s t i o n o f the v i o l a t i o n of human r i g h t s i n the occupied i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e (continued) Arab territories, (Hungary)

The r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and i t s a p p l i c a t i o n to peoples under c o l o n i a l o r a l i e n domination o r f o r e i g n o c c u p a t i o n (continued)

This record i s subject

to c o r r e c t i o n .

C o r r e c t i o n s should be submitted i n one of the working languages. They s h o u l d be s e t f o r t h i n a memorandum and a l s o i n c o r p o r a t e d i n a copy of the record. They should be sent w i t h i n one week of the date o f t h i s document to the O f f i c i a l Records E d i t i n g S e c t i o n , room E.4108, P a l a i s des N a t i o n s , Geneva. Any c o r r e c t i o n s to the r e c o r d s of the p u b l i c meetings of the Commission a t t h i s s e s s i o n w i l l be c o n s o l i d a t e d i n a s i n g l e corrigendum, to be i s s u e d s h o r t l y a f t e r the end of the s e s s i o n .

GE.92-10281/4337B

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The

meeting was

called

to o r d e r

a t 3.05

p.m.

QUESTION OF THE VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED ARAB TERRITORIES, INCLUDING PALESTINE (agenda item 4) ( c o n t i n u e d ) (E/CN.4/1992/6 and 7) THE RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO PEOPLES UNDER COLONIAL OR ALIEN DOMINATION OR FOREIGN OCCUPATION (agenda item 9) ( c o n t i n u e d ) (E/CN.4/1992/11, 12 and 14; A/46/65, 286 and 522) 1. The CHAIRMAN i n v i t e d the p a r t i c i p a n t s to c o n t i n u e c o n s i d e r a t i o n agenda items 4 and 9. of

2. Mr. OZDEN (Centre E u r o p e - T i e r s Monde) welcomed the de f a c t o independence e s t a b l i s h e d by the E r i t r e a n People's L i b e r a t i o n Front i n E r i t r e a . Created l a s t June, the p r o v i s i o n a l Government c a l l e d upon the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community, and the U n i t e d N a t i o n s i n p a r t i c u l a r , to s u p e r v i s e the referendum on s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n which was to be h e l d i n E r i t r e a i n 1993 and would enable the E r i t r e a n people to choose between i n t e g r a t i o n i n t o E t h i o p i a , a f e d e r a t i o n w i t h E t h i o p i a or independence. The E t h i o p i a n Government had agreed to that process. 3. The U n i t e d N a t i o n s bore a major r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the war between E r i t r e a and E t h i o p i a because i n r e s o l u t i o n 390 (V) i t had imposed upon E r i t r e a , c o n t r a r y to the w i l l of the E r i t r e a n people and the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , a f e d e r a t i o n w i t h E t h i o p i a , which had l a t e r annexed i t by f o r c e . N e v e r t h e l e s s , and d e s p i t e the p e r s i s t e n t v i o l a t i o n s of the htiman r i g h t s of the E r i t r e a n p e o p l e , the U n i t e d N a t i o n s had remained s i l e n t on the matter f o r 30 y e a r s . The f a t e of E r i t r e a had not been d e f i n i t i v e l y s e t t l e d i n 1950 because the U n i t e d N a t i o n s had o n l y i n t e r v e n e d i n t h a t p e r i o d to remedy the i n a b i l i t y of the major Powers to agree upon E r i t r e a ' s f u t u r e . I t was t h e r e f o r e h i g h time f o r the O r g a n i z a t i o n to r e c o g n i z e the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n of the E r i t r e a n p e o p l e , i n accordance w i t h i t s law and practice. I t would a l s o have to r e c o n s i d e r the q u e s t i o n of the genuine d e c o l o n i z a t i o n of E r i t r e a i n the new j u r i d i c a l context t h a t proceeded from the g e n e r a l r e c o g n i t i o n of the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 4. The Centre E u r o p e - T i e r s Monde c a l l e d upon the Commission on Human R i g h t s to adopt a r e s o l u t i o n t h a t would c r e a t e a s p e c i a l committee to s u p e r v i s e the h o l d i n g of a referendimi i n E r i t r e a , so as to guarantee the E r i t r e a n people's r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 5. Mr. DE SANTA-CLARA GOMES ( P o r t u g a l ) , speaking on b e h a l f of the twelve member S t a t e s of the European Community, welcomed the development of the s i t u a t i o n i n the M i d d l e E a s t , which i n r e c e n t months had been marked by h i s t o r i c events t h a t gave cause f o r new hope, namely, the convening of the Madrid Conference, i n w h i c h the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t y h a d p a r t i c i p a t e d , a n d t h e subsequent b i l a t e r a l n e g o t i a t i o n s . The T w e l v e r e m a i n e d c o m m i t t e d t o t a k i n g an a c t i v e p a r t i n b u i l d i n g p e a c e i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t a n d r e g r e t t e d that the encouraging developments on t h e p o l i t i c a l s c e n e h a d n o t l e d t o an improvement i n the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g East Jerusalem.

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6. The European Community and i t s member S t a t e s had always taken the view that peace and s t a b i l i t y i n the r e g i o n c o u l d be a c h i e v e d o n l y through f u l l implementation of S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and the genuine e x e r c i s e of the r i g h t of a l l S t a t e s i n the r e g i o n , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l , to e x i s t w i t h i n s e c u r e , r e c o g n i z e d and guaranteed b o r d e r s , as w e l l as r e c o g n i t i o n of the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people to self-determination. The Twelve were c o n v i n c e d t h a t the d e n i a l of those r i g h t s not o n l y c o n s t i t u t e d a v i o l a t i o n of human r i g h t s , but a l s o l a y a t the r o o t of the v i o l a t i o n of many other fimdamental r i g h t s . In t h a t c o n t e x t , they r e a f f i r m e d t h a t the F o u r t h Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e to the p r o t e c t i o n of c i v i l i a n persons i n time of war, of 12 August 1949, was a p p l i c a b l e to the t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l s i n c e 1967, i n c l u d i n g E a s t J e r u s a l e m , and c a l l e d upon I s r a e l to r e c o g n i z e i t s a p p l i c a b i l i t y and to a b i d e by i t s provisions. The I s r a e l i Government's i l l e g a l p o l i c y of b r i n g i n g Jewish s e t t l e r s i n t o the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , thus t h r e a t e n i n g to change the demographic c o m p o s i t i o n of those t e r r i t o r i e s , was a f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n of the C o n v e n t i o n . While the Twelve supported the r i g h t of Jews who so wished to emigrate to I s r a e l , t h a t r i g h t must not be implemented a t the expense of the r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s , and the Community would a g a i n p r e s e n t , as i t had done a t the two p r e v i o u s s e s s i o n s of the Commission, a d r a f t r e s o l u t i o n c a l l i n g upon I s r a e l to put an end to t h a t practice. 7. The r e c e n t d e c i s i o n of the I s r a e l i Government to deport 12 P a l e s t i n i a n s from the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s was another p a r t of a p o l i c y t h a t contravened the F o u r t h Geneva C o n v e n t i o n . The Twelve had a l r e a d y e x p r e s s e d t h e i r deep concern about that d e c i s i o n and welcomed the a d o p t i o n of S e c u r i t y C o i m c i l r e s o l u t i o n 726 (1992). They d e p l o r e d the f a c t t h a t the I s r a e l i Government continued to adopt s e c u r i t y and economic measures t h a t had an adverse impact on the l i v i n g c o n d i t i o n s of the p o p u l a t i o n of the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , such as c o l l e c t i v e punishment (economic s a n c t i o n s , d e m o l i t i o n of b u i l d i n g s , curfews, e t c . ) and a r b i t r a r y a r r e s t s , d e t e n t i o n without charge or t r i a l and house a r r e s t s , which were u n a c c e p t a b l e under the p r o v i s i o n s of the F o u r t h Geneva C o n v e n t i o n . The d e t e n t i o n of c h i l d r e n i n the same c o r r e c t i o n a l f a c i l i t i e s as a d u l t s was c o n t r a r y to the s p i r i t of the Convention on the R i g h t s of the C h i l d , which I s r a e l had r a t i f i e d . 8. The Twelve had c o n s i s t e n t l y condemned the use of v i o l e n c e and would c o n t i n u e to do so, whoever i t s p e r p e t r a t o r s might be, and they d e p l o r e d the a c t s of v i o l e n c e to which I s r a e l i c i t i z e n s had f a l l e n v i c t i m , but as the occupying Power and i n accordance w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l law, I s r a e l had the s p e c i a l o b l i g a t i o n to m a i n t a i n peace and o r d e r . Unfortunately, Israeli s e c u r i t y f o r c e s had a l l too o f t e n r e a c t e d to the v i o l e n c e of the P a l e s t i n i a n demonstrators w i t h d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e use of f o r c e . 9. The economic and s o c i a l c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e occupied t e r r i t o r i e s , w h i c h h a d been aggravated by the c o l l e c t i v e m e a s u r e s t a k e n by t h e I s r a e l i Government d u r i n g and a f t e r the G u l f w a r , a l s o d e s e r v e d t h e C o m m i s s i o n ' s f u l l a t t e n t i o n . A l t h o u g h some of the measures h a d b e e n s u s p e n d e d , t h e s i t u a t i o n s t i l l l e f t much to b e d e s i r e d . The T w e l v e u r g e d t h e I s r a e l i Government to cooperate w i t h the U n i t e d N a t i o n s by a l l o w i n g the c i v i l i a n p o p u l a t i o n i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s to take f u l l advantage of the economic and s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e p r o v i d e d by the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and other o r g a n i z a t i o n s . For i t s p a r t , the

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European Community had taken a number of i n i t i a t i v e s to promote the economic development of the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and t h e i r p o p u l a t i o n , such as the g r a n t i n g of d u t y - f r e e access f o r i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t s , p r e f e r e n t i a l d u t y - f r e e treatment f o r a g r i c u l t u r a l products and emergency a i d measures. 10. In the d e c l a r a t i o n on the peace p r o c e s s i n the M i d d l e East adopted i n M a a s t r i c h t i n December 1991, the European C o u n c i l had c a l l e d upon I s r a e l to r e s p e c t the p r o v i s i o n s of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention. The a d o p t i o n of c o n f i d e n c e - b u i l d i n g measures was v i t a l i n o r d e r to c r e a t e the s t a b l e c l i m a t e needed f o r p r o g r e s s i n the n e g o t i a t i o n s . Respect f o r human r i g h t s and the r u l e of law was e s s e n t i a l to the process of f i n d i n g a j u s t , comprehensive and l a s t i n g s e t t l e m e n t i n the M i d d l e E a s t . That was why d e f e n d i n g himian r i g h t s i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s was more important than e v e r . 1 1 . Mr. ROA KOURI (Cuba) s a i d t h a t f o l l o w i n g the c o l l a p s e of s o c i a l i s m i n E a s t e r n Europe and the dismemberment of the S o v i e t Union, there was no reason to r e j o i c e a t the advent of a u n i p o l a r w o r l d , which would o n l y s t r e n g t h e n the hegemony of the U n i t e d S t a t e s and the predominance of the N o r t h over the poor a n d i n d e b t e d c o u n t r i e s of the South. 12. Concerning P a l e s t i n e and the t e r r i t o r i e s i l l e g a l l y o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l s i n c e 1967, i n c l u d i n g Jerusalem, the p r o s p e c t - as y e t d i s t a n t and strewn w i t h o b s t a c l e s - of a p e a c e f u l agreement between the v a r i o u s p a r t i e s had helped somewhat to r e l a x the emergency measures and the p o l i c y of b r u t a l r e p r e s s i o n imposed by the I s r a e l i Government. N e v e r t h e l e s s , hundreds of P a l e s t i n i a n s had been k i l l e d by I s r a e l i s o l d i e r s o r c i v i l i a n s , and the t r a g i c events of October 1990, which had caused the death of 20 P a l e s t i n i a n s and i n j u r i e s to hundreds of o t h e r s , had not been of an i s o l a t e d or a c c i d e n t a l n a t u r e . The Z i o n i s t a u t h o r i t i e s , who were imposing a r a c i s t p o l i c y of J u d a i z a t i o n by f o r c e of arms i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , were s t i l l r e f u s i n g t o implement the 1949 Geneva Convention, d e s p i t e unanimous condemnation by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , and were c o n t i n u i n g t h e i r p o l i c y of i l l e g a l l y d e p o r t i n g the i n h a b i t a n t s of P a l e s t i n e to n e i g h b o u r i n g c o u n t r i e s . For s o - c a l l e d s e c u r i t y reasons, they r e f u s e d to a l l o w P a l e s t i n i a n d o c t o r s l i v i n g i n Gaza and the West Bank to l e a v e the t e r r i t o r i e s , thereby p r e v e n t i n g them from a t t e n d i n g i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e s and s c i e n t i f i c meetings abroad. As r e f l e c t e d i n the l i s t s drawn up by the S p e c i a l Committee to I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s A f f e c t i n g the Human R i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n People and Other Arabs of the Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s , men, women, c h i l d r e n and e l d e r l y people had been the i n d i s c r i m i n a t e v i c t i m s of the I s r a e l i o c c u p i e r s , " s t r a t e g i c a l l i e s " and protégés of the American i m p e r i a l i s t s . The d e m o l i t i o n of houses i n r e t a l i a t i o n f o r the a c t i v i t i e s of the P a l e s t i n i a n r e s i s t a n c e , a t o t a l l y a r b i t r a r y p o l i c y pursued w i t h complete impunity, was r e m i n i s c e n t of the N a z i b r u t a l i t i e s committed i n L i d i c e , Warsaw and hundreds of v i l l a g e s i n the former Soviet Union, 13. S i n c e t h e b e g i n n i n g o f the i n t i f a d a , t h e e c o n o m i c a n d s o c i a l c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s h a d continued t o d e t e r i o r a t e . The f o o d shortages had been exacerbated by the r i s e i n unemployment and the a l l o c a t i o n o f an i n c r e a s i n g number of g r e e n c a r d s , t h e aim b e i n g to reduce the number of Arab w o r k e r s i n I s r a e l and to prevent them from l e a v i n g the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . The h e a l t h and m e d i c a l s i t u a t i o n was j u s t as bad, and the i n h a b i t a n t s of those t e r r i t o r i e s u s u a l l y had no access to I s r a e l i m e d i c a l f a c i l i t i e s . The double

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standard i n h e a l t h care confirmed the d i s c r i m i n a t o r y n a t u r e of I s r a e l ' s policy. A c c o r d i n g to one w i t n e s s , the P a l e s t i n i a n workers d i d not have the r i g h t to take s i c k l e a v e o r annual l e a v e , t h e i r wages were not indexed to the c o s t of l i v i n g , and they had no s o c i a l s e c u r i t y . With the s e t t l i n g of hundreds of thousands of immigrants i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , the Z i o n i s t s were s e e k i n g to change the f a c e of P a l e s t i n e and to g i v e a permanent c h a r a c t e r to the i l l e g a l o c c u p a t i o n of those t e r r i t o r i e s , i n f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n of i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and the r e s o l u t i o n s of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , which had d e c l a r e d I s r a e l i l e g i s l a t i o n on t h a t q u e s t i o n to be n u l l and v o i d . 14. For decades, the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , p a r a l y s e d by the U n i t e d S t a t e s v e t o i n the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , had been unable to s a n c t i o n I s r a e l f o r the v i o l a t i o n of the human r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and the o t h e r Arab i n h a b i t a n t s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . R e c e n t l y , however, the Government of the U n i t e d S t a t e s had j o i n e d the 14 o t h e r members of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l i n condemning the i l l e g a l d e p o r t a t i o n of another group of P a l e s t i n i a n s . For the f i r s t time, the U n i t e d S t a t e s had shown i t s e l f w i l l i n g to c o n t r i b u t e to the s e a r c h f o r a p e a c e f u l s o l u t i o n to the Middle East c o n f l i c t . H i s Government was p l e a s e d t h a t the n e g o t i a t i o n s on peace i n the r e g i o n were b e i n g pursued, but there would be no j u s t and l a s t i n g s e t t l e m e n t of the c o n f l i c t u n l e s s the demands of the P a l e s t i n i a n s were met; they ranged from P a l e s t i n i a n r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a t the n e g o t i a t i n g t a b l e to the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of an independent State. To t h a t end, I s r a e l must withdraw from a l l t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d s i n c e 1967, i n c l u d i n g Jerusalem, which must be g i v e n a s p e c i a l s t a t u s because of i t s r e l i g i o u s importance f o r Jews, Muslims and C h r i s t i a n s . Such an agreement must c o n t a i n guarantees of p e a c e f u l c o e x i s t e n c e f o r a l l the S t a t e s o f the r e g i o n . 15. In o r d e r to guarantee a s a f e and f r e e world i n keeping w i t h the a s p i r a t i o n s of the peoples t h a t had founded the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , i t was i n d i s p e n s a b l e to e l i m i n a t e war and the use of f o r c e i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s , p r o t e c t the s o v e r e i g n t y and independence of a l l S t a t e s , and put an end to r a c i s m , a p a r t h e i d , c o l o n i a l i s m and i m p e r i a l i s t p o l i c i e s i n g e n e r a l . I t was e s s e n t i a l to t e a r down the w a l l s t h a t c o n t i n u e d to d i v i d e the world i n t o e x p l o i t e r s and e x p l o i t e d and developed c o u n t r i e s and underdeveloped c o u n t r i e s , and to prevent the r a i s i n g of o t h e r b a r r i e r s c o n f i n i n g the poor and hungry to the South and those who might t h r e a t e n the economic w e l l - b e i n g of the r i c h European n a t i o n s to the E a s t . A new world would not dawn u n t i l the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people were r e s t o r e d and human d i g n i t y and the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n r e s p e c t e d . 16. Mr. HOSSEINI ( I r a n ) d e p l o r e d the d e t e r i o r a t i n g economic, s o c i a l and h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n s , the human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s and the p s y c h o l o g i c a l h u m i l i a t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n people. The I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s were c o n t i n u i n g t h e i r b r u t a l p o l i c y of d e p o r t i n g P a l e s t i n i a n i n h a b i t a n t s . Over t h e past few y e a r s , t h e y h a d k i l l e d more t h a n 1,000 p e r s o n s , d e p o r t e d n e a r l y 100 P a l e s t i n i a n c i t i z e n s a n d p u t more t h a n 75,000 i n c o n c e n t r a t i o n camps. The a l l o c a t i o n o f g r e e n c a r d s p r e v e n t e d t h o u s a n d s o f P a l e s t i n i a n workers from going to t h e i r p l a c e o f w o r k . Freedom o f e d u c a t i o n and o f worship had been p e r s i s t e n t l y v i o l a t e d . The s e t t l e m e n t of Jewish immigrants i n P a l e s t i n e was a matter of deep concern and r e f l e c t e d a d e l i b e r a t e w i l l to modify the demographic composition of the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . There were c u r r e n t l y 150,000 I s r a e l i immigrants, and t h e i r numbers c o u l d reach 1 m i l l i o n by the year 2000.

E/CN.4/1992/SR.4 page 6

17. I t was incumbent upon the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community to oppose such p r a c t i c e s , which were t o t a l l y i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l law. The i n t i f a d a , c u r r e n t l y i n i t s f i f t h y e a r , c o n s t i t u t e d a t u r n i n g - p o i n t i n the j u s t and l e g i t i m a t e s t r u g g l e t h a t the P a l e s t i n i a n people had been waging f o r n e a r l y half a century. The i n t e r n a t i o n a l community must take e f f e c t i v e measures to r e s t o r e the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , namely, i t s himian r i g h t s , i t s r i g h t to s e c u r i t y and i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . In view of the a s s i s t a n c e c u r r e n t l y b e i n g g i v e n to the o c c u p y i n g Power, t h e r e was, u n f o r t u n a t e l y , l i t t l e hope that the new i n t e r n a t i o n a l c l i m a t e would l e a d to progress i n r e s o l v i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n q u e s t i o n . F o r the I s l a m i c R e p u b l i c of I r a n , which supported the P a l e s t i n i a n people unwaveringly, a l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n to the M i d d l e East problem must i n c l u d e the c r e a t i o n f o r the P a l e s t i n i a n s of an independent S t a t e c o v e r i n g the whole t e r r i t o r y of P a l e s t i n e . 18. Mr. ZHAN Daode (China) s a i d t h a t a l t h o u g h g r e a t changes had taken p l a c e i n the M i d d l e East s i n c e the Commission's f o r t y - s e v e n t h s e s s i o n , there had been no change i n the s i t u a t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e . They s t i l l d i d n o t enjoy the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , and I s r a e l s t i l l r e f u s e d to withdraw from the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s o r to implement the f o u r Geneva Conventions of 1949. Moreover, the P a l e s t i n i a n people and o t h e r Arabs i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s were s t i l l b e i n g s u b j e c t e d to I s r a e l i hegemony and r e p r e s s i o n . New s e t t l e m e n t s were b e i n g e s t a b l i s h e d i n those t e r r i t o r i e s , f o r c i n g many Arabs to leave t h e i r homes. In the l a t e s t move of t h a t k i n d , the I s r a e l i army had deported 12 P a l e s t i n i a n s from the Gaza S t r i p . 19. China had always been i n favour of a p o l i t i c a l s e t t l e m e n t t o the M i d d l e East q u e s t i o n on the b a s i s of the r e l e v a n t U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s , i n p a r t i c u l a r S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). The o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s should be r e t u r n e d , the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people r e s t o r e d , and the s o v e r e i g n t y and s e c u r i t y of the c o u n t r i e s i n the M i d d l e E a s t , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l , r e s p e c t e d and guaranteed so t h a t Jews and Arabs c o u l d f i n a l l y l i v e i n peace and harmony i n the r e g i o n . As a permanent member o f the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , China would n o t waver i n i t s e f f o r t s to b r i n g about a p e a c e f u l s e t t l e m e n t of the M i d d l e E a s t q u e s t i o n . I t supported the c o u n t r i e s concerned i n promoting the peace process i n the r e g i o n and p a r t i c i p a t e d i n the e f f o r t s of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community to put an end to the M i d d l e East c o n f l i c t . H i s d e l e g a t i o n n o t e d w i t h s a t i s f a c t i o n t h a t , having r e s o l v e d p r o c e d u r a l m a t t e r s , the Arab c o u n t r i e s and I s r a e l had i n i t i a t e d separate t a l k s . I t hoped t h a t the p a r t i e s concerned would a c h i e v e a b r e a k t h r o u g h i n progress towards a s e t t l e m e n t of the M i d d l e E a s t problem, and appealed to them to r e f r a i n from u s i n g f o r c e and t o take the n e c e s s a r y measures f o r the r e l a x a t i o n of t e n s i o n i n the r e g i o n . The i n t e r n a t i o n a l community and the Commission on Htunan R i g h t s should f o r t h e i r p a r t continue to urge I s r a e l to implement the f o u r Geneva Conventions o f 1949 i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s , and to d i s c o n t i n u e the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of s e t t l e m e n t s and the r e p r e s s i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e . 20. Mr. MARKIDES (Cyprus) s a i d that the Commission's debate on item 4 was t a k i n g p l a c e a t a time when world a t t e n t i o n was f o c u s i n g on the c u r r e n t process f o r s o l v i n g the M i d d l e East problem. The q u e s t i o n of P a l e s t i n e , the core of the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t i n the M i d d l e E a s t , had been a concern of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s f o r more than 45 years and was one of the most s e r i o u s problems f a c i n g the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community. As s e t f o r t h i n the r e l e v a n t

E/CN.4/1992/SR.4 page 7

U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s and, p a r t i c u l a r l y , i n S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), the t h r e e p r e r e q u i s i t e s f o r a s e t t l e m e n t of the c o n f l i c t were (a) the withdrawal of I s r a e l i f o r c e s from the o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s , i n c l u d i n g Jerusalem, and a l l the o t h e r Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d s i n c e 1967, (b) the e x e r c i s e of the i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n and the r i g h t to e s t a b l i s h an independent and s o v e r e i g n S t a t e , and ( c ) the p o l i t i c a l r e c o g n i t i o n of a l l the S t a t e s of the r e g i o n , i n c l u d i n g I s r a e l , and guarantees t h a t they c o u l d l i v e i n peace w i t h i n secure and r e c o g n i z e d b o r d e r s . Given the new i n t e r n a t i o n a l c l i m a t e , the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , the S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l and the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , i n p a r t i c u l a r , i t s f i v e permanent members had a c r u c i a l r o l e to p l a y i n the peace p r o c e s s and i n the s e a r c h f o r a permanent s o l u t i o n to the M i d d l e East problem t h a t took i n t o account the a s p i r a t i o n s o f the P a l e s t i n i a n people and brought peace and p r o s p e r i t y to a l l the S t a t e s i n the r e g i o n . 21. Cyprus had always supported the j u s t cause of the P a l e s t i n i a n people under the l e a d e r s h i p of the P a l e s t i n e L i b e r a t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n (PLO) and the e f f o r t s to a c h i e v e a j u s t and l a s t i n g peace i n the Middle East r e g i o n i n accordance w i t h the r e l e v a n t U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s . The q u e s t i o n of the I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n and p r a c t i c e s i n southern Lebanon s h o u l d a l s o be addressed by g i v i n g e f f e c t to the w i l l of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community as expressed i n S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 425 (1978), 508 (1982) and 509 (1982). The U n i t e d N a t i o n s I n t e r i m Force i n Lebanon s h o u l d be g i v e n the a b i l i t y to c a r r y out i t s t a s k , thus e n s u r i n g peace and s e c u r i t y and h e l p i n g the Government of Lebanon t o extend i t s a u t h o r i t y and s o v e r e i g n t y over a l l Lebanese t e r r i t o r y . In the same s p i r i t , the U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s demanding the withdrawal o f I s r a e l from a l l t e r r i t o r i e s a c q u i r e d by f o r c e s i n c e 1967, i n c l u d i n g the Golan H e i g h t s , must be implemented i n f u l l . 22. D e s p i t e the ongoing e f f o r t s to r e s o l v e the M i d d l e East problem through n e g o t i a t i o n s , the human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and the o t h e r Arab p o p u l a t i o n s l i v i n g i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s was f a r from satisfactory. I t s h o u l d be r e c a l l e d i n t h a t context t h a t the Commission on Human R i g h t s had a l r e a d y a f f i r m e d t h a t the F o u r t h Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e to the p r o t e c t i o n of c i v i l i a n persons i n time of war o f 12 August 1949 was a p p l i c a b l e to a l l P a l e s t i n i a n and Arab t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l s i n c e 1967, i n c l u d i n g Jerusalem. I t had a l s o a f f i r m e d t h a t the p o l i c y of e s t a b l i s h i n g I s r a e l i s e t t l e m e n t s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s was i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and contravened the r e l e v a n t p r o v i s i o n s o f the Geneva Convention. The s e t t l e m e n t a c t i v i t i e s and the d e p o r t a t i o n of P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n s from the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s n o t o n l y c o n s t i t u t e d grave v i o l a t i o n s of human r i g h t s , but harmed the a u s p i c i o u s c l i m a t e i n which the peace t a l k s s h o u l d take p l a c e . 23. F o r many y e a r s , the l i v e s of the P a l e s t i n i a n people and o f the Arab p o p u l a t i o n s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s had been f u l l of s u f f e r i n g . I t was time to a c t , because the M i d d l e East had seen no peace or j u s t i c e and human r i g h t s had been s y s t e m a t i c a l l y v i o l a t e d there f o r much too l o n g . A new e r a was dawning, and i f a t r u l y new and l a s t i n g world order was to emerge, i t must c o n t r i b u t e to a j u s t and v i a b l e s o l u t i o n to the Middle E a s t problem.

E/CN.4/1992/SR. page 8

24. Mr. DEBASHISH CHAKRAVARTI ( I n d i a ) s a i d t h a t the complex s i t u a t i o n i n P a l e s t i n e was r o o t e d i n h i s t o r y and a mutual d i s t r u s t p e r p e t u a t e d by r e c u r r i n g hostilities. That was a l l the more reason f o r the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community and the U n i t e d N a t i o n s to encourage a j u s t , comprehensive and l a s t i n g s e t t l e m e n t of the q u e s t i o n . In h i s statement on 15 January 1992 to the Committee on the E x e r c i s e of the I n a l i e n a b l e R i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n People, the S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l had expressed the hope t h a t a l a s t i n g peace would f i n a l l y become a r e a l i t y i n the r e g i o n . 25. I n d i a welcomed the i n i t i a t i o n of the peace process i n the M i d d l e E a s t ; i t would undoubtedly be l o n g , arduous and f u l l of seemingly insurmountable o b s t a c l e s , and overcoming them would r e q u i r e statesmanship of a h i g h order on the p a r t of a l l p a r t i e s concerned. However, advantage should be taken of the f a v o u r a b l e development of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l s i t u a t i o n i n o r d e r to r e s t o r e peace i n the r e g i o n . P a l e s t i n e was and must remain a t the c e n t r e of the peace talks. The U n i t e d N a t i o n s had an i n d i s p e n s a b l e r o l e to p l a y i n s e t t l i n g the M i d d l e E a s t c o n f l i c t , and i t was to be hoped t h a t the O r g a n i z a t i o n and i t s S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l would soon have the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y and s t a t u s needed to accomplish t h e i r mission. 26. The q u e s t i o n of the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s and P a l e s t i n e had been on the agenda of the Commission s i n c e 1968. The General Assembly and the Commission had c o n s i s t e n t l y r e a f f i r m e d the r i g h t of the P a l e s t i n i a n s to an independent homeland and r e p e a t e d l y condemned the v i o l a t i o n s of the P a l e s t i n i a n s ' human r i g h t s . Those v i o l a t i o n s stemmed from the o c c u p a t i o n itself. The occupying f o r c e s had imposed t h e i r laws, j u r i s d i c t i o n and a d m i n i s t r a t i o n on the p o p u l a t i o n s of the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s . They had e s t a b l i s h e d new s e t t l e m e n t s and expanded e x i s t i n g ones, thereby d e p r i v i n g the Arab p o p u l a t i o n of the means of development. They had evacuated, deported and d i s p l a c e d the i n h a b i t a n t s , denying them the r i g h t to r e t u r n . Security Council r e s o l u t i o n 726 (1992) had s t r o n g l y condemned the d e c i s i o n of I s r a e l to resume d e p o r t a t i o n s of P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n s , and i n i t s r e p o r t the S p e c i a l Committee to I n v e s t i g a t e I s r a e l i P r a c t i c e s A f f e c t i n g the Human R i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n People and Other Arabs of the Occupied T e r r i t o r i e s had g r a p h i c a l l y d e s c r i b e d the s u f f e r i n g s of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e . 27. I n d i a f u l l y shared the view r e p e a t e d l y a f f i r m e d by the General Assembly that a j u s t , comprehensive and l a s t i n g s e t t l e m e n t of the M i d d l e East q u e s t i o n c o u l d be a c h i e v e d o n l y by r e c o g n i z i n g the i n a l i e n a b l e n a t i o n a l r i g h t s of the P a l e s t i n i a n p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g the r i g h t to a homeland, and the r i g h t of a l l S t a t e s i n the r e g i o n , i n c l u d i n g P a l e s t i n e and I s r a e l , to l i v e i n peace within i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y recognized borders. Settlement must be based on S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973), which presupposed I s r a e l ' s withdrawal from a l l P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by i t s i n c e 1967. 28. On 20 January 1992, the Prime M i n i s t e r of I n d i a , Mr. Rarsimha Rao, had r e i t e r a t e d I n d i a ' s u n e q u i v o c a l support f o r the P a l e s t i n i a n people and the r e s t o r a t i o n of t h e i r i n a l i e n a b l e r i g h t s , i n c l u d i n g the r i g h t to self-determination. I n d i a hoped that the peace process embarked upon would enable t h a t o b j e c t i v e to be a t t a i n e d and s t a b i l i t y to be r e s t o r e d to the r e g i o n so t h a t i t s i n h a b i t a n t s c o u l d enjoy the f r u i t s of economic p r o g r e s s .

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29. Ms. KADJAR-HAMDURA ( I n t e r n a t i o n a l F e d e r a t i o n T e r r e des Hommes) s a i d that i n a r e p o r t on the q u e s t i o n of Western Sahara which he had submitted to the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l on 10 A p r i l 1991, Mr. Pérez de Cuéllar had taken note of the p r o g r e s s made i n the peace p r o c e s s and s t r e s s e d t h a t the two p a r t i e s to the c o n f l i c t should pursue the d i a l o g u e so that peace, s t a b i l i t y and s e c u r i t y c o u l d be r e s t o r e d i n the r e g i o n . He had i n d i c a t e d t h a t the Government of Morocco and the P o l i s a r i o F r o n t had s i g n e d an agreement i n p r i n c i p l e on the h o l d i n g of a referendum on s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . A l l t h a t was needed was to meet the c o n d i t i o n s f o r i t s b e i n g h e l d w i t h o u t a d m i n i s t r a t i v e or m i l i t a r y c o n s t r a i n t s . On 29 A p r i l 1991, the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l had adopted r e s o l u t i o n 690, i n which i t had approved the r e p o r t and the c r e a t i o n of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s M i s s i o n f o r the Referendum i n Western Sahara, whose budget had been adopted by the General Assembly on 17 May 1991. 30. There had not seemed to be any other r e a l o b s t a c l e s to h o l d i n g a referendtmi, a p a r t from the absence of a genuine d e s i r e on the p a r t of the Moroccan Government, which had sought by every p o s s i b l e means to i n t e r f e r e w i t h the referendum p r o c e s s , u s i n g d e l a y i n g t a c t i c s , p l a c i n g the Sahrawi p o p u l a t i o n under i n c r e a s e d p o l i c e s u r v e i l l a n c e , sending Moroccan c i t i z e n s i n t o Sahrawi t e r r i t o r y to i n f l a t e the number of v o t e r s and r e p e a t e d l y b r e a k i n g the cease-fire. For the sake of appearances, however, the Moroccan Government had r e l e a s e d - and t h a t c o u l d o n l y be welcomed - hundreds of p r i s o n e r s of o p i n i o n d e t a i n e d without t r i a l , whose e x i s t e n c e i t had always d e n i e d . To be s u r e , they had then been immediately p l a c e d under permanent s u r v e i l l a n c e . I t should a l s o be r e c a l l e d t h a t the Sahrawi r e f u g e e s had been l i v i n g under v e r y h a r s h c o n d i t i o n s f o r 16 y e a r s , a w a i t i n g a f a i r r e p l y to t h e i r l e g i t i m a t e demand f o r self-determination. 31. In o r d e r to ensure t h a t the referendum was f i n a l l y h e l d , the I n t e r n a t i o n a l F e d e r a t i o n T e r r e des Hommes c a l l e d upon the Commission: to r e a f f i r m the r i g h t of the Sahrawis to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n ; to c o n t i n u e to p r o v i d e f i r m support f o r the attempts at d i a l o g u e on r e s o l v i n g the c o n f l i c t p e a c e f u l l y and implementing the s e t t l e m e n t p l a n ; to condemn the Government of Morocco f o r i t s d e l a y i n g t a c t i c s , which were impeding the referendvmi and the work of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s m i s s i o n s , and f o r a l l s e r i o u s human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s i n f l i c t e d upon the p o p u l a t i o n ; and to recommend t h a t a l l Governments concerned should r e f r a i n from any p o l i c y of c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h the Government of Morocco f o r as long as i t f a i l e d to r e s p e c t human r i g h t s i n g e n e r a l and the fundamental r i g h t s of the Sahrawi p o p u l a t i o n i n p a r t i c u l a r . 32. Mr. HASAN ( L i b e r a t i o n ) s a i d that a l t h o u g h the p r i n c i p l e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was u n i v e r s a l l y r e c o g n i z e d , i n c e r t a i n r e g i o n s of the world i t s r e a l i z a t i o n was s t i l l posing problems, and i t was the Commission's task to r e s o l v e them. The r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was a b i n d i n g norm of g e n e r a l i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and had been enshrined i n the most important d e c i s i o n s of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Court of J u s t i c e and i n such i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n s t r u m e n t s as the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s , the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenants on Human R i g h t s , and the D e c l a r a t i o n on the G r a n t i n g of Independence to C o l o n i a l C o u n t r i e s and P e o p l e s . In h i s r e p o r t on the r i g h t of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , the Rapporteur on Human R i g h t s had a f f i r m e d that the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was fundamental and c o n s t i t u t e d a p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r the enjojmient of a l l o t h e r human r i g h t s , and that s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was a r i g h t

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of p e o p l e s , i . e . the r i g h t o f any community o f shared c o n s c i e n c e and purpose to e s t a b l i s h a n a t i o n capable of f u n c t i o n i n g i n a way t h a t ensured a common future. 33. To q u a l i f y f o r the r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , a group must have shared o b j e c t i v e s and common c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , such as r a c e , language, c u l t u r e , t r a d i t i o n s , customs and a h i s t o r y t h a t d i s t i n g u i s h e d i t from o t h e r groups. Quoting a UNESCO d e c l a r a t i o n , he s a i d that a group of people t h a t had formed a n a t i o n and t h a t was s u b j e c t e d to m i l i t a r y o c c u p a t i o n was e n t i t l e d to a s s e r t o r to r e s t o r e i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . Such was the case of the people of Aceh (Sumatra), who had been r e s i s t i n g Indonesian c o l o n i a l o c c u p a t i o n f o r the past 15 y e a r s . Aceh had been a u n i v e r s a l l y r e c o g n i z e d independent s o v e r e i g n S t a t e f o r a thousand years o r s o . In 1873, the N e t h e r l a n d s had t r i e d to c o l o n i z e i t , b u t had abandoned the attempt a f t e r a long c o n f l i c t , and on 27 December 1949 i t had s i g n e d a t r e a t y w i t h the new J a v a n e s e - c o n t r o l l e d R e p u b l i c o f I n d o n e s i a , by v i r t u e o f which i t had t r a n s f e r r e d to Javanese " I n d o n e s i a " s o v e r e i g n t y over i t s c o l o n i a l t e r r i t o r i e s of the Dutch East I n d i e s , i n c l u d i n g Aceh, which i t had never been a b l e to conquer. Thus, the Dutch East I n d i e s had never been d e c o l o n i z e d ; o n l y i t s name had been changed to I n d o n e s i a . I n d o n e s i a was n o t the name of a p e o p l e , a c o u n t r y o r an i s l a n d , but a g e o g r a p h i c a l e x p r e s s i o n used by the Javanese to m i s r e p r e s e n t the d i v e r s e peoples of the a r c h i p e l a g o , to d e s t r o y t h e i r i d e n t i t y , to deny them the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , to rob them of t h e i r economic r e s o u r c e s , to a v o i d d i s m a n t l i n g the c o l o n i a l i s t b u r e a u c r a c y and s t r u c t u r e , and to a l l o w the Javanese to r e p l a c e the Dutch. On 4 December 1976, Aceh had d e c l a r e d i t s independence. The Indonesian o c c u p a t i o n army had suppressed the v a s t l i b e r a t i o n movement and d e t e r r e d the p o p u l a t i o n from demanding i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n by murdering w i t h impunity thousands of innocent c i v i l i a n s , i n c l u d i n g women and c h i l d r e n . The magnitude of the k i l l i n g s p e r p e t r a t e d by I n d o n e s i a was tantamount to genocide, and he quoted i n that context the d e f i n i t i o n o f genocide as adopted i n the Convention on the P r e v e n t i o n and Punishment o f the Crime of Genocide. R e f e r r i n g to S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 688 (1991) and speaking on b e h a l f o f the people of Aceh, he c a l l e d upon the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community t o i n t e r v e n e i n o r d e r t o stop the genocide and demanded t h a t e l e c t i o n s be h e l d under U n i t e d N a t i o n s s u p e r v i s i o n so t h a t the people o f Aceh c o u l d e x e r c i s e i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 34. Mr. AL-ATTAR (Arab Lawyers' Union) reminded the Commission t h a t I s r a e l had been occupying the t e r r i t o r y of P a l e s t i n e , i n the West Bank and Gaza, and the S y r i a n Golan Heights f o r a q u a r t e r of c e n t u r y , i n f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n of the r u l e s of i n t e r n a t i o n a l law, the p r i n c i p l e s o f human r i g h t s and the r e l e v a n t U n i t e d N a t i o n s r e s o l u t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973). The Commission had been f o c u s i n g on the q u e s t i o n s i n c e 1968, d i s c u s s i n g i t a n n u a l l y and a d o p t i n g p e r t i n e n t d e c i s i o n s , b u t I s r a e l had taken no n o t i c e . 35. Since 1967, I s r a e l h a d b e e n s u b j e c t i n g the c i v i l i a n p o p u l a t i o n i n the occupied t e r r i t o r i e s t o m a r t i a l l a w , i n c l u d i n g n u m e r o u s a r b i t r a r y m e a s u r e s , i n v i o l a t i o n of the p r o v i s i o n s o f the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s and the F o u r t h Geneva Convention r e l a t i v e t o t h e p r o t e c t i o n of c i v i l i a n persons i n time of war.

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36. A c c o r d i n g to i n f o r m a t i o n p u b l i s h e d by the P a l e s t i n i a n I n f o r m a t i o n Centre on Human R i g h t s , from the b e g i n n i n g of the i n t i f a d a u n t i l the end of September 1991, the t o t a l number of P a l e s t i n i a n v i c t i m s had reached 981 dead, i n c l u d i n g 255 c h i l d r e n or a d o l e s c e n t s , and 118,085 i n j u r e d . In a d d i t i o n , 15,100 P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n s had been a r r e s t e d on the b a s i s of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d e c i s i o n s emanating from the m i l i t a r y , and not the j u d i c i a l a u t h o r i t i e s . One of the l a t e s t r e p o r t s p r e s e n t e d by the S t a t e Department of the U n i t e d S t a t e s of America to the House of R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s and the Senate p o i n t e d out t h a t I s r a e l i s o l d i e r s had been u s i n g t h e i r weapons a g a i n s t demonstrators even when t h e i r l i v e s had not been i n danger, and that a nimiber of P a l e s t i n i a n s had d i e d i n d e t e n t i o n under s u s p i c i o u s circumstances or had been k i l l e d by p r i s o n officials. The I s r a e l i Government had never taken any d i s c i p l i n a r y measures a g a i n s t the persons r e s p o n s i b l e f o r such a c t s . P r i s o n e r s had been s u b j e c t e d to t o r t u r e , lawyers had been prevented from s e e i n g t h e i r c l i e n t s , and numerous o b s t a c l e s had been p l a c e d i n the way of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) i n the e x e r c i s e of t h e i r a d m i n i s t r a t i v e work. Many j o u r n a l i s t s , u n i v e r s i t y p r o f e s s o r s and members of P a l e s t i n i a n human r i g h t s o r g a n i z a t i o n s were i n d e t e n t i o n even though they had not engaged i n v i o l e n c e or caused a t h r e a t to p u b l i c o r d e r . On the o t h e r hand, the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s had been v e r y t o l e r a n t when Jewish c i t i z e n s l i v i n g i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s had committed c r i m i n a l a c t s a g a i n s t the P a l e s t i n i a n population. In an a r t i c l e i n the Swiss d a i l y Le M a t i n of 1 J u l y 1989, the eminent Swiss p u b l i c f i g u r e Jean Z i e g l e r had quoted the statements made a f t e r h i s v i s i t to I s r a e l and the West Bank by the P r e s i d e n t of ICRC, Mr. Sommaruga, who had r e p o r t e d numerous s e r i o u s v i o l a t i o n s of the Geneva Conventions by the I s r a e l i o c c u p a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g a s s a u l t s on i n j u r e d p e r s o n s , even on h o s p i t a l premises. 37. The I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s continued to i n f l i c t c o l l e c t i v e punishment on the P a l e s t i n i a n p o p u l a t i o n : c l o s u r e s of s c h o o l s and u n i v e r s i t i e s , d e s e c r a t i o n of C h r i s t i a n and Muslim p l a c e s of w o r s h i p , i n t r o d u c t i o n of a r b i t r a r y taxes, l i m i t a t i o n s on the freedom of movement of P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n s and i m p o s i t i o n of curfews f o r long p e r i o d s . They had a l s o c o n t i n u e d to d e m o l i s h the houses of persons accused of a c t s of a g g r e s s i o n a g a i n s t the occupying a u t h o r i t i e s , and s e t up b l o c k a d e s and implemented measures p r e v e n t i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n v i l l a g e s from h a r v e s t i n g t h e i r c r o p s . During the i n t i f a d a , more than 120,000 f r u i t t r e e s b e l o n g i n g to P a l e s t i n i a n s had been cut down by the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s . At the p o l i t i c a l l e v e l , the occupying a u t h o r i t i e s p r o h i b i t e d the c r e a t i o n of p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s , censored newspapers and p u b l i s h i n g houses f a v o u r a b l e to the P a l e s t i n i a n cause, i n t e r f e r e d w i t h the a c t i v i t i e s of a s s o c i a t i o n s and trade unions, and had been p r e v e n t i n g the h o l d i n g of m u n i c i p a l e l e c t i o n s s i n c e 1976. 38. The d e p o r t a t i o n of P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n s c o n s t i t u t e d another f l a g r a n t human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n . By the end of September 1991, 66 P a l e s t i n i a n s had been deported, and d u r i n g the past month, a f u r t h e r 12 d e p o r t a t i o n s had been announced, d e s p i t e unanimous condemnation by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l . At the same time, w h i l e the P a l e s t i n i a n s were r e f u s e d the r i g h t to l i v e on t h e i r l a n d , hundreds of thousands of Jews of d i f f e r e n t n a t i o n a l i t i e s were b e i n g welcomed and g r a n t e d I s r a e l i n a t i o n a l i t y . That was a b l a t a n t m a n i f e s t a t i o n of r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n v i o l a t i o n of the p r o v i s i o n s of the U n i v e r s a l D e c l a r a t i o n of Human R i g h t s . Furthermore, I s r a e l was p u r s u i n g i t s p o l i c y of e s t a b l i s h i n g s e t t l e m e n t s i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , i n d e f i a n c e of the

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p r o v i s i o n s of The Hague Convention (1907) and the r e s o l u t i o n s of the United Nations. Meanwhile, the e n t i r e world was w i t n e s s to I s r a e l ' s e f f o r t s to o b t a i n from the U n i t e d S t a t e s a l o a n of US$ 10 b i l l i o n to s e t t l e Jewish immigrants, without making the s l i g h t e s t commitment c o n c e r n i n g a f r e e z e on s e t t l e m e n t s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . 39. D e s p i t e the hopes f o r peace t h a t had emerged over the p a s t months, I s r a e l r e f u s e d to envisage a withdrawal from the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . The Arab Lawyers' Union hoped t h a t the Commission would adopt, w i t h r e g a r d to the withdrawal of the I s r a e l i occupying f o r c e s , a f i r m p o s i t i o n i n support of the P a l e s t i n i a n people. 40. Mr. ZAHRAN (Observer f o r Egypt) s a i d t h a t the course taken by i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e l a t i o n s now aroused hopes of a new e r a of peace, s t a b i l i t y and s e c u r i t y f o r a l l , a number of r e g i o n a l c o n f l i c t s h a v i n g been r e s o l v e d on the b a s i s of i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and w i t h due r e g a r d f o r the i n t e r e s t s of the p a r t i e s concerned. But i t was no l o n g e r p o s s i b l e to a l l o w a b r e e d i n g ground of t e n s i o n , c o n f l i c t and i n s t a b i l i t y to p e r s i s t i n the M i d d l e E a s t . The peoples of the r e g i o n had the r i g h t to l i v e i n peace and s e c u r i t y , so t h a t they c o u l d embark upon the road to development and p r o g r e s s . 41. The t e n s i o n p r e v a i l i n g i n the Middle East was the r e s u l t of the i n a b i l i t y of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community, f o r more than 40 y e a r s , to f i n d a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n to the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t , and above a l l the P a l e s t i n i a n problem. S i n c e the end of East-West c o n f r o n t a t i o n , the s i t u a t i o n on the i n t e r n a t i o n a l scene had e v o l v e d , and Egypt had noted w i t h s a t i s f a c t i o n , and supported from the o u t s e t , the peace e f f o r t s begun through the Madrid Conference i n response to the j o i n t i n v i t a t i o n of the U n i t e d S t a t e s and the former USSR to h o l d d i r e c t n e g o t i a t i o n s on the b a s i s of S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n s 242 (1967) and 338 (1973) and the p r i n c i p l e of " l a n d f o r peace". The march towards peace must not stop u n t i l the achievement, on t h a t b a s i s , of a j u s t and l a s t i n g s o l u t i o n e n a b l i n g the P a l e s t i n i a n people to e x e r c i s e i t s l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s i n i t s homeland, above a l l i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 42. The quest f o r a p e a c e f u l s o l u t i o n to the A r a b - I s r a e l i c o n f l i c t must be accompanied by e f f o r t s to compel I s r a e l to r e s p e c t i n t e r n a t i o n a l law and to put an end to i t s v i o l a t i o n s of himian r i g h t s and i l l e g a l p r a c t i c e s i n the o c c u p i e d Arab t e r r i t o r i e s . That meant t h a t the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community must cease a p p l y i n g a double s t a n d a r d i n the f i e l d of human r i g h t s , depending on whether the i n h a b i t a n t s of the t e r r i t o r i e s o r o t h e r v i c t i m s of v i o l a t i o n s were concerned. The march towards peace, which had o n l y j u s t begun, e n t a i l e d b u i l d i n g c o n f i d e n c e between the v a r i o u s p a r t i e s concerned, which must t h e r e f o r e r e f r a i n from any i n i t i a t i v e t h a t might sabotage the p r o c e s s . Hencecthe need to ensure the p r o t e c t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n s , because the v i o l a t i o n s of t h e i r himian r i g h t s would not stop u n t i l the o c c u p a t i o n ended, the I s r a e l i f o r c e s withdrew and the c u r r e n t n e g o t i a t i o n s a c h i e v e d t h e i r g o a l . It was incumbent upon the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community to promote c o n f i d e n c e i n the peace i n i t i a t i v e s and to p r e v a i l upon I s r a e l to cease i t s i l l e g a l p r a c t i c e s and the r e p r e s s i o n i n the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , i n v i o l a t i o n of the commitments i t had e n t e r e d i n t o by a d h e r i n g to the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and the 1949 Geneva Conventions. The f i r s t a r t i c l e of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention c l e a r l y l a i d down the o b l i g a t i o n on a l l S t a t e s p a r t i e s to ensure compliance w i t h t h a t instrument's p r o v i s i o n s . The p o l i c y of e s t a b l i s h i n g s e t t l e m e n t s i n

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the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s , w i t h i t s r n d i c a l impact on the demographic c o m p o s i t i o n of those t e r r i t o r i e s , was the most f l a g r a n t human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n committed by I s r a e l and had been r e p e a t e d l y condemned by the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community, and by the Commission i n p a r t i c u l a r , which had d e s c r i b e d the s e t t l e m e n t of Jewish and other immigrants i n the o c c u p i e d Arab and P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s as an i l l e g a l a c t i o n . Yet I s r a e l s t a t e d t h a t i t would pursue that p o l i c y , an approach that might w e l l b r i n g the march towards peace to an abrupt halt. 43. The d e p o r t a t i o n s c a r r i e d out by I s r a e l c o n s t i t u t e d grave v i o l a t i o n s of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention and had been denounced by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l at the v e r y time when the peace e f f o r t s were b e i n g pursued i n Washington. For i t s p a r t , Egypt r e i t e r a t e d i t s support f o r S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l r e s o l u t i o n 726 (1992), adopted unanimously on 6 January 1992 f o l l o w i n g the d e p o r t a t i o n by I s r a e l of 12 P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n s from the o c c u p i e d P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s ; the C o u n c i l had condemned the d e c i s i o n of I s r a e l to resume d e p o r t a t i o n s , r e a f f i r m e d the a p p l i c a b i l i t y of the F o u r t h Geneva Convention to a l l the P a l e s t i n i a n t e r r i t o r i e s occupied s i n c e 1967, i n c l u d i n g Jerusalem, and r e q u e s t e d I s r a e l to r e f r a i n from d e p o r t i n g any P a l e s t i n i a n c i v i l i a n from the o c c u p i e d t e r r i t o r i e s and to ensure the s a f e and immediate r e t u r n of a l l those d e p o r t e d . 44. I s r a e l must prove i t s good w i l l i n the c u r r e n t n e g o t i a t i o n s , i n p a r t i c u l a r by p u t t i n g an end to the e s t a b l i s h m e n t of new s e t t l m e n t s , and must implement the r e l e v a n t r e s o l u t i o n s of the General Assembly, the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l and the Commission on Human R i g h t s . For i t s p a r t , the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community must do e v e r y t h i n g i t c o u l d to compel I s r a e l to respond to the M i d d l e E a s t peace i n i t i a t i v e , the s o l e hope of e n s u r i n g peace and s t a b i l i t y i n the r e g i o n . Egypt took the o p p o r t u n i t y to express i t s g r a t i t u d e to the P a l e s t i n i a n s f o r having understood the importance of the peace i n i t i a t i v e s and f o r h a v i n g shown f l e x i b i l i t y from the o u t s e t of n e g o t i a t i o n s , a p o s i t i o n they must m a i n t a i n u n t i l the o b j e c t i v e s were a t t a i n e d , namely, the withdrawal of I s r a e l and the r e c o g n i t i o n of the P a l e s t i n i a n people's r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 45. L a s t l y , he drew the Commission's a t t e n t i o n to the human r i g h t s abuses committed by the I s r a e l i a u t h o r i t i e s i n southern Lebanon and the S y r i a n Golan. The i n t e r n a t i o n a l community must compel I s r a e l to r e s p e c t i t s d e c i s i o n s and the r e s o l u t i o n s of the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l , i n p a r t i c u l a r r e s o l u t i o n 425 (1978), and he c a l l e d upon the Commission to take a f i r m stance i n that r e g a r d . 46. Mr. van WALT (Pax C h r i s t i I n t e r n a t i o n a l ) , t a k i n g the f l o o r on agenda item 9, s a i d that h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n was a g a i n r a i s i n g the q u e s t i o n of the r i g h t of peoples to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n because r e c e n t events and unresolved s i t u a t i o n s had underscored the fundamental nature of t h a t r i g h t a s a p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r t h e e n j o y m e n t o f o t h e r human r i g h t s a n d f r e e d o m s . The r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was p a r t i c u l a r l y important w h e r e a b u s e s w e r e t h e consequence of f o r e i g n o c c u p a t i o n , c o l o n i a l o r a l i e n d o m i n a t i o n o r a n y o t h e r f o r m of s u b j u g a t i o n . Many p e r s o n s w e r e a r r e s t e d , imprisoned a n d t o r t u r e d a n d groups were p e r s e c u t e d by those i n power s o l e l y because they sought to r e a l i z e f o r t h e i r people the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n , e n s h r i n e d i n A r t i c l e 1 of the C h a r t e r of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s and r e i n f o r c e d by the I n t e r n a t i o n a l Covenants on Human R i g h t s .

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47. Pax C h r i s t i I n t e r n a t i o n a l wished to r e f e r i n p a r t i c u l a r to the s i t u a t i o n i n E a s t Timor, where people were imprisoned o r even k i l l e d because they had c a l l e d f o r an end to the o c c u p a t i o n of t h e i r t e r r i t o r y , and to the s i t u a t i o n i n the t e r r i t o r i e s o c c u p i e d by I s r a e l , where P a l e s t i n i a n s waging a s t r u g g l e f o r s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n were denied t h e i r b a s i c r i g h t s . In Western Sahara, human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s were d i r e c t l y l i n k e d to the d e n i a l of the r i g h t of the Sahrawi people to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The s u f f e r i n g of the people of B o u g a i n v i l l e was a d i r e c t consequence of the c o n t i n u e d b l o c k a d e of the i s l a n d by Papua New Guinea, which was a l s o a t t e m p t i n g to prevent B o u g a i n v i l l e from e x e r c i s i n g i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . L a s t l y , the Kurds were b e i n g oppressed because they r e f u s e d to submit e n t i r e l y to a l i e n domination. 48. The q u e s t i o n of the v i o l a t i o n of the r i g h t s of the T i b e t a n s would undoubtedly be examined i n d e t a i l a t the c u r r e n t s e s s i o n , a t l e a s t 15 non-governmental o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g Pax C h r i s t i I n t e r n a t i o n a l , having submitted d e t a i l e d i n f o r m a t i o n to the S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l i n response to r e s o l u t i o n 1991/10 of the Sub-Commission on P r e v e n t i o n o f D i s c r i m i n a t i o n and P r o t e c t i o n of M i n o r i t i e s . The gross v i o l a t i o n s of human r i g h t s i n T i b e t were t y p i c a l of a s i t u a t i o n which c o u l d not be addressed without a l s o r a i s i n g the q u e s t i o n of China's v i o l a t i o n of the T i b e t a n people's r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . T i b e t had been under i l l e g a l o c c u p a t i o n f o r more than 40 y e a r s . I t had been an independent c o u n t r y p r i o r to i t s i n v a s i o n by China i n 1949-1950. D e s p i t e i t s c l a i m s to the c o n t r a r y , China kept a t l e a s t 300,000 troops on the T i b e t a n p l a t e a u to m a i n t a i n c o n t r o l of the region. I t had sent or encouraged m i l l i o n s of Chinese to s e t t l e t h e r e as p a r t of an e f f o r t to change the demographic c o m p o s i t i o n of the c o u n t r y and to annex T i b e t e n t i r e l y and a s s i m i l a t e i t s p o p u l a t i o n . That p o l i c y , as w e l l as the i n v a s i o n and o c c u p a t i o n , c o n s t i t u t e d f l a g r a n t v i o l a t i o n s of the T i b e t a n people's r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . T i b e t a n s were not o n l y b e i n g denied the r i g h t to determine t h e i r p o l i t i c a l s t a t u s and t h e i r c u l t u r a l , economic and s o c i a l developments; i f China's p o l i c i e s were s u c c e s s f u l , the T i b e t a n people would e f f e c t i v e l y be prevented from e x e r c i s i n g i t s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n i n the f u t u r e , and the T i b e t a n s would e v e n t u a l l y be m a r g i n a l i z e d and reduced to a m i n o r i t y i n t h e i r own c o u n t r y . 49. The d i s t r e s s i n g r e p o r t s of t o r t u r e i n p r i s o n s , of demonstrators b e i n g shot and of i n t i m i d a t i o n and simimary e x e c u t i o n s made one f e e l a t times t h a t the i s s u e of s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was l e s s important than h e l p i n g the i n d i v i d u a l v i c t i m s of those abuses. Those persons endured such s u f f e r i n g because of t h e i r courage and t h e i r d e t e r m i n a t i o n to r e s i s t s u b j u g a t i o n o r o c c u p a t i o n , m a i n t a i n t h e i r c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y , oppose d i s c r i m i n a t i o n and save t h e i r people from e x t i n c t i o n . They were human beings who b e l i e v e d i n the r i g h t to choose t h e i r own d e s t i n y , who r e f u s e d to be mere pawns i n p o l i t i c a l a m b i t i o n s of the o p p r e s s o r s and who, l i k e so many o t h e r s around the w o r l d , were the v i c t i m s of human r i g h t s abuses simply because they were c u l t u r a l l y , e t h n i c a l l y or l i n g u i s t i c a l l y d i s t i n c t and because they r e f u s e d to be h u m i l i a t e d and subjugated as a people. Thus, the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was not j u s t a fundamental r i g h t of peoples but was i n s e p a r a b l e from b a s i c human r i g h t s . 50. S e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n d i d not n e c e s s a r i l y l e a d to t o t a l independence. The more s a t i s f i e d a people was w i t h i t s s i t u a t i o n , the l e s s i t f e l t the need to s e p a r a t e from a l a r g e r S t a t e e n t i t y . But f o r c e d p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n another people's S t a t e and o p p r e s s i o n of one people by another were p r e s c r i p t i o n s f o r

E/CN.4/1992/SR.A page 15

s e p a r a t i o n , extremism, i n s t a b i l i t y , and hence, v i o l e n c e and human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s , even i f o p p r e s s i o n and f o r c e d i n t e g r a t i o n i n S t a t e s t r u c t u r e s gave an appearance of s t a b i l i t y . 51. Pax C h r i s t i I n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n s i d e r e d t h a t , at the v e r y l e a s t , i t was n e c e s s a r y to r e c o g n i z e t h a t showing concern f o r human r i g h t s v i o l a t i o n s was of l i m i t e d e f f e c t i v e n e s s when the cause of those v i o l a t i o n s l a y i n the d e n i a l of a p e o p l e ' s r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 52. Mr. SEMICHI (Observer f o r A l g e r i a ) , s p e a k i n g i n e x e r c i s e of the r i g h t of r e p l y , r e f e r r e d to the statement made a t the 3rd meeting by the r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of A u s t r a l i a , who had e x p l a i n e d , a f t e r a f a s h i o n , the s i t u a t i o n p r e v a i l i n g i n Algeria. C l e a r l y , the r e f e r e n c e by the A u s t r a l i a n d e l e g a t i o n to what i t had termed the i n t e r r u p t i o n of the e l e c t o r a l process i n A l g e r i a committed t h a t country alone and r e s p r e s e n t e d i t s s i m p l i s t i c assessment of a h i g h l y complex situation. The A u s t r a l i a n d e l e g a t i o n ' s remark about a s e t - b a c k i n the g e n e r a l trend towards c o n s o l i d a t i n g the democratic p r o c e s s i n the w o r l d was a r e g r e t t a b l e g e n e r a l i z a t i o n t h a t d e p i c t e d A l g e r i a as one of the few c o u n t r i e s to have drawn a t t e n t i o n to i t s e l f by i n t e r r u p t i n g an e l e c t o r a l process that was growing i n s t r e n g t h ever)rwhere e l s e . 53. His d e l e g a t i o n took the o p p o r t u n i t y to r e a f f i r m A l g e r i a ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n to b r i n g to a s u c c e s s f u l c o n c l u s i o n the d e m o c r a t i c process upon which i t had embarked of i t s own v o l i t i o n , i n keeping w i t h i t s n o t i o n of democratic i d e a l s and i n c o n f o r m i t y w i t h the commitment entered i n t o w i t h r e g a r d to the A l g e r i a n people and the o b l i g a t i o n s c o n t r a c t e d vis-à-vis the i n t e r n a t i o n a l community by v i r t u e of instrimients to which i t had chosen to adhere. The A u s t r a l i a n d e l e g a t i o n c o u l d r e s t a s s u r e d t h a t the democratic process would take p l a c e when A l g e r i a judged i t to be opportune, and r e g a r d l e s s of any agenda that anyone might attempt to impose upon i t . 54. Ms. SANCHEZ ( L a t i n American F e d e r a t i o n of A s s o c i a t i o n s of R e l a t i v e s of Disappeared Detainees - FEDEFAM) s a i d that the r i g h t to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n must be taken to mean the r i g h t of a people f r e e l y to determine i t s p o l i t i c a l s t a t u s and to pursue as i t saw f i t i t s economic, s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l development i n the e x e r c i s e of i t s l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t s ; i n o t h e r words, s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n c o n s t i t u t e d a p r e r e q u i s i t e f o r the e x e r c i s e of a l l human r i g h t s and was p a r t of the U n i t e d N a t i o n s i d e a l of u n i v e r s a l peace. For t h a t reason, FEDEFAM had r e p e a t e d l y drawn the Commission's a t t e n t i o n to the f a t e of the Kurds, made up of more than 25 m i l l i o n persons s c a t t e r e d over Turkey, I r a q , I r a n and S y r i a , who were the v i c t i m s of c o n f r o n t a t i o n s between c o l o n i a l i s t S t a t e s and the v i c i s s i t u d e s of h i s t o r y . 55. Since the s i g n i n g of the T r e a t y of Lausanne i n 1923, which had superseded the T r e a t y of Sèvres of 1920 r e c o g n i z i n g the Kurds' r i g h t to an independent S t a t e , the K u r d i s h people had been s u b j e c t e d to o p p r e s s i o n , f o r c e d a s s i m i l a t i o n and mass d i s p l a c e m e n t s . In I r a q , where they continued to s u f f e r the consequences of the Gulf war, the Kurds f a c e d famine and c o l d , and K u r d i s h refugees had been bombed by T u r k i s h planesThe s i t u a t i o n of the Kurds i n Turkey was e q u a l l y d r a m a t i c : on 6 August 1990, Turkey had suspended a p p l i c a t i o n of the European Convention on Human R i g h t s i n the 13 K u r d i s h p r o v i n c e s , where a s t a t e of emergency had been p r o c l a i m e d . Taking advantage of the Gulf c r i s i s and war, the T u r k i s h Government had i n t e n s i f i e d i t s p o l i c y

E/CN.A/1992/SR.4 page 16

of d i s p l a c i n g the K u r d i s h p o p u l a t i o n s , whose r i g h t s were c o n s t a n t l y v i o l a t e d , and was p u r s u i n g a p o l i c y of s y s t e m a t i c a l l y d e s t r o y i n g the K u r d i s h g u e r r i l l a movement, a f a c t which had been r e p o r t e d i n Le Monde of 26-27 January 1992. In March 1991, the K u r d i s h n a t i o n a l movement had d e c l a r e d i t s r e a d i n e s s to i n i t i a t e a d i a l o g u e w i t h the T u r k i s h Government on a p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n to the K u r d i s h problem, but the T u r k i s h Government had not responded to t h a t proposal. A l t h o u g h the new Government had d e c l a r e d t h a t i t r e c o g n i z e d the K u r d i s h r e a l i t y , the T u r k i s h army had been bombarding the mountains i n the south-east s i n c e 7 January 1992, and on 23 January the M i n i s t e r of the I n t e r i o r , c o n f i r m i n g a l a r g e - s c a l e t r a n s f e r to K u r d i s t a n of m i l i t a r y u n i t s and equipment, had s a i d t h a t the q u e s t i o n of the south-east would be s e t t l e d by the s e c u r i t y f o r c e s . C l e a r l y , there would be no peace i n the r e g i o n u n t i l a p o l i t i c a l s o l u t i o n had been found to the problems of the K u r d i s h people. FEDEFAM t h e r e f o r e c a l l e d upon the Commission to do e v e r y t h i n g i n i t s power to ensure that the l e g i t i m a t e r i g h t of the K u r d i s h people to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was f i n a l l y r e c o g n i z e d so t h a t i t c o u l d l i v e i n peace on i t s own t e r r i t o r y . 56. FEDEFAM a l s o drew the Commission's a t t e n t i o n to the s i t u a t i o n i n Western Sahara and to the o b s t a c l e s c u r r e n t l y impeding the l e g i t i m a t e a s p i r a t i o n of the Sahrawi people to s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n . The hopes of the Sahrawis t h a t t h e i r s u f f e r i n g would f i n a l l y end and that peace would be r e s t o r e d to the r e g i o n had been s h a t t e r e d a t the b e g i n n i n g of January 1992, p r e c i s e l y when the referendum on s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n was to have been h e l d , by the mass a r r e s t s of Sahrawis, i n which new c o n t i n g e n t s of the Moroccan s e c u r i t y s e r v i c e s r e c e n t l y sent from Rabat had taken p a r t . The new p r i s o n e r s , e s t i m a t e d a t more than 300 - the m a j o r i t y of them young people, had s w e l l e d the ranks of the 800 persons d e t a i n e d s i n c e the end of 1975 who had s t i l l not been r e l e a s e d , d e s p i t e the s t i p u l a t i o n s i n the peace p l a n . The developments had come about a t a time when c o n d i t i o n s of s e c u r i t y and l i b e r t y should have e x i s t e d to ensure the referendimi's c r e d i b i l i t y . U n i t e d N a t i o n s o f f i c i a l s had a l r e a d y been present and t h e i r s p e c i f i c m i s s i o n was to see to i t t h a t the referendimi took p l a c e smoothly. 57. FEDEFAM, which had asked to be an o b s e r v e r a t the referendimi, was more convinced than ever of the need f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l o b s e r v e r s to be present i n Western Sahara and c a l l e d upon the Commission to urge Morocco to comply s t r i c t l y w i t h the p l a n adopted by the S e c u r i t y C o u n c i l i n r e s o l u t i o n s 658 (1990) and 690 (1991) and to r e l e a s e a l l Sahrawi p r i s o n e r s who had disappeared.

The meeting rose a t 5.20

p.m