It was another beautiful day in Geneva, sunny and temperature in the mid-70's. Across town the new round of talks with the World Trade Organisation were taking place. Threats of large protest crowds of anti-globalization and anti-trade enthusiasts have so far not materialized, but security is a little heightened throughout the town.
There is also construction going on at the entrance to the door 40 gate to the U.N. Apparently this a new UN security building which will serve in the future as a more secure location for the issuance of credentials for all UN meetings. Parking and other tightened restrictions go in place next week, the first of August. NGO participants who have cars will no longer be permitted to park their vehicle within the Palais des Nations and taxis will not be permitted to come inside the UN gates to pick up passengers. Both changes have been a subject of concern by NGO participants at the Sub-Commission, especially those who have disabled status and who find it difficult to walk.
Discussion under item 2 of the agenda got underway this afternoon. Item 2 of the Sub-Commission's agenda focusses on human rights violations in country situations anywhere in the world. We signed up to speak yesterday and were called upon today, as the 22nd of 28 NGO speakers who spoke today. Penny Parker presented this statement on behalf of Minnesota Advocates. A copy has been added to the speeches page of this site. The speech evaluates the item 2 debate process itself and calls for actions to improve the process and timeliness of the Sub-Commission's work.
The speech was well received by those in attendance. Numerous requests were made for additional copies afterwards and at least two experts on the Sub-Commission indicated that they would like to take up the subjects addressed in the speech in their general discussion under this agenda item. We also had reserved a meeting room for Thursday, to hold a general NGO discussion during the lunch period on the ideas presented in the speech. Many people indicated they will come, including several Sub-Commission experts.
The Sub-Commission has decided to change the order of the remaining agenda items on its schedule considerably. The order will now be 1, 2, 5, 4, 6, 3, 7. This means that Barb Frey's paper under item 6 will probably come up towards the end of next week, and item 3, administration of justice, will not come up until the beginning of the third week.