The Sub-Commission concluded its debate today under Item 5, discrimination. Hot weather has returned to Geneva, with temperatures today hovering around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius). Local press coverage during the weekend noted the Sub-Commission's discussions under item 2, mentioning the role Minnesota Advocates played in helping to revitalize the debate.
It was interesting to hear the representative from the Provisional Government in Iraq take the floor for the first time today, to talk generally about the human rights of minorities in the new Iraq. The speaker, a young woman in Islamic dress, noted that it was no secret how the rights of minorities had been violated during the last three decades of Iraqi rule. She said the new Iraqi government was committed to full respect of human rights, and full inclusion of all minority groups in the governance of the country. She quoted the sections of the new Iraqi Constitution which specifically protect the rights of minorities, and encouraged the international community at large to assist the new Iraq in making their goals a reality.
In a more bizarre oral statement, the Government of Sudan also spoke during the debate, to explain that despite what we may have heard, the situation of minorities in Sudan is peaceful and stable, and provides a model for other states to follow.
A copy of the speaker's statement was made available in English in the room, so we could all confirm that we heard his statement accurately. It says in part: "We in Sudan, we are proud to have set a good and unique example as far as alien ethnic minorities from different religions and cultural background are concerned. ... As you may be aware, more than 6 million Sudanese people of African descent have peacefully lived and co-existed within the Sudanese social fabric, other hundreds of thousands from Greece, Egypt, Yemen and India enjoy full citizenship and never have they been subject to human rights violations or have they been victims of racial discrimination. Other countries can draw from this Sudanese unique example."
Mrs. Hampson introduced an interesting paper describing a new, emerging problem, associated with the disappearance of certain island territories due to environmental reasons. The people who live on those islands will soon have to move, without any citizenship rights to new territories. Several experts thanked Mrs. Hampson for her paper and encouraged her to look further into this phenomenon in a paper next year.
Several comments were also received on Mr. Yokota's paper on discrimination due to work and descent (e.g., caste discrimination). Several members endorsed the idea that this topic would now become a fully three year study, with the appointment of a special rapporteur. But at least one member (Mr. Alfonso Martinez from Cuba), and the Government of India appeared to be opposed to the idea of a full study. India even claimed that a study on this topic would be outside the mandate of the Sub-Commission.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, the Sub-Commission will take up item 4 of its agenda, on economic, social and cultural rights. There are eight papers and studies under this item that will be presented, as well as the report of the working group on transnational corporations.