Convention Abbreviation: CERD
COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION
OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Sixty-fifth session
2 - 22 August 2004

Decision 1 (65)

Situation in Darfur

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination,

Alarmed by the current events in Darfur,

Convinced that these events have an ethnic and racial dimension,

Acting in pursuance of its mandate, which is to ensure the universal application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and to promote the measures necessary for understanding among racial and ethnic groups,

Referring to its decision 5 (54) of 19 March 1999 on the Sudan, and particularly paragraph 5 thereof,

Recalling the letter sent by the Chairman of the Committee on 12 March 2004, calling on the State party to submit to it before 31 July 2004 detailed information on the current situation in Darfur,

Noting that the State party has not forwarded the requested information to it, Taking note of resolution 1556/2004 adopted by the Security Council on 30 July 2004, which solemnly condemned "all acts of violence and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by all parties to the crisis, in particular by the Janjaweed, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians, rapes, forced displacements, and acts of violence especially those with an ethnic dimension, and expressing its utmost concern at the consequences of the conflict in Darfur on the civilian population, including women, children, internally displaced persons, and refugees",
Calls for strict compliance with Security Council resolution 1556/2004 and all measures that it prescribed, in order to ensure the prompt cessation of large-scale violations of human rights in Darfur, and in particular, violations of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Considers that the deployment in Darfur of an adequately reinforced African Union-led protection force with the support of the League of Arab States and the logistic and financial assistance of the European Union and the United States should greatly facilitate the speedy implementation of Security Council resolution 1556/2004.

1668th meeting
18 August 2004