FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NGOs Urge UN Member States to Grant Accreditation to Chinese and Tibetan Human Rights Organisations to World Conference Against Racism
17 May, 2001: Asia-Pacific and international NGOs are urging all member states attending the Second Preparatory Committee of the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) to allow participation to the Conference of: Human Rights in China (HRIC), International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD).
The Chinese government is opposing participation of these three human rights organisations to the WCAR. Final decision will be made by the Second Preparatory Committee that begins on Monday, May 21, 2001 in Geneva.
In a petition adopted as a resolution at the Asia-Pacific Network Meeting held on 27-29 April in Kathmandu (Nepal) in connection with the World Conference Against Racism, over 180 Asia-Pacific NGOs advocated participation to the Conference by HRIC, ICT and TCHRD and stated, “We strongly believe that all their activities are in accordance with the fundamental human rights principles put forward by the United Nations, including in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
Their work has made an invaluable contribution to a better understanding of the human rights situation in the People’s Republic of China and Tibet, including the situations leading to various forms of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance. From a procedural standpoint as well as from a substantive aspect, their applications are strong ones.”
In an open letter, international NGOs in consultative status with the United Nations also urged governments to allow unrestrained NGO participation to the World Conference Against Racism. “Discriminating against NGOs solely because they monitor the human rights situation in China and Tibet is unjustified and unacceptable. If all states blocked the participation of NGOs that examine their own human rights situations, no genuine NGO would attend the Conference. The extensive forms of discriminatory practices occurring worldwide would then fail to be addressed. As a matter of principle, we urge all governments to agree by consensus to accredit HRIC, ICT and TCHRD to the Conference against Racism,” said Sidiki Kaba of Senegal, the President of FIDH (International Federation of Human Rights), a signatory of the open letter.
The open letter has been endorsed by the following NGOs: International Federation of Human Rights, International Council of Jewish Women, Australian Council for Overseas Aid, South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre, Franciscans International, Movement Against Racism and for Friendship Among Peoples, Transnational Radical Party, Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace, Penal Reform International, Interfaith International, Saami Council, Reporters Sans Frontières, Robert F. Kennedy Memorial, Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture-Fédération Internationale, Human Rights Watch and International Centre for Human Rights & Democratic Development.
Currently more than 370 NGOs who do not hold consultative status with the United Nations have been accredited to the World Conference which will take place in Durban, South Africa, from August 31 to September 1 this year.
For more information:
HRIC Hong Kong: Sophia Woodman 852-2710-8021
HRIC New York: Xiao Qiang 1-212-239-2017
ICT-Washington: John Ackerly 1-202-785-1515
ICT-Amsterdam: Tsering Jampa 31-20-330-8265
TCHRD: Lobsang Nyandak – 91-1892-23363