unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (09/12/89)
HUMAN RIGHTS SUB-COMMISSION ADOPTS RESOLUTIONS
ON PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS AND SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
GENEVA, 31 August -- The Sub-Commission on Prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, today adopted two
resolutions relating to the protection of journalists and the
situation in South Africa.
Also today, an extended debate on procedural matters was held on
a proposal made by Louis Joinet, expert from France.
By a roll-call vote of 14 in favour to 6 against, with 3
abstentions, the Sub-Commission then proceeded to a roll-call
vote by which it decided to vote by secret ballot on questions
falling under item 6 of the agenda: question of the violation
of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including policies of
racial discrimination and segregation and of apartheid, in all
countries, with particular reference to colonial and other
dependent countries and territories
The resolution was adopted by a roll-call vote with 14 in favour
to 6 against, with 3 abstentions.
In favour: Mrs. Bautista, Mr. Van Boven, Mrs. Daes, Mr.
Despouy, Mr. Eide, Mr. Hatano, Mr. Joinet, Ms. Palley, Mr.
Monroy, Mr. Zamudio, Mr. Treat, Mr. Turk, Mr. Varela and Mrs.
Warzazi.
Against: Mr. Martinez, Mr. Bhandare, Mr. Chernichenko, Mr.
Diaconu, Mr. Ilkahanaf and Mr. Tian Jin.
Abstentions: Mr. Assouma, Mr. Sadi and Mrs. Mbonu.
Action on Resolutions
Under a resolution on protection of journalists, the
Sub-Commission called upon journalists and other mass media
personnel to carry out their mission to expose gross human
rights violations; it requested all Governments
to provide journalists and mass media personnel with maximum
protection of their human rights and support in their endeavours
to reveal gross human rights violations. It requested Mr. Sadi
to prepare, without financial implications, for the use of the
Sub-Commission at its forty-second session a report on the
feasibility study of ways and means to extend additional
protection and assistance to journalists and mass media personnel
while they carried out their duties with objectivity and
fairness.
The resolution was adopted by secret ballot, as follows: 15 in
favour, 6 against, with 2 abstentions.
In a resolution on the situation in South Africa (L.26), adopted
without a vote, the Sub-Commission reaffirmed that apartheid was
a crime against humanity and demanded once again the immediate
lifting of the state of emergency, immediate cessation of all
acts of brutality by the South African army and security forces
and the immediate release of all political prisoners; it urged
the Government of South Africa to lift promptly the ban of
anti-apartheid organizations; and reaffirmed the right to all
persons to refuse service in military or police forces which are
used to enforce apartheid. The resolution called upon the
international community to assist the front-line States to
safeguard their independence and territorial integrity against
the aggression and destabilization carried out by the Government
of South Africa, and urged all States to provide, both
individually and collectively, moral and material assistance to
the oppressed people of South Africa and Namibia.
The Sub-Commission called upon the international community to
continue its efforts towards total economic, cultural and
political isolation of the apartheid regime of South Africa
until that country abandoned its policy of apartheid. It called
for immediate and complete disinvestment by foreign companies in
a manner that all their links with the South African apartheid
economy were cut off, including, inter alia, licensing and
management contracts.
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