Situation of human rights in Haiti

1993/68. Situation of human rights in Haiti

The Commission on Human Rights, Guided by the principles embodied in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenants on Human Rights, Reaffirming that all Member States have a duty to promote human rights and to fulfil their obligations under the various human rights instruments, Recalling its resolution 1992/77 of 5 March 1992, Taking account of the report (E/CN.4/1993/47) of Mr. Marco Tulio Bruni Celli, the Special Rapporteur, appointed by the Chairman of the Commission at its forty-eighth session, Recalling General Assembly resolutions 46/7 of 11 October 1991, 46/138 of 17 December 1991, 47/20 of 24 November 1992 and 47/143 of 18 December 1992, Deeply concerned about the serious events that have occurred in Haiti since 29 September 1991 which have abruptly and violently interrupted the democratic process in that country, entailing the loss of human lives and the violation of human rights, Concerned at the mass exodus of Haitian nationals fleeing the country because of the deterioration in the political and economic situation since 29 September 1991, Deeply alarmed by the persistence and worsening of serious violations of human rights, in particular summary and arbitrary executions, forced disappearances, reports of torture and rape, arbitrary arrests and detentions and denial of freedom of expression, assembly and association, Welcoming the recent dispatch of an international civilian observer mission of the United Nations and the Organization of American States to monitor the observance of human rights in Haiti, Aware that the Commission must continue to keep a close watch on the situation of human rights in Haiti,

1. Expresses its appreciation to the Special Rapporteur for his report on the situation of human rights in Haiti and endorses the recommendations it contains;

2. Strongly condemns the overthrow of the constitutionally elected President, Mr. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and the use of violence and military coercion and the subsequent deterioration of the situation of human rights in that country;

3. Expresses its deep concern about the substantial deterioration of the human rights situation in Haiti since the coup d'état, of September 1991 and the resulting increase in violations of the human rights embodied in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights and other international human rights instruments;

4. Condemns once again the continuing seriousness of the human rights situation in 1992, characterized by murders, disappearances and assassinations, preventive repression, persecution, arbitrary detentions, torture, extortion of protection money from citizens by security agents, abandonment of legislative programmes, reemergence of the section chiefs, prohibition of demonstrations and police repression of all acts of protest against the de facto regime;

5. Expresses its full support for the international civilian observer mission of the United Nations and the Organization of American States responsible for monitoring the observance of human rights in Haiti, and awaits the outcome of the mission with interest;

6. Draws the attention of the international community to the fate of the Haitian nationals who are fleeing the country, and requests its support for the efforts undertaken to assist them;

7. Expresses its appreciation to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for its work in favour of Haitian nationals, and invites Member States to continue giving material and financial support to those efforts;

8. Calls upon States Members of the United Nations and other international organizations to increase their humanitarian assistance to the people of Haiti, to support all efforts to resolve the problems of displaced persons and to encourage the strengthening of institutional coordination among the specialized agencies and between the United Nations and the Organization of American States;

9. Decides to extend for a further year the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, as established in Commission resolution 1992/77 ;

10. Stresses the importance of establishing the necessary cooperation between the Special Rapporteur of the Commission and the international civilian observer mission of the United Nations and the Organization of American States in order to further the fulfilment of their mandates, and in that connection emphasizes the contribution that the Centre for Human Rights can make;

11. Requests the Special Rapporteur to submit a provisional report on the situation of human rights in Haiti to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session and a final report to the Commission on Human Rights at its fiftieth session;

12. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the assistance necessary for the performance of his mandate;

13. Decides to continue its consideration of the situation of human rights in Haiti at its fiftieth session under the agenda item "Question of the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms in any part of the world, with particular reference to colonial and other dependent countries and territories".

65th meeting
10 March 1993
[Adopted without a vote. See chap. XII.]