UN panel adopts Pakistan’s draft on self-determination right

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Text to come up for endorsement in UN General Assembly next month

UNITED NATIONS: A committee of the UN General Assembly on Friday adopted a Pakistan-sponsored resolution, reaffirming people’s right to self-determination, and called for cessation of foreign military intervention, occupation and repression.

The resolution, approved by consensus, seeks to draw the world's attention towards the struggle by the people for their inalienable right to self-determination, including those in Kashmir and Palestine.

Next month: Pakistan has been tabling this draft in the 192-member assembly's Third Committee since 1981, and each year it passes without a vote. The text – sponsored by over 50 Asian, African and Latin American countries – will come up for endorsement in the General Assembly next month.

The resolution reaffirms the universal rights of people to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter and international covenants on human rights. Through the text, the assembly reaffirmed that the universal realisation of the right of all people – including those under colonial, foreign and alien domination – to self-determination was a fundamental condition for the effective guarantee, observance, preservation and promotion of human rights.

The assembly also declared its firm opposition to acts of foreign military intervention, aggression and occupation, since those have resulted in the suppression of the people’s right to self-determination and other human rights in certain parts of the world.

It also called on the states, responsible for the invasion, to immediately cease their military intervention in, and occupation of, foreign countries and territories, as well as all acts of repression, discrimination, exploitation and maltreatment.

The assembly also deplored the plight of millions of refugees and displaced persons who had been uprooted as a result of these acts, and reaffirmed their right to return to their homes voluntarily in safety and honour.

It also requested the Human Rights Council to give special attention to the violation of human rights, especially the right to self-determination, resulting from foreign military intervention, aggression or occupation. The co-sponsors of the resolution include Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Dominica, Egypt, El-Salvador, Eritrea, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Iran, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Thailand, East Timor, Togo, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. app

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_22