Decision 4 (51) on Papua New Guinea : Papua New Guinea. 21/08/97.
A/52/18,para.19(4). (Decision)

Convention Abbreviation: CERD
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION
OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Fifty-first session

Decision 4 (51) on Papua New Guinea

1. At its 1242nd meeting, held on 21 August 1997 (CERD/C/SR.1242), the Committee reviewed the implementation of the Convention by Papua New Guinea, under its agenda item on prevention of racial discrimination.

2. Papua New Guinea's initial report (CERD/C/101/Add.4) was considered by the Committee in 1984. The Committee subsequently considered the situation in the State party in 1994 under its agenda item on prevention of racial discrimination.5

3. Despite the Committee's repeated requests,6 Papua New Guinea has regrettably not submitted an up-to-date report or any information requested on the issue of Bougainville.

4. The Committee is aware that the Government of Papua New Guinea requested the Secretary-General to send his representative to assist with a new round of discussions between the Government and the main Bougainvillean parties.

5. The Committee is appreciative of the efforts of the Secretary-General's representative to assist with a new round of discussions between the Government of the State party and the main Bougainvillean parties (see E/CN.4/1996/58), and it notes the visit of the Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions to the State party (see E/CN.4/1996/4/Add.2).

6. The Committee condemns and regrets the killing of the premier of the Bougainville Transitional Government, Mr. Theodore Miriung, on 12 October 1996 by unidentified assailants, which resulted in a serious setback for all the efforts to find a solution of the Bougainville problem.

7. The Committee wishes to encourage any further effort to resume the discussions between the parties involved in the Bougainville conflict.

8. The Committee once again requests the State party to submit its report under article 9 (1) of the Convention, as well as to supply information specifically on the situation in Bougainville under its prevention of discrimination procedures, so that the Committee can examine them in 1998.

9. The Committee wishes to suggest that the State party may wish to avail itself of the technical assistance offered under the advisory services and technical assistance programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights/Centre for Human Rights, with a view to drawing up and submitting its report.

1242nd meeting
21 August 1997