HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL DISCUSSES REPORTS ON INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS, TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE, AND MINORITY ISSUES

The Human Rights Council this morning held an interactive discussion on the reports of the Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the prevention of genocide, and the Independent Expert on Minority Issues.

Gay McDougall, the Independent Expert on minority issues, presenting her report, said she had continued her work to promote implementation of the Declaration of the Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, having undertaken new thematic work, notably in the context of the Forum on Minority Issues which focused on minorities and the right to education. Additionally, she had conducted two country visits to Guyana and Greece. She had given a high priority to the issues of minority women in her work, and reached out to women who too often lacked a voice, or an audience to hear it. Those voices and information that she had received consistently revealed that women belonging to minorities experienced unique challenges.

The Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons, Walter Kalin; the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Joy Ngozi Ezeilo; and the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the prevention of genocide, Francis Deng presented their reports at the previous meeting. (See press release HRC/09/21 of 12 March)

In the interactive discussion on the reports, among other things, speakers, said it was disturbing to note that more than 26 million people were presently internally displaced as a result of armed conflict or other violence in more than 50 countries. States had the primary duty and responsibility to prevent internal displacement, to protect and assist the displaced, and to provide them with durable solutions. Internally displaced persons should have a right to return to their domicile in dignity. Resolving internal displacement was inextricably linked with the achievement of lasting peace and the protection of internally displaced persons should constitute a part of peace agreements.

Trafficking in persons was a serious challenge to humanity and there was a clear need to increase international efforts with a high level of collaboration and coordination between States to combat it more systematically and effectively. It was hoped that the criminalization of human trafficking would put an end to the phenomenon as well as all the efforts in the fight against poverty. This was a transnational threat which the international community should join together to address with effective countermeasures. The deeper reasons should be eradicated: the sex industry, cheap labour, and low living standards in countries of origin.

The crime of genocide, as one of the most serious crimes, should be considered in the context of the Convention against Genocide, and it was dangerous to speculate on it from political perspectives, as this debased it, speakers said. The principles of the prevention of genocide and responsibility to protect were the key principles that lay at the core of this joint struggle and the United Nations system could demonstrate its ability to act on time in preventing crimes against humanity. The prevention of genocide could only be ensured by making the correct assessment of signs of a grave escalation. It was imperative to distinguish subjective considerations from those situations which did carry objective and concrete elements of the crime of genocide.

Minorities as a vulnerable group could be particularly exposed to ethnically motivated violence and scapegoating for economic problems facing societies given the current global economic crisis. At such times it was particularly important to ensure the delicate balance between full respect for the rights of persons belonging to minorities and their full inclusion in the life of society. The education of minorities was the main means to reduce poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Speaking as concerned countries were the representatives of Georgia, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Sudan, Greece and Guyana.

Also speaking this morning were the representatives of Argentina, Egypt, Yemen on behalf of the Arab Group, Nigeria, Chile, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic on behalf of the European Union, Costa Rica, Philippines, Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Russian Federation, Norway, Iraq, Thailand, Azerbaijan, Timor-Leste, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Australia, Belarus, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Bangladesh, Spain, Rwanda, African Union, China, United Kingdom, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Colombia, Armenia, Sudan, Tanzania, Turkey, Latvia, Canada, Austria, United States, Switzerland and the Republic of Korea.

The interactive debate will continue at 3 p.m. this afternoon. From 4 p.m., the Council will convene in closed meeting to discuss issues raised under the complaints procedure.


Documents on Minority Issues

The Council has before it the report of the Independent Expert on minority issues, Gay McDougall (A/HRC/10/11 and Adds.1-3), which provides a summary of activities by the Special Rapporteur since her last report including to promote the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Minorities, including country visits; to apply a gender perspective; to cooperate with other United Nations bodies and regional organizations, such as the United Nations Development Programme; and to take into account the views of non-governmental organizations. In a final section the report provides details of the inaugural Forum on Minority Issues and thematic recommendations of the Forum.

Addendum one contains the recommendations of the Forum on Minority Issues, with a particular focus on education. Among others, with regard to the learning environment, it is recommended that teacher training, including training of teachers from minority communities, should include anti-discrimination, gender sensitive and intercultural training.

Addendum two, a report of the Independent Expert’s mission to Guyana, is not available.

A third addendum, containing the report of the Independent Expert’s visit to Greece from 8 to 16 September 2008, notes that Greece recognizes only one minority, the Muslim religious minority in Western Thrace, and is convinced that the claims of the existence of other minorities are unsubstantiated and politically motivated. The Special Rapporteur notes that whether a State officially recognizes a minority is not conclusive with respect to its obligations toward minority populations. The Independent Expert urges Greece to withdraw from the dispute over whether there is a Macedonian or a Turkish minority in Greece and focus on protecting the rights to self-identification, freedom of expression and freedom of association of those communities. Greece should also comply fully with the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights, specifically those decisions that associations should be allowed to use the words “Macedonian” and “Turkish” in their names and to express their ethnic identities freely. With regard to discrimination against Roma, despite commending an Integrated Action Programme on Roma, there are serious problems of implementation at the local level, particularly regarding living conditions and the segregation of Roma in certain public schools.

Presentation by the Independent Expert on Minority Issues

Gay McDougalL, Independent Expert on Minority Issues, presenting her report, said since her last report she had continued her work to promote implementation of the Declaration of the Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, having undertaken new thematic work, notably in the context of the Forum on Minority Issues which focused on minorities and the right to education. Additionally, she had conducted two country visits to Guyana and Greece. She had given a high priority to the issues of minority women in her work, and reached out to women who too often lacked a voice, or an audience to hear it. Those voices, and information that she had received consistently revealed that women belonging to minorities experienced unique challenges.

First, her mandate required her "to cooperate closely, while avoiding duplication, with existing relevant United Nations bodies, mandates, mechanisms and regional organisations", and she considered this to be a particularly important part of her mandate, to share information and strengthen understanding and capacity in regard to minority issues with these bodies and institutions. Second, she had consistently highlighted in her country-specific work the importance of ensuring that minorities were represented in elected bodies at the national and local levels and institutions including the police. Third, she placed a high priority on her engagement with NGOs from all regions and benefited greatly from the views and information provided by them in respect to all aspects of her work.

Ms. McDougall said she had undertaken a visit to Greece in September 2008. Greece only recognised one minority, the Muslim religious minority in Western Thrace, and did not recognise the Turkish ethnicity of some groups within the Muslim religious minority or the minority status of any other communities. The Government was convinced that claims to minority status by other groups were unsubstantiated and politically motivated. She urged the Government of Greece to withdraw from the dispute over whether there was a Macedonian or a Turkish minority, and place its full focus on protecting the rights to self-identification, freedom of expression, and freedom of association of those communities. She would also like to commend the Government for the positive practices that it had adopted with respect to improving the quality of education available for the Muslim minority in Western Thrace. The Government's efforts to develop positive policies through the "Integrated Action Program on Roma" were also commended, however there were serious problems of implementation at the local level.

Ms. McDougall said she had conducted a visit to Guyana in summer 2008, during which she focused her attention on the relations between, and comparative situations of Afro-Guayanese and Indo-Guyanese. She recognised commendable steps on the part of the Government to date to address issues of ethnic tensions, criminal activities and economic underdevelopment that had plagued Guyana. However, she also witnessed evidence that tensions had deepened and transformed in some instances into despair, anger, and resistance, and this was particularly evident among Afro-Guyanese individuals and communities. The report described two separate and conflicting narratives and perceptions of reality that had emerged among Afro- and Indo-Guyanese, which threatened to undermine shared values and common goals that were essential to a united, prosperous Guyana. Further effective action was required urgently to restore confidence in good governance and the rule of law among all communities, and prevent further polarisation and possible violence. An open and constructive dialogue on inclusive governance remained an essential component of change.


Statements by Concerned Countries on Reports on Internally Displaced Persons, on Trafficking in Persons, on Genocide and on Minority Issues

GIORGI GORGILADZE (Georgia), speaking as a concerned country regarding humanitarian access, said that following Russia’s aggression and occupation of Georgian territories, the issues of humanitarian assistance to war-affected people and access to the occupied territories remained critical. It was unacceptable that the Russian Federation blocked the access of international humanitarian assistance, humanitarian actors as well as international organizations and observers to the conflict region from the South. Access of the humanitarian assistance in the occupied territories as well as international organizations, by entering the territory of Georgia from the North only, would be perceived and interpreted by Russia and proxy regimes as recognition and legitimization of independence of the above-mentioned territories.

Concerning internally displaced persons, Georgia said that the persons displaced by Russia’s military aggression and subsequent occupation of the Georgian territory in August 2008, should be officially granted the internally displaced persons status in spring 2009. As pointed out in the report, the Government had been continuing to treat them as internally displaced persons, providing all necessary aid and assistance. The Government also remained cautious that proper assistance and attention should be paid to internally displaced persons displaced in early 1990s. That was why the Government acknowledged the need to meet the new challenges along with the existing commitments towards all internally displaced persons in the territories falling under control of the Georgian authorities.

MALLOUM BAMANGA ABBAS (Chad), speaking as a concerned country on the report of the Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons, thanked and congratulated Mr. Walter Kalin for his mission to Chad, following the invitation by the authorities in Chad. In paragraph 7, the Secretary-General considered the internal peace process between the Chadian political actors was one way to stabilize populations. In this regard, the Chadian Government was not convinced that the inclusive dialogue was the answer for achieving peace in Chad. The experience of the recent past had demonstrated the contrary. Several conferences had taken place in the 1980s to facilitate the establishment of peace. Unfortunately, the agreements signed between the various protagonists were not applied. These agreements plunged the country into chaos due to non compliance with them by the politico-military, who wanted instead to take power in the country. This was the main reason that Chad had undertaken to ensure a democratic process in the 1990s.

It was unrealistic to advocate dialogue between the Government, civil society and the military, stressed Chad. The Government instead engaged in dialogue with legal opposition parties in 2007, which led to an agreement on 13 August 2007 with the support of the international community. There were rebel groups coming from Sudan who had been closely watched by the army. Chad called for support. With regard to the recommendations on the lack of infrastructure mentioned by Mr. Kalin, the Government of Chad was attempting to establish a sectoral programme to ensure that all social aspects were established in the country. In addition a seminar was also being organized by the Government with the help of its partners. With regard to the deficiencies mentioned by the Mr. Kalin, the Government remained determined to fulfil their obligation to address the issue of the internally displaced persons on its territory with the help of the international community.

SEBASTIEN MUTOMB MUJING (Democratic Republic of Congo), speaking as a concerned country, said genocide was a crime against humanity which required prevention from all States and freedom-loving people. The mandate of the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the prevention of genocide fit into this context. The Democratic Republic of Congo was made up of more than 450 ethnicities which had always lived in perfect harmony and without major violent incidents since the creation of the modern State. The facts reported by Mr. Deng did not exactly agree with the good reputation of the Congolese with regards to hospitality, nor with the true situation on the ground. It was notorious that some Congolese groups were victims of their hospitality, and the cyclic tribal conflicts occurring in some neighbouring countries had pushed ethnic groups to take refuge in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they had, unfortunately, continued their conflict.

The report of the Special Advisor contained inaccuracies and allegations which could compromise any exact understanding of the situation in North Kivu. The report, for example, noted ethnic conflicts in this area of the country, but did not say between which ethnic groups nor why. It also mentioned the illegal exploitation of mining. The report did not note that this was committed by armed groups in order to finance the war. Further, the Democratic Republic of Congo believed that the affirmation that the Government applied a policy of discrimination to certain ethnicities was unfounded. The Government had consistently made efforts to identify ways and means for peaceful coexistence between all ethnicities. Consequently, the risk of genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo was minimal. Taking into account the situation which had prevailed in the east of the country, and to contain any eventual danger, the Goma Peace Conference, initiated by the Government, had put in place a permanent framework of discussion and dialogue between the different communities, and the Nairobi Accords only reinforced this important mechanism.

JEMES KIHWAGA, (Kenya), speaking as a concerned country, said concerning activities of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on the prevention of genocide, that following the disputed presidential election results in December 2007, an unprecedented wave of violence erupted in several parts of the country. The violence quickly spread and was transformed into an ethnic conflict. The crisis had the potential of growing into a civil war as the two protagonist political parties hardened their positions. The crisis brought to the surface deep-seated undercurrents and divisions in Kenya that threatened the very existence of Kenya as a nation-state. The country was rapidly getting divided into ethno-regional blocks. It was at the height of these tensions and violence that the Special Adviser had visited the country.

Shortly after his visit on 28 February 2008, under the auspices of the African Union Panel of Eminent African Personalities chaired by Mr. Kofi Annan, the Party of National Unity and the Orange Democratic Party signed the Agreement on the Principles of Partnership of a Coalition Government. The Parties had agreed to enact the National Accord and Reconciliation Act 2008 and end the political crisis. The National Accord laid the foundation for power sharing, moving the country out of the crisis. The agreement identified four main agenda items: immediate action to stop the violence and restore fundamental rights and liberties; immediate measures to address the humanitarian crisis and promote reconciliation and healing; measures to overcome the political crisis; and to address long term issues, inter alia, legal reform, land reform, tackling youth unemployment, tackling poverty, addressing impunity.

OMER DAHAB FADOL MOHAMED (Sudan), speaking as a concerned country with regard to the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on the prevention of genocide, said time and again Sudan had explained to the Council and to all stakeholders that the root cause of the conflict in Darfur went back to the environmental degradation and climate change which affected and continued to affect seriously the Sub-Saharan region of Africa. This situation led to competition and conflict between sedentary and pastoralist tribes in Darfur over increasingly shrinking resources of land and water. In this connection, Sudan made reference to the statements of the United Nations Secretary-General and to the reports of the United Nations Environment Programme. Environmental degradation and climate change, part of which was man made or human induced, was aggravated by the illicit small arms trafficking by European and Israeli companies, a phenomenon characteristic of all African internal conflicts. So far, one of the genuine practical examples of foreign assistance Sudan received in Darfur was the drilling of hundreds of wells by the Chinese Government which effectively addressed the roots causes of the conflict.

Crying wolf by repeating the unfounded claim of genocide, as Mr. Ocampo, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, was meant to bring about a calculated political agenda in the same way the provision of small arms to the armed groups was meant. Sudan had painstakingly and repeatedly produced and reproduced conclusive evidence by independent sources, institutions and individuals, that what had unfolded in Darfur was not genocide. As for national, bilateral, regional and international efforts aimed at arriving at a lasting and durable settlement in Darfur, a multiplicity of efforts were continuously being invested.

FRANCISCOS VERROS (Greece), speaking as a concerned country on the report of the Independent Expert on minority issues, said Greece fully subscribed to the basic principle that the protection of minorities and the rights and freedoms of persons belonging to them formed an integral part of the international protection of human rights. The treatment of persons belonging to minorities should be based on international human rights and minority treaties, and not on mere policy choices linked to inter-State relations. The protection of the Muslim minority of Thrace was mainly based on the 1923 Lausanne treaty. Greece of course fully respected the right of every person to self-identity - however, such self-identification should be neither arbitrary nor at the expense of the right to self-identification of other groups. The Muslim minority of Thrace consisted of three distinct groups, those of Turkish, Pomak or Roma origin. Any attempt to identify the entire Muslim community in Thrace as Turkish was unacceptable, not only for political reasons, but also because it did not objectively reflect the actual composition of the whole minority.

In implementing the letter and spirit of the Lausanne Treaty, Greece had adopted a number of important positive measures in favour of the Muslim minority. On another footing, Greece did not recognise that a distinct ethnic or linguistic minority existed in Greece by the name "Macedonian", and the use of the term not only failed to respect the Hellenic cultural heritage and the identity of 2.5 million Greek Macedonians living there, but also threatened to create a serious confusion or even a potential clash over identities in the whole region. Of course, Greece fully respected the individual rights of those claiming to belong to a "Macedonian ethnic minority", including their freedom of association. References in the report to the name "Macedonian" to denote an ethnic "minority" living in the Greek region of Macedonia or a "language" spoken in the region should have been avoided. These references should not be interpreted as implying a determination that such a minority or language existed in Greece, but as claims emanating from the individuals concerned.

PATRICK I. GOMES (Guyana), speaking as a concerned country, expressed its displeasure and disappointment on the draft and revised draft report of the UN Independent Expert on minority issues resulting from her visit to Guyana in July 2008. Guyana emphasized that there was neither an understanding nor any indication that the Expert’s visit was intended to focus on any one ethnic group. Furthermore, there was no indication that the Independent Expert would be focusing on Afro-Guyanese, and the relations between Afro-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese as stated in the Draft Report. Guyana had no idea of the Independent Expert’s focus or area of interest. It was concerned about the scant regard and manner in which a Member State of the United Nations and signatory to five human rights treaties was treated. Guyana was not a divided society. If the Independent Expert spoke to individuals that had grievances, those grievances should be reported as individual opinions. The report gave the impression that Guyanese lived in an Apartheid-like situation which was definitely not the case. Guyana underlined that important posts in the military were held by Afro-Guyanese which was just one sign of the integration of this minority into Guyanese society.

Interactive Dialogue on Reports on Internally Displaced Persons, on Trafficking in Persons, on Genocide and on Minority Issues

MARIELA FOGANTE (Argentina) said the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention for the Prevention of Genocide had been the starting point for the significant development of norms and standards for the promotion and protection of human rights and for impunity of perpetrators in national and international courts. Despite this, the world still witnessed crimes being committed, in particular crimes of genocide. In addressing this problem it was important to ensure the participation of many actors. The Government of Argentina knew that there were a number of events that led to genocide, and several signs of alarm were present in order for the international community to take action in a reasonable amount of time. Argentina and Latin America had a lot to contribute as a result of their history.

Argentina organized on 10 December 2008 in Buenos Aries a conference under the auspice of the United Nations, keeping in mind the need to implement the recommendations of the Special Representative of Secretary-General on the prevention of genocide, and also looked at ways to come up with different standards and regional mechanisms in this context. Argentina stressed that the fight against impunity and the relationship between impunity and the prevention of genocide were central to the debate among States at the conference. Argentina also stressed that it was necessary to bring to trial those guilty of such crimes. Furthermore, Argentina said it would continue to work on organizing conferences such as this one between the periods of 2009-2010.

HEBA MOSTAFA (Egypt) said trafficking in persons was a serious challenge to humanity and there was a clear need to increase international efforts with a high level of collaboration and coordination between States to combat it more systematically and effectively. The conclusions and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur in her report were important and required careful consideration by all States. An effective means to combat trafficking in persons would require among other things enhanced information sharing between States through bilateral and multilateral cooperation and increased data collection capacities, awareness-raising, a global plan of action to combat trafficking, addressing the root causes of trafficking such as widespread poverty, conflicts and restrictive immigration policies. Egypt was ready to work with the Special Rapporteur in successfully carrying out her mandate and to cooperate with all concerned stakeholders to elaborate a global solution to this global challenge.

IBRAHIM SAIED MOHAMED AL-ADOOFI, (Yemen), speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, thanked the Special Rapporteurs for their reports. On the report on internally displaced persons, Yemen said that the report had reflected on the issue. The presence of 26 million internally displaced persons worldwide as a result of armed conflict and violence clearly showed the necessity of concerted action. Mr. Kalin had not referred to the real problems that led to internally displaced persons, as the negation of the right to self-determination and foreign interventions. The Arab Group was concerned about the Israeli intervention in Gaza. Mr. Kalin’s report did not in any way refer to the thousands of Syrian internally displaced persons. Regarding the report on human trafficking, the Arab Group noted that the victims did not usually cooperate with the authorities, often because of fear. The Arab Group expressed concern because it saw an increase of this phenomenon. It welcomed the criminalization of human trafficking and hoped that this would put an end to the phenomenon as well as all the efforts in the fight against poverty.

IFEANYI NWOSY (Nigeria) shared the views of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons Joy Ngozi Ezeilo that almost every country of the world was affected by trafficking either as a source, transit and or destination country for women, children and men trafficked for the purpose of sexual or labour exploitation. It was worrisome that about 80 per cent of transnational victims were women and girls and up to 50 per cent were minors. Nigeria was fully committed to the protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons especially women and children and had put in place mechanisms and programmes of action aimed at combating this ugly phenomenon. Nigeria remained ready to cooperate with the Special Rapporteur in her assignment. Nigeria endorsed her recommendations on trafficking in persons being a mostly cross-border phenomenon that required enhanced information sharing between and among States through bilateral and multilateral cooperation; and that States should consider urgent action to address the root causes of trafficking, among them on growing poverty, youth unemployment and gender inequalities.

XIMENA VERDUGO (Chile) said the very complete report of the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons was very interesting, and the Guiding Principles that had been presented 10 years ago, while not a binding legal instrument, did reflect and were consistent with international human rights and international humanitarian law, covering the specific needs of internally displaced persons around the world, containing rights and guarantees. Member States should use the application of the rights of internally displaced persons in the plans and policies aimed at protecting them. The increasing emphasis of the Representative on those displaced by natural disasters was supported, as the frequency and scope of natural disasters would increase with global warming. Governments should step up their efforts to prevent the risk of disasters and prepare for those that could take place. It was regretted that the number of internally displaced persons had not fallen over the last 10 years.

DRAGANA ANDELIC (Bosnia and Herzegovina) said regarding the rights of internally displaced persons that the special challenge for Bosnia and Herzegovina was that it had to face two equally important priorities that directly influenced the reform processes. These were the obligation of the total overtaking of responsibilities for implementation of the Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Accords from the international community institutions onto the authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, on the one hand, and realization of the scheduled strategic objectives on the other hand. The results achieved in the realization of the strategic objectives were undoubtedly exceptional. This was accompanied by establishment and organization of a transparent system that became a guarantee for equality of all refugees, displaced persons and returnees when talking about the access to assistance for return.

JANA REZNA (Czech Republic), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that Mr. Kalin was currently developing, together with the United Nations Mediation Support Unit, a manual for mediators to facilitate the inclusion of internally displaced persons and their interests in peace processes; and asked Mr. Kalin if could further elaborate on this? In September 2008, Mr. Kalin undertook a working visit to Sri Lanka as a follow-up to his mission in 2007, when he highlighted the need to find durable solutions for internally displaced persons who had been displaced for more than 20 years. What should be the priority measures to be taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in order to find adequate solutions for the problems of their long-term internally displaced persons; and what suggestions did he make to address the needs of the short term internally displaced persons caught up in the current military hostilities, asked the European Union.

The European Union said that the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons in her report mentioned her intention to develop an anti-trafficking model legislation that integrated a human rights perspective. The European Union asked if she had in mind how to base the model on existing best practices and how to incorporate existing differences in legislative systems worldwide?

EUGENIA RICA (Costa Rica) said with regards to the report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, it contained much important information, and the approach of the Special Rapporteur was welcomed. Costa Rica supported the idea set out on the treatment to be given of victims of trafficking and that they should not be considered illegal migrants and should not be deported. The Special Rapporteur could identify measures and practices illustrating solutions to deal with this issue, and help in applying all the principles. Costa Rica had decided to combat trafficking through its National Development Plan, making it one of the State's commitments. There was a Strategic Plan of Action for various Government and non-Government bodies to implement in this regard. There was also a fundamental element in terms of protection in which victims of trafficking were provided with special protection during the investigation of their situation and better alternatives for their future were identified.

GAGIK HOVHANNISYAN (Philippines) said that Mr. Kalin, the Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons, mentioned that the Philippines was among those with massive new displacements. The Philippines would like to know Mr. Kalin’s criteria for “massive” in as much as the present internally displaced persons situation in the Philippines did not compare to the time of Mr. Deng’s visit, Mr. Kalin’s predecessor. The Philippine Government assumed not just primary responsibility, but full responsibility in responding to situations of displacements whether natural or man-made. As a country prone to natural disasters, including the biggest volcanic eruption of the century, the Philippines took pride in the capability of its National Disaster Coordinating Council in responding to natural or man-made disasters and emergencies and in providing comprehensive assistance from the humanitarian phase to the recovery phase.

MARGHOOB SALEEM BUTT (Pakistan), speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, thanked the Special Rapporteur on internally displaced persons for his report. It was disturbing to note that more than 26 million people were presently internally displaced as a result of armed conflict or other violence in more than 50 countries. The Organization of the Islamic Conference remained cognizant of the fact that the majority of internally displaced persons were nationals of the State in which they found themselves. As such, they were entitled to the full protection of national law and the rights it granted, without any adverse distinction resulting from the fact of their displacement. States had the primary duty and responsibility to prevent internal displacement, to protect and assist the displaced, and to provide them with durable solutions. On the issue of trafficking in persons, especially women and children, the Organization of the Islamic Conference noted with appreciation the report presented by Ms. Ezeilo, which analysed the issue of trafficking from international, as well as regional and national perspectives.

DIMA SAMODRA (Indonesia) said given the location of the Indonesian archipelago, it was one of the most seismically active zones in the world, and was often subject to a range of natural disasters. Indonesia thus fully appreciated the importance of international cooperation and assistance when these struck, and believed a more effective funding mechanism should be created to bridge the gap between funding for emergency phases in the case of natural disaster, and funding for the development phase. Indonesia had adopted various relevant laws on migrants, and established a Task Force with the mandate to coordinate efforts to prevent and deal with cases of trafficking in persons, to undertake advocacy, dissemination, training and cooperation at national and international levels, to monitor the protection of victims through rehabilitation, arrival and social reintegration, to monitor law enforcement, and to report and evaluate. The Special Rapporteur should further elucidate her intention to pay particular attention to human rights violations in the situation of trafficking.

AKIO ISOMATA (Japan) said regarding human trafficking that this was a serious crime involving a grave violation of human rights and human dignity. With the continued advance of globalization and the widening of economic disparities, human trafficking had become a transnational threat that the international community must join together to address with effective countermeasures. To prevent and eradicate human trafficking as well as to ensure victims’ continuous protection, including the reintegration into society, it was essential that both countries of destination and countries of origin closely cooperated with each other. This far, the Japanese Government had dispatched inter-ministerial delegations to 14 countries of origin to discuss trafficking issues. The delegations held meetings with the Governments, relevant international organizations and non-governmental organizations in those countries.

KHALID J. AL-THANI (Qatar) expressed thanks to the Special Rapporteur for her excellent report on activities to combat trafficking. The phenomenon was global and transnational. This phenomenon posed security, social, economic and political threats and enhanced international cooperation was needed to fight it. With regard to legislative and awareness raising efforts, the Government had adopted a law in 2004 that criminalized acts of sexual exploitation and procurement. Qatar had also ratified the International Labour Convention with respect to forced labour, and was looking into joining the Palermo Protocol. In 2009 concerning the entry and exit of foreign workers, the Government provided for persons to be sponsored, and even in some cases had increased the rights of those sponsored. The Government was currently engaged in a study on trafficking in persons. Qatar noted the essential role the Qatar Anti-Trafficking Institute played in this context, which now had full authority to act. Qatar also noted the visit by the Special Rapporteur in November 2006, and said that she had noted in her report the full support she received in this regard from the Government of Qatar. Qatar would spare no effort in combating trafficking in all forms, and stressed that they had the full political will and the atmosphere in the country to continue to promote human rights.

VLADIMIR YAKOVLEV (Russian Federation) said there should be a global plan of action to combat the phenomenon of trafficking. The deeper reasons should be eradicated: the sex industry, cheap labour, and low living standards in countries of origin. The crime of genocide, as one of the most serious crimes, should be considered in the context of the Convention against Genocide, and it was dangerous to speculate on it from political perspectives, as this debased it. What should be done to prevent resurrection of an ideology which justified genocide, the Russian Federation asked. With regards to the growing numbers of internally displaced persons, the Guiding Principles were not considered an international document, as there had not been sufficient consultation. Internally displaced persons should have a right to return to their domicile while ensuring their dignity. The large number of internally displaced persons in Georgia was the fault of that nation - Russia had done its best to protect the peaceful civilian population, and was prepared to further interact with the international community on this issue. The right to citizenship was a basic human right, and its deprivation was used in some countries to control minorities, and this was a problem, as it was a gross violation of human rights standards.

SVEIN MICHELSEN (Norway) said that the report on human trafficking pointed to the fact that there was no clear indication of a decline in the exploitation of men, women and children in forced labour, prostitution and sale of organs. Five years after the entry into force of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, there was a need to establish a mechanism to review the implementation of those obligations. The recent Conference of the States Parties to the Convention decided to establish a Working Group with the mandate to consider such a mechanism. In this regard the provisions of the new Council of Europe Convention against trafficking and its group of experts on monitoring, called GRETA, might serve as an example of best practices. How could, in the view of the Special Rapporteur, her work be linked more closely to the efforts by the States parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as well as the Council of Europe?

FARIS AL-ANI (Iraq) thanked the Independent Expert on minority issues for her reports. Iraq had one of the most diversely religious and ethnic societies in the world. The people in the country had suffered enormously as a result of terrorist groups, which in this context favoured civil war. However, with the success of the rule of law, the Government of Iraq had been able to confront those challenges. The Special Rapporteur closely followed the violations of minority rights in Iraq. The region of Kurdistan had now become a safe haven for people fleeing to lead a normal life. There was now a feeling of citizenship in the country.

CHOMPOONUTE NAKORNTHAP (Thailand) said the lack of accurate and reliable data on trafficking, which was exacerbated by its clandestine nature, made it difficult to obtain a clear picture of the scope and scale of the problem. The data collection capability of States and information-sharing among States should be further strengthened and enhanced in order to combat trafficking at all levels. There was a need for national legal and policy frameworks to comprehensively address trafficking in persons: good legislation, however, was only a first step, it needed to be further coupled by effective implementation and enforcement, which required political will and adequate resources. Addressing the root causes of human trafficking would be the key to reaching a long-term and sustainable solution to the problem.

MAMMAD TALIBOV (Azerbaijan) said that Azerbaijan welcomed the efforts of the African Union to produce a Convention on internal displacement which, if adopted, would be the first internationally binding document on internally displaced persons. Such a document could contribute to the recognition of the Guiding Principles on internal displacement all over the world. Fully acknowledging its primary responsibility in addressing internally displaced persons related issues, the Government of Azerbaijan had strengthened its strides to improve housing and living condition of internally displaced persons. During the last several years, 61 settlements had been built for internally displaced persons. Only in 2008, $ 183 million had been allocated by the Government for this purpose. The issue of prevention of genocide was of special importance to Azerbaijan, whose population on several occasions in the course of the last century, most recently in the early nineties, had been subjected to the horrendous practice of ethnic cleansing that amounted to genocide. Particular attention should be paid to exploration of the occurrence of possible elements of the crime of genocide such as ethnic cleansing, forced displacement of population, etc.

JOAQUIM A.M.L. DA FONSECA (Timor-Leste) welcomed the report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons, and thanked him for his observations and recommendations. Timor-Leste informed the Council that between December 2008 when Mr. Kalin visited the country and today, several developments had occurred in connection to the voluntary return of internally displaced persons. Additional camps had been closed voluntarily, leaving only four camps, with approximately 1,371 families of internally displaced persons. The process was underway for the voluntary closure of those remaining camps before the second quarter of this year. The Government had also put in place new infrastructure projects, including in the internally displaced persons affected communities, both who had been affected in the past as well as those receiving the returning internally displaced persons. More social schemes had also been launched to address the necessities of vulnerable citizens, both within and outside the context of displacement.

INGIBJORD DAVIDSDOTTIR (Iceland) said trafficking was a massive global problem and one of the fastest growing criminal activities in the world, which the international community needed to combat in a comprehensive and concerted manner. In varying degrees and circumstances, men, women and children all over the world were victims of what had become a modern day slave trade. The magnitude of the problem was horrendous. The Icelandic Government was fully committed to doing its utmost to combat trafficking in human beings and to prevent and reduce gender-based violence, and a National Action Plan was currently being drafted to combat trafficking in human beings, and this would significantly reinforce coordination of actions by relevant agencies against trafficking, including measures to protect victims.

AMANDA M. GRUNDINSKAS (Israel) said that the Special Rapporteur had aptly stated that human trafficking was a grave violation of human rights, and as part of the Palermo Protocol, and Optional Protocol on the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Israel had undergone extensive legislative reform to eradicate such violations on its territory. Deterrents for perpetrators included extensive prison sentences for convictions, economic tools such as forfeiture funds, and the extraterritorial application of jurisdiction for Israeli citizens committing such crimes abroad. Israel said that attention had also been paid to rehabilitation efforts. It was underlined that human trafficking took place within many borders and was also a phenomenon that crossed borders. Some States under review during the fourth Universal Periodic Review had rejected Israel’s recommendations to develop and implement national anti-trafficking legislation. Israel sincerely hoped that those countries rethought their positions on the matter.

PATRICK RITTER (Liechtenstein) thanked the four experts for their inspiring reports and valuable presentations. In the report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Ms. Ezeilo stated that trafficking within national borders was a large-scale phenomenon. In that regard, Liechtenstein asked how she intended to address the situation of trafficked persons that were lured or forced into exploitation without crossing an international border. Liechtenstein was of the view that work in this area would perfectly fit into the Special Rapporteur’s intention to add further value to the activities undertaken by her predecessor. A special focus on advocacy for the protection of human rights of the victims of domestic trafficking would also be in line with the findings of the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons that had recently been published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Additionally, according to the UNODC report, the data collected showed that domestic trafficking had been detected in at least 32 countries among those where information was available, and that in some countries, domestic trafficking was a major issue.

HENRY WINTER (Australia) said the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress And Punish Trafficking in Persons of the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime was the primary instrument in the area of trafficking of persons. The Special Rapporteur's focus on systematic and coordinated data collection and management on all forms of trafficking was supported. Australia did not, however, support the creation of a global action plan, believing that that would duplicate existing measures and increase onerous reporting requirements, which would divert resources from current anti-trafficking activities.

EUGENY LAZAREV (Belarus) said, regarding human trafficking, that the Special Rapporteur had to direct her attention towards the demand for human trafficking. A global plan of action was a good way to move; such a global plan was currently under way in collaboration with Belarus. Such an effort had to be a coordinated effort in order to meet the constant challenge of combating human trafficking. Belarus noted that there needed to be more active action in human rights terms. The visit of the Special Rapporteur was an excellent means to coordinate efforts in this field. Belarus ensured the Special Rapporteur of its best cooperation.

OBAID SALEM SAEED AL ZAABI (United Arab Emirates) said the United Arab Emirates was well aware of the gravity of the phenomenon of trafficking in persons and as such was ready to cooperate at both the national and international levels. The Government had adopted Law 51, which provided for the establishment of a National Committee on Trafficking in Persons. The National Committee held workshops in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration in order to train governmental and non-governmental stakeholders in this field. The Government had also adopted the Convention on Combating Transnational Organized Crime, and ratified the Optional Protocol on trafficking in persons, especially women and children. In order to take further measures on trafficking in persons, the Government had funded the activities of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime with $15 million. The Government was determined in its war on trafficking in persons to continue its efforts on all fronts, and had developed all national legislation to be consistent with all international conventions at all levels, as well as providing assistance to victims.

RAJIVA WIJESINHA (Sri Lanka) expressed gratitude to the Representative of the Secretary-General on the rights of the internally displaced, both for his assistance with regard to finding durable solutions for the long-term displaced and for his advice with regard to current problems. He had noted that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were preventing civilians from getting away and instead held them as human shields. The Special Representative had expressed some concerns about the right of the internally displaced to freedom of movement. However, he should also recognize the appalling nature of suicide bombing, and the need for security screenings in that regard. Sri Lanka regretted the inadequate nature of some of the camps set up for those earlier displaced and was determined, even if United Nations agencies thought that Sri Lanka was exceeding the limits placed on relief provisions, to provide better conditions for the recently displaced.

MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN (Bangladesh) thanked the Special Rapporteur for providing a global perspective of the human trafficking phenomenon and also for elaborating the trends and present manifestations of trafficking. That had been pertinent, as almost all States in the world were affected by that scourge, either as a source, transit or destination country. Men, women and children, all were victims. As the report indicated, most of the trafficked persons were women and children and the flow was from the developing countries to the developed world, often for sexual exploitation. Despite efforts by many States, including Bangladesh, the problem continued to persisted at an alarming level. In the absence of a global effort, the situation was not improving.

CHRISTOFFER BERG (Sweden) said Sweden aligned itself with the statement made by the Czech Republic on behalf of the European Union. The acute humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka and the serious situation for the approximately 200,000 persons displaced in Vanni was of grave concern to Sweden. Sweden noted that the report corroborated those concerns and was pleased that Mr. Kalin had had a constructive dialogue with the Government of Sri Lanka. In the report, four universal elements were cited as essential in order to enable the internally displaced to return to normal life and for the reconstruction of a post-conflict country. The second of those was to ensure the safety of returnees or relocated persons. Sweden asked, how did the Special Rapporteur perceive that to be dealt with in the case of Sri Lanka, and was it something he intended to bring up in his dialogue with the Government? Also, in light of a future possible peace process in Sri Lanka, how could that be ensured?

SILVIA ESCOBAR (Spain) said trafficking in persons was a lucrative pastime of criminal organizations. The International Labour Organization believed that millions of people were enslaved every year. It was important, as the Representative of the Secretary-General had said, for the judicial systems of countries to reflect the gravity of the crime. It was also necessary to improve coordination to fight the trafficking in persons, and to protect the victims. Spain had implemented a National Action Plan against trafficking, the formulation of which civil society had participated in. Trafficking in human persons for sexual exploitation was one of the cruellest manifestations of that phenomenon. Not only should there be an improved coordination between countries, but also between international organizations.

ALPHONSE KAYITAYIRE (Rwanda) said that the presentation of the report by the Special Adviser on Genocide was taking place while Rwanda and the whole world was preparing for the fifteenth commemoration of the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994. In that context, Rwanda was particularly thinking of the prevention of genocide in the future. After the Holocaust, the adoption of a Convention of 1948 on the prevention of genocide had as an objective the prevention of genocide worldwide. That instrument had, however, not prevented a new genocide, 46 years later, which had as an objective the extermination of Tutsi in Rwanda. After the Holocaust and the genocide on the Tutsis, the United Nations and the international community needed to take measures to prevent such crimes. Rwanda urged the Human Rights Council to fight any kind of negation and revision in order to prevent such a crime in the future.

YAKDHAN EL HABIB, of the African Union, thanked the Special Representative, Mr. Kalin, for his report and presentation. The African Union welcomed his contribution to work done to assist internally displaced persons in Africa in particular. The assistance provided to internally displaced persons was based on a legal principle where the problem of internally displaced persons was present. The African Union said that with regard to the question of internally displaced persons, the continent of Africa was particularly limited in terms of financial and technical resources, and as such urged for more assistance from the international community in that context. Africa had been the generous host of internally displaced persons for nearby countries. The African Union would continue to ensure appropriate conditions and minimum access to services for internally displaced persons, and called on States to include the needs of those internally displaced in the negotiation of treaties and agreements. The report of Special Representative of the Secretary-General focused on the national dimension; however the African Union stressed that it was important to note a more global dimension in order for responsibilities to be shared.

LI QIAO (China) thanked the Special Rapporteur and the Independent Expert for their reports and valuable presentations. The education of minorities was the main means to reduce poverty and to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The Government of China for nearly 10 years had adopted measures to increase education opportunities for minorities. China appreciated the cooperation between the Independent Expert, United Nations bodies and regional and international organizations in that context. China hoped that more attention would be paid to the rights and needs of minority groups in future reports. On trafficking in persons, China stressed that that threatened the right to life for the victims of those crimes. Furthermore, organized crime in human trafficking deserved the international community’s attention. China would continue to combat and eradicate that scourge.

LAURA CALLAGHAN-PACE (United Kingdom) thanked the Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons for his insightful report, and supported the mandate and the work carried out by various organizations and regional initiatives to protect the human rights of internally displaced persons around the world. There was also concern for the internally displaced in Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom reiterated the call of the Representative on all parties of the conflict to scrupulously respect international humanitarian law. The Sri Lankan Government should adequately address the needs of the internally displaced persons created as a result of the recent military hostilities. The Government of Colombia was also encouraged to follow up on the suggestion to strengthen its early warning system including through allocation of sufficient resources.

GEORGI AVRAMCHEV (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said the report of the Independent Expert on minority issues presented in a comprehensive, objective and unbiased manner the situation of minorities in Greece. It reflected the facts and findings presented by the Greek citizens who had a different ethnic identity than the majority population, including the Macedonian. The presented facts indicated a long-term strong assimilation policy and denial by the Greek authorities of the existence of a Macedonian ethnic minority, suppression of any use of the language and cultural activities, and harsh treatment of those identifying as ethnic Macedonians. The conclusions and recommendations in the report were fully supported. Greece should live up to its international obligations and transpose them into national legislation and practice. The report should serve as an excellent guide to the Government in ensuring the protection of rights for all those who identified themselves as belonging to the national minorities, including the right to self-identification, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.

ALVARO AYALA (Colombia) welcomed the work of the Special Representative on internally displaced persons. In follow-up to his visit in 2008, Colombia commented on measures that had been taken. Colombia was committed to eradicate this phenomenon. The Guiding Principles had been integrated in Colombian legislation. Furthermore, the instruments to respond to the situation had been improved. Also, $500 million had been devoted to develop prevention and resettlement programme in urban areas. Those actions were simply to complement measures that had been already instituted.

GAGIK HOVHANNISYAN (Armenia) welcomed the report of the Special Adviser on the prevention of Genocide, and expressed its hope that the interactive dialogue would result in more concrete steps and means to further strengthen the United Nations system in developing early warning mechanisms to react effectively to those situations that could lead to genocide. The principles of the prevention of genocide and responsibility to protect were the key principles that lay at the core of that joint struggle, and the United Nations system could demonstrate it ability to act on time in preventing crimes against humanity. Armenia appreciated the enormous work done in strengthening the capacities of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General in his work. In particular, Armenia said that by developing the 8-point Framework of Analysis which would help to determine situations that might lead to genocide, the Office of the Special Adviser had made significant steps in identifying those universally accepted guiding principles that could serve as a early warning signs for the situations that could lead to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

HAMZA AHMED (Sudan), commenting on the situation in Darfur, said that the Sudanese Government did not have a negative attitude towards humanitarian organizations working in Sudan. It should be underlined that 80 per cent of all humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons was provided by the Government. The Government was determined to provide all possible assistance to internally displaced persons in Darfur. In the camps for the internally displaced, the Government had ensured that all Sudanese agencies continued to give assistance in health and food and had stepped up its coverage. Regarding the International Criminal Court, Sudan asked whether it was possible that humanitarian action should include incitement to insult and the collection of secret service information?

NIXON N. NTIMBWA (Tanzania) said trafficking was a complex phenomenon made even more insidious by its clandestine nature. In order to develop an understanding of the phenomenon, it was necessary to consider the operation of, and interaction between, a range of factors that combined to enable individuals and organizations to traffic vulnerable people through the use of deception, coercion, and exploitation. These factors could be structural and proximate. Whereas structural factors included issues of economic deprivation, market downturns, the effects of globalisation, and others, proximate factors included lax national and international law regimes, poor law enforcement, corruption, organised crime entrepreneurship and weak education campaigns. An understanding of these factors was vital for addressing the problem at both the site of origin and the destination, as well as at the international level. Tanzania hoped the international community would work with Tanzania in combating the scourge of trafficking in persons.

ASLIGUL UGDUL (Turkey) said the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide was the fundamental instrument at the disposal of the international community in this regard, and should be a guide, forming the general framework for efforts to establish early warning mechanisms to prevent genocide. Despite a robust human rights framework, there continued to be massive violations which could even escalate into the utmost crime. The prevention of genocide could only be ensured by making the correct assessment of signs of a grave escalation. It was imperative to distinguish subjective considerations from those situations which did carry objective and concrete elements of the crime of genocide. Every United Nations effort to be made and mechanisms to be eventually developed under this particular heading of "prevention of genocide" should be guided by the terms of the Convention. Turkey hoped that Greece would address the problems in the report of the Independent Expert on minority issues, including freedom of religion, association, education and identity.

JANIS MAZEIKS (Latvia) welcomed the Independent Expert on minority issues’ efforts to mainstream minority issues in the United Nations system and wide consultations with the United Nations agencies and bodies, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme. Latvia asked Ms. McDougall to share her views about the practical cooperation between the distinguished mandate holder and relevant treaty bodies, as well as other mandate holders in applying a gender perspective. Minorities as a vulnerable group could be particularly exposed to ethnically motivated violence and scapegoating for economic problems facing societies given the current global economic crisis. At such times it was particularly important to ensure the delicate balance between full respect for the rights of persons belonging to minorities and their full inclusion in the life of society. In this respect Latvia considered that the First Forum on Minority Issues had provided useful insight on how to ensure such a balance in the field of education.

JOHN KAUFMAN (Canada) said that the international community agreed that the prevention of genocide was vital. And yet when time came for action they often responded too slowly. They wrung their hands after the fact. But the international community was working to improve their response. The means by which they sought change was the principle of the responsibility to protect. Governments bore the primary responsibility to protect their own populations. Canada agreed on this. However the international community also had a role when States failed to meet this responsibility. This Canada also agreed on too. Canada also agreed that understanding the early warning signs of genocide was of vital importance.

PETER GUSCHELBAUER (Austria) thanked all the mandate-holders for their excellent work in fulfilling their mandates. Austria expressed their appreciation to Mr. Kalin for his very interesting report and extensive information given on his country mission and working visits. In Mr. Kalin’s report he took a closer look at the relationship between internal displacement and peace processes. Austria was in agreement that resolving internal displacement was inextricably linked with the achievement of lasting peace and that the protection of internally displaced persons should constitute a part of peace agreements. Austria asked Mr. Kalin what could be a meaningful contribution of the Human Rights Council in this regard? The report also placed increased emphasis on the human rights protection of persons displaced by natural disasters, in particular in the context of climate change. Austria also noted that Mr. Kalin noted in his report the lack of criteria and normative gaps in this regard. In this context, Austria asked if he could explain this in more detail as well as his concept of a rights-based approach in the design of national disaster mitigation and management process?

MARK C. STORELLA (United States) said that last year the Genocide Convention turned sixty. This six-decade milestone was cause for both celebration and reflection. The international community must reaffirm and strengthen its commitment to ending genocide, while also admitting soberly that its collective efforts had fallen short. A crime that breathed such a heavy toll on all of humanity had no place in a civilized world and they must work fastidiously to eradicate it. The Special Adviser had rightly focused on the critical role that early warning signs played in preventing genocide. International attention to these signs was the front line in prevention. The United States agreed on the importance of properly linking individual warning signs to each other.

MURIEL BERSET (Switzerland) noted that with regard to the report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on internally displaced persons, specifically since his last visit to Sri Lanka, the humanitarian situation in the north of the island had deteriorated significantly. In addition to the problems, resumed control of virtually the entire territory by the Government now raised the issue of resettlement and integration of displaced persons; this was a major challenge to bring about peace and reconciliation in the country. In this regard Switzerland asked what support did the Special Representative expect from various actors in the country and from the internal community given those developments? Switzerland appreciated the durable solutions proposed for internally displaced persons who were also from regions such as Georgia and Chad for example. Switzerland appreciated the approach to develop joint cooperation in the promotion and development of peace, and asked what specific measures were proposed for those actors for the sustainable development of internally displaced persons?

On the Special Rapporteur’s report on trafficking in persons, Switzerland noted with particular satisfaction that she believed that her mandate should include labour exploitation, which affected many men and boys. The Government of Switzerland asked how did she intend to further delve into this issue, and what timeline was envisaged for this?

HYE RAN CHUN (Republic of Korea) said that the Republic of Korea shared the ongoing concerns regarding internally displaced persons. Since lasting peace could not be achieved without resolving the issue of internally displaced persons, States should pay more attention to this issue. The Republic of Korea wanted to know from Mr. Kalin how were the specific needs of women and children incorporated into the Manual? The Republic of Korea was of the view that assisting communities receiving returning internally displaced persons was most crucial. It would appreciate Mr. Kalin’s view on other possible means to assist those communities. The Republic of Korea was committed to fight climate change, since internal displacement caused by climate change could only be addressed through coordinated efforts by the international community.

For use of the information media; not an official record

HRC09032E