IFOR welcomes you to its "INTRODUCTION TO THE UN" program September 19th -23th 2022

IFOR's 3rd edition of its "Introduction to the UN" program took place on September 19-23 2022.

This year's program was titled "Strengthening civil society engagement within the UN system" and was funded by Otto per Mille of the Waldensian Church of Italy.

Nine participants from Benin, Colombia, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Tibet and USA the opportunity to learn more about the UN system and the precise work IFOR does with particular regard to conscientious objection to military service and other issues such as human rights education, environmental rights, disarmament, decolonization and to meet with partner organizations and human rights defenders. 

Participants attended the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, informal negotiations, side events and thematic workshops on Western Sahara, Tibet . . . and found out more about UN procedures and civil society space. 

During the week, IFOR’s guests had the chance to visit the Geneva UN headquarters and attend the special event of the Geneva Peace Talks on September 21st where they had the opportunity to listen to human rights defenders and activists from around the globe.

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READ ABOUT OUR PARTICIPANTS' FEEDBACK:

“The programme enriched my knowledge and experience hugely. We were introduced to many different aspects of the UN and civil society representations. The programme exceeded my expectations and we look forward to working with IFOR and the relevant diplomats at the UN.” -Uuganaa 

“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to attend the seminar and to be part of an organization advocating for the right to refuse to kill, and the right of conscientious objection to war. We must build a global movement that is committed to collective liberation.” -Chrissy

“Though I have been to Gener and participated several timers in UN organized programs, I never had the opportunity to see how, debates, lobying and side events are organized, I feel priveledged thiis year through IFOR and the able leadership of Zaira Zafarana who guided us through ther process, It is a worthwhile experience, and I look forward to more of such. Thank you for this opportunity.” -Domino

“IFOR can give us exposure and capacity enhance and pick the Hunan rights issues to the UN for better chnage of Community” -Sirjana

“It was wonderful programme. Got knowledge how work with UN. IFOR should continue this efforts.” -Ruhi

“It is a great opportunity to strengthen international advocacy and the socialization capacities of different organizations that work to promote human rights in the world. It allows to have a close and direct work towards the United Nations System, from the perspective of Civil Society organizations. Personally, it was an opportunity that I am grateful for, and I can affirm that it changed my life, it allowed me to learn about different ways of fighting for human rights, to learn about new realities, and to always think that despite the great distances and cultural differences, the work for the rights of people can be understood as a universal language.” -Laura

“What set this program apart from others was great its focus on practical lessons in that we were able to learn firsthand about the workings of the Human Rights Council session and explore opportunities for advocacy on issues of common concern.” -Tsering

"WAR SHOULD BE ABOLISHED!" IFOR speaks up at the UN on the right to conscientious objection in wartime

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation participated in the Interactive dialogue which took place at the 49th session of the UN Human Rights Council on the occasion of the oral update of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Madam Michelle Bachelet, regarding the situation of human rights in Ukraine.

The High Commissioner presented the dramatic situation following Russia's military aggression with the bombing of many civilian targets such as schools, residential areas and hospitals.

Many member states took the floor to condemn the military aggression of Russia and several NGOs spoke about the concerning local situation.

IFOR addressed the plenary expressing its solidarity to the people of Ukraine; additionally it deplored war which is never a conflict resolution and called on the member states to pursue a diplomatic way to peace negotiations.

IFOR stated its concern for those who refuse to kill and are compelled not to leave to ensure total mobilization in the country. It also referred to some cases of pacifists stranded at the border and highlighted that the right to conscientious objection is a non-derogable right.

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Human Rights Council, 49th session 

Geneva, 30th March 2022 

Item 10: Interactive dialogue on the oral update of the High Commissioner on Ukraine Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Mr. President,  

International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) thanks the High Commissioner and her office for the oral presentation on Ukraine. 

We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine at this dramatic time of armed conflict. 

War should be abolished because it is never a conflict resolution, neither in Ukraine neither in other  countries. Member States should pursue with all efforts a diplomatic way to peace negotiations. 

As stated several times, freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a non-derogable right and, as is  freedom of expression, it continues to apply in situations of armed conflict. 

IFOR is concerned about the violation of the right to conscientious objection in Ukraine where males  18/60 years old are currently compelled not to leave the country in order to enforce total military  mobilization.1 Summons to mandatory military service are handed over to men trying to cross border2.  The order was enacted not by the law but by letters of Administration of the State Border Guard  Service.3 

It results that the above prohibition has no exceptions for conscientious objectors to military service.  Sasha and Nikita, for instance, are two young pacifists who don't want to fight and are now stranded in  Lviv as internally displaced persons.4 

Likewise, we have been informed that exception for leaders of churches and religious organizations was  not included in the Ukrainian Law "On mobilization training and mobilization".5 

Furthermore, we heard news that the Ukrainian military attempts to recruit foreign nationals6trying to  leave the country and rejected at the border due to racism and discrimination.7 

IFOR joins the UNHCR calls to Ukraine for “compassionate and humane” approach to the enforcement  of martial law.8 

Thank you. 

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You can have a look at the complete statement here.

Vous pouvez consulter la déclaration complète ici.

Puedes ver el comunicado completo aquí.

You can watch here the interactive dialogue and the delivery of IFOR statement by its Main representative at the UN.

IFOR expresses concern at the UN for the freedom of thought, conscience and religion and expression in Ukraine

Today, December 15th, at the UN in Geneva Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif presented the findings of the latest OHCHR periodic report on the situation of human rights in Ukraine.

During the interactive dialogue several countries took the floor, followed by representatives of the civil society.

The main representative of IFOR at the UN in Geneva delivered a statement concerning the right to conscientious objection to military service in the country, forced enlisting and other related issues.

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Human Rights Council 

Geneva, 15th December 2021 

Interactive dialogue on the oral presentation by the High Commissioner for Human Rights  on the findings of the latest OHCHR periodic report on the situation of human rights in Ukraine (HRC res. 41/25)  

Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Madam President,  

International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) thanks the High Commissioner and her office for the oral presentation  on Ukraine. 

IFOR is concerned about violations of the right to conscientious objection reported on the ground. 

The local media recently reported the case of the young Vladyslav Korol who expressed his conscientious objection for  religious reasons and was eventually transferred to military service as a military recruit.1 

Another case concerns two players of the Ukrainian national handball team Ruslan Diyakon and Dmitry Kovalenko  detained by representatives of the police and District Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support.2 

The Human Rights Committee, in its concluding observation on the 8th periodic report of Ukraine, stated that "The  State party should ensure that abductions and arbitrary detention of conscripts are promptly, thoroughly, and  independently investigated, [that perpetrators are prosecuted and punished and that victims are provided with  effective remedies, including adequate compensation.]"3 

We would also like to continue to draw the attention4to the case of the Ukrainian journalist and pacifist Ruslan Kotsaba  who is under trial5 because of a video posted in 2015 to express opposition to the military mobilization for armed  conflict in eastern Ukraine6. He has already spent over 500 days under arrest and has been victim of assaults7 by haters  for whom there is still impunity.  

“Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a non-derogable right”, alike freedom of expression, “and it continues  to apply regardless of a situation of armed conflict.” 

Thank you. 

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Click here to download the original statement

You can watch the session here -IFOR statement is at 01:05:13-

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The situation of the right to conscientious objection in Ukraine is critical and there are other relevant issues concerning military service and young conscripts.

You can read here the report prepared by IFOR for the review of Ukraine at the 133rd session of the UN Human Rights Committee, which took place in October 2021.

IFOR expresses solidarity to indigenous communities in Nicaragua at the 48th UN Human Rights Council

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation supported the appeal launched by Peace Brigades International concerning the impunity of abuses against indigenous communities in Nicaragua, with a particular reference to the latest massacre on 23rd August in the Territorio Mayangna Sauni.

The Statement has been delivered at the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council at Geneva, during the General Debate following the oral update by the High Commissioner Ms Michelle Bachelet.

IFOR joined 15 other NGOs to support the right to life, land and territory of indigenous communities and called for accountability and investigation of crimes.

Read here the text of the Statement delivered.

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DECLARACIÓN ORAL CONJUNTA 

48ª SESIÓN DEL CONSEJO DE DERECHOS HUMANOS DE LA ONU: 

ITEM 2: DEBATE GENERAL (14 de septiembre de 2021) 

Leída por: Amaru Ruíz 

(English translation below) 

Item 2: Debate General sobre las actualizaciones orales de la Alta Comisionada sobre la situación de los  derechos humanos en Afganistán, Nicaragua y Sri Lanka 

Gracias Sra Presidenta. 

En nombre de las organizaciones firmantes, saludamos la actualización oral sobre la situación en Nicaragua de la  Alta Comisionada. Hacemos eco a sus preocupaciones sobre el profundo deterioro de la situación de derechos  humanos en el país. 

En estos últimos meses han continuado las detenciones arbitrarias, allanamientos, persecuciones penales,  criminalización de la protesta, la cancelación de la personería jurídica de 55 organizaciones nacionales e  internacionales, así como la implementación de leyes restrictivas que socavan las libertades fundamentales. En  particular, desde finales de mayo 37 personas, entre las cuales siete aspirantes a la Presidencia, líderes de la  oposición, activistas, personas defensoras de los derechos humanos, periodistas, estudiantes y empresarios han  sido detenidos arbitrariamente, sumando a más de 150 el número de presos políticos actualmente. 

Nos alarma la omisión, negligencia e impunidad del Estado ante los recurrentes ataques contra los pueblos  indígenas y afrodescendientes en la Región Autónoma Costa Caribe Norte con el objetivo de adueñarse de sus  tierras. El incidente más reciente fue la masacre del 23 de agosto, en el Territorio Mayangna Sauni As, dentro de  la zona núcleo de la Reserva de Biosfera de Bosawás, en la que preliminarmente se conoce el asesinato de al  menos 9 personas de los pueblos indígenas Miskitu y Mayangna. 

Desde el 2015, estas comunidades han venido denunciando el aumento sistemático de la invasión a sus  territorios, la falta de protección de sus derechos colectivos y el deterioro ambiental causado por actividades de  ganadería extensiva, la explotación forestal y la minería. Inclusive, algunas se han visto obligadas a desplazarse  forzosamente de sus territorios para salvaguardar sus vidas.  

Instamos a que se garantice y protege el derecho a la vida de estas comunidades, su derecho a la tierra y el  territorio, además de su derecho a defender derechos humanos; a través del saneamiento de los territorios  indígenas y afrodescendientes, así como de procesos de investigación que permitan el esclarecimiento de los  hechos, identificación de responsables, acceso a la justicia y garantías de no repetición para los familiares de las  víctimas. 

Debido a la continua denuncia que desde el año 2020 realiza Amaru Ruíz, presidente de la Fundación del Río, por  la situación de vulneración de las comunidades indígenas y afrodescendientes, el 8 de septiembre de 2021 el  Ministerio Público de Nicaragua ha presentado el comunicado 075-2021 donde el señor Ruíz es acusado por  infringir el artículo 30 de la Ley 1042 o Ley Especial de Ciberdelitos, evidenciando que continua la persecución y  criminalización contra la personas defensoras de derechos humanos en Nicaragua. 

Organizaciones firmantes: 

1. Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) 

2. Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL) 

3. Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más 

4. Fundación del Río 

5. Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras) 6. International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) 

7. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) 

8. Mesa de Articulación LGBTIQ+ en el Exilio Costa Rica (MESART) 

9. Movimiento Campesino Anticanal 

10. Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT) 

11. Peace Brigades International (PBI) 

12. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos (RIDH) 

13. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos – Europa (RIDH-E) 

14. The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights 

15. Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos - Guatemala (UDEFEGUA) 16. Women's Link Worldwide

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ORAL JOINT STATEMENT 

48th SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 

ITEM 2: GENERAL DEBATE (14TH September 2021) 

Read by: Amaru Ruíz 

Item 2: General Debate on the oral updates of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka.  

Thank you, Madam President. 

On behalf of the undersigned organisations, we welcome the High Commissioner's oral update on the situation  in Nicaragua. We echo her concerns regarding the profound deterioration of the human rights situation in the  country. 

In recent months, we have seen arbitrary arrests, raids, criminal prosecutions, criminalisation of protest, the  cancellation of the legal status of 55 national and international organisations, as well as the implementation of  restrictive laws undermining fundamental freedoms. In particular, since the end of May, 37 people, including  seven presidential hopefuls, opposition leaders, activists, human rights defenders, journalists, students and  businessmen have been arbitrarily detained, bringing the number of political prisoners to more than 150. 

We are alarmed by the State's omission, negligence and impunity in the face of the recurrent attacks against  indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region with the aim of  widespread land-grab. The most recent incident was a massacre of 23 August, in the Mayangna Sauni As Territory,  within the core zone of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, in which at least nine people from the Miskitu and  Mayangna indigenous peoples are known to have been killed. 

Since 2015, these communities have repeatedly denounced the systematic increase in the invasion of their  territories, the lack of protection of their collective rights and the environmental deterioration caused by  extensive cattle ranching, logging and mining activities. Indeed, some have even had to leave their territories to  safeguard their lives.  

We call for the guarantee and protection of the right to life of these communities, their right to land and territory,  as well as their right to defend human rights, through the restoration of indigenous and Afro-descendant  territories, as well as investigation processes that allow for the clarification of the facts, identification of those  responsible, access to justice and guarantees of non-repetition for the families of the victims. 

Due to the continuous denunciation since 2020 by Amaru Ruíz, president of the Fundación del Río, of the situation  of violation of indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, on 8 September 2021 the Nicaraguan Public  Prosecutor's Office presented the communiqué 075-2021 in which Mr. Ruíz is accused of infringing article 30 of  Law 1042 or the Special Law on Cybercrime, yet another example of the persecution and criminalisation of human  rights defenders in Nicaragua.

Signatories: 

1. Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) 

2. Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional (CEJIL) 

3. Colectivo de Derechos Humanos Nicaragua Nunca Más 

4. Fundación del Río 

5. Iniciativa Mesoamericana de Mujeres Defensoras de Derechos Humanos (IM-Defensoras) 6. International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) 

7. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) 

8. Mesa de Articulación LGBTIQ+ en el Exilio Costa Rica (MESART) 

9. Movimiento Campesino Anticanal 

10. Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura (OMCT) 

11. Peace Brigades International 

12. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos (RIDH) 

13. Red Internacional de Derechos Humanos – Europa (RIDH-E) 

14. The International Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights 

15. Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos - Guatemala (UDEFEGUA) 16. Women's Link Worldwide

Click here to download the original text.

IFOR speaks on refuse to war and #ConscientiousObjection in Ukraine at the 47th UN Human Rights Council

#IFORatUN #47HRC #ConscientiousObjection #FreedomExpression #Ukraine

The International Fellowship of Reconciliation - IFOR is participating in the 47th session of the Human Rights Council which is taking place in Geneva UN Headquarter.

Today, Friday July 9th, IFOR has participated in the Interactive Dialogue on human rights in Ukraine and has delivered an oral statement in the plenary highlighting violations to the Right to #ConscientiousObjection to military service in Ukraine and referring the case of the pacifist journalist Ruslan Kotsaba (Руслан Коцабa) who is again under trial because he expressed opposition to the military mobilization for armed conflict in eastern Ukraine and recently, on June 25th, has been victim of an attack with a chemical substance by a far-right group.

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Human Rights Council, 47th Session 

Geneva, 9th July 2021 

Item 10: Interactive dialogue on the oral update of the High Commissioner on Ukraine (HRC res. 41/25)  and interim report of Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in Crimea (GA res. 75/192) 

Oral statement delivered by the International Fellowship of Reconciliation. 

Thank you Madam President. 

International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR) thanks the High Commissioner and Her office for the oral  presentation on Ukraine and as well the Secretary General and His office for its report. 

We express concern about the militarization in the country, the increase of draftees enlisted planned for the  2021 military draft and the ongoing violations of the right to conscientious objection to military service. 

Alternative service, for instance, in Ukraine has a punitive and discriminatory character and it is hardly  accessible. 

IFOR would like to draw again1the attention of the Members of this Council and of the High Commissioner  to the case of Ukrainian journalist and pacifist Ruslan Kotsaba who is again under trial2because of a video posted in 2015 to express opposition to the military mobilization for armed conflict in eastern Ukraine3. He  has already spent over 500 days under arrest for his expression of anti-war thoughts and is accused again of  treason and obstructing military operations. 

On June 25th he was victim of an attack with the green chemical "Seljonka" by a neo-Nazi group at the Ivano Frankivsk railway station and received ophthalmological treatment at the hospital.4[Unfortunately, the attack  on Ruslan Kotsaba is not the only act of violence against Ukrainian activists in recent times.] 

As already highlighted by IFOR5, “Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is a non-derogable right”,  alike freedom of expression, “and it continues to apply regardless of a situation of armed conflict.” 

Thank you. 

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1. Oral statement delivered by IFOR during the 45th Human Rights Council - Interactive Dialogue on the oral presentation of the report on the  situation of human rights in Ukraine on December 18th 2020. 

2. In Kolomyia City District Court of Ivano-Frankivsk Region. The High Specialized Court on Civil and Criminal Cases in 2017 quashed the acquittal and ordered a retrial. Then several judges and local courts  recused from the case; the court ordered to return formal accusation for further investigation, but the order was quashed by the appellate court;  and now, judges Kalyniuk, Berkeshuk, and Veselov will examine 58 witnesses of the supposed political impact of Ruslan's video blog and pass  their judgment. 

3. Ruslan Kotsaba was arrested on 7 February 2015 in Ivano-Frankivsk, 130 km south-east of Lviv, after he posted a video describing the conflict  as “the Donbas fratricidal civil war”. He also expressed opposition to military conscription of Ukrainians to take part in the conflict. He was then named as Amnesty International’s first Ukrainian prisoner of conscience in five years. He has already spent 524 days under arrest  and was duly acquitted in 2016. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/04/ukraine-suspicious-deaths-need-credible-investigations/ 

4. https://www.coe.int

5. Oral statements delivered by IFOR at the 45th session of the Human rights Council, on October 1st, during the ID with the High Commissioner  on the findings of OHCHR report on the situation of human rights in Ukraine.

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Here you can download the original text.

It is possible to watch the session here (IFOR statement is at 04:16:14)

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The case of Ruslan Kotsaba.

Ruslan Kotsaba recognized as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International back in 2015. His case is in the spotlight of the Council of Europe Platform on the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists.

The June 25th attack on Ruslan Kotsaba has not been the first one, unfortunately.

About this episode, more information and an interview with the victim concerned are available here.

On January 22nd 2021, the pacifist journalist was attacked near the Kolomyia City District Court of Ivano-Frankivsk Region, in Ukraine, as he was going to the hearing for the trial where he is charged for publications against the war. He published in 2015 a video titled “I refuse to mobilize”.

Read more about the case of this journalist by clicking here.

Here you can find some additional information on recent IFOR initiatives in solidarity with this pacifist journalist.

Here you can read about the statement that IFOR has previously delivered in the plenary at the UN Human Rights Council in December 2020 during a special Interactive Dialogue on Ukraine, reporting on the case of Ruslan Kotsaba.

IFOR submits report on Greece and Tajikistan to the UN 39th UPR, addressing conscientious objection and related issues

IFOR has prepared and submitted to the UN two reports for the upcoming 39th session of the Universal Periodic Review of Greece and Tajikistan which will take place in Autumn.

Greece has a longstanding record of violations of the right to conscientious objection to military service and other human rights of conscientious objectors.

The new government has moved towards annulling recent positive amendments about conscientious objectors, such as the reduction of the length of alternative civilian service by the previous government.

In Greece alternative service is still punitive and discriminatory and there is a lack of independence and impartiality in the assessment of applications for conscientious objector status.

In Tajikistan the right to conscientious objection is still not recognized, although in 2004 the UN Human Rights Committee recommended that the State party should take all necessary measures to recognize the right of conscientious objectors to be exempted from military service.

All recorded conscientious objectors in Tajikistan are Jehovah's Witnesses and this religious minority is the only available source of information.

The submission addresses the issues of the right to conscientious objection to military service, arbitrary detention of conscientious objectors, the right of the child and underage recruitment.

You can read the complete report on Greece here.

You can read the complete report on Tajikistan here.

IFOR joins in a call to the UN member States to "MOVE THE MONEY OUT OF MILITARY, TO FOOD"

IFOR co-sponsored, together with other 13 NGOs, an oral statement on the Right to Food which was delivered by Associazione Papa Giovanni XXIII during the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The statement refers as well to the last encyclical of Pope Francis "Fratelli tutti" ("All brothers"), on Fraternity and Social Friendship, and reinforces the call to

"convert the money spent on weapons and other military expenditures in a global fund that can finally put an end to hunger and favour development in the most impoverished countries".

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46th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council, 22 February – 23 March 2021

Item 3: ID with Special Rapporteur on the right to food

Joint oral statement delivered by: Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII (APG23)

Check against delivery

Madam President,

APG23 and 14 co-signing NGOs welcome the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food in which he highlights the issues that will inform his future thematic reports.1

According to the UN Policy Brief on the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition from June 2020 “Prior to the onset of this pandemic, more than 820 million people were already identified as chronically food insecure.” 2 We expect that the pandemic will push more children and adults into food insecurity and hunger around the world, undermining the efforts to achieve SDG2 and, more worryingly, increasing malnutrition-related deaths.

In his speech for the last World Food Day in October 2020, Pope Francis remarked: “Hunger is not only a tragedy for humanity, but also a shame. It is caused largely by an unequal distribution of the fruits of the earth, compounded by a lack of investment in the agricultural sector, the consequences of climate change and the increase in conflicts in various areas of the planet.”3

In view of the incoming Food Systems Summit, we hope that the discussion on food systems will focus on putting human rights at their core, addressing inequalities, promoting accountability and ensuring that markets serve social needs above profits.

We concur with the proposal of Pope Francis in the last encyclical “On Fraternity and Social Friendship” to convert the money spent on weapons and other military expenditures in a global fund that can finally put an end to hunger and favour development in the most impoverished countries.

In this regard, we urge the Member States to make concrete actions that are needed now more than ever. The future of the next generations is in our hands, we must do our part. Thank you!

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1. A/HRC/46/33

2. The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Nutrition

3. MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE WORLD FOOD DAY 2020

• You can download the original statement here.

• You can watch the related UN session here.

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Fratelli tutti (All Brothers) is the third encyclical of Pope Francis , subtitled "on fraternity and social friendship". In the document, Francis states that the way theCOVID-19 pandemic was managed by world countries has shown a failure in global cooperation. The encyclical calls for more human fraternity and solidarity, and is a plea to reject wars.

The document was signed on October 3rd 2020, on the occasion of Pope Francis's visit to the tomb of his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi, and was published the following day on the saint's feast day. You can download the encyclical here.

IFOR speaks on the tragedy of the Eritrean refugees in the Tigray region and to the Eritrean indefinite National Service; 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

International Fellowship of Reconciliation - IFOR is participating in the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council which started on February 22nd.

Today, February 24th, IFOR Main representative to the UN in Geneva delivered a statement in the plenary of the Council, during the interactive dialogue with the new Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, Mohamed Abdelsalam Babiker, who has been appointed in September 2020.

Dr. Mohammed Abdelsalam Babiker, originally from Sudan, is an Associate Professor of International Law, Dean of the School of Law at the University of Khartoum, and founding Director of its Human Rights Centre. He teaches human rights law, refugee law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law among others. Dr. Babiker is also a practicing lawyer and conducted international investigations in many countries in the Horn of Africa in the areas of human rights and international humanitarian law.

In addition to Dr. Babiker’s academic qualifications, he has extensive experience working with international human rights organizations and institutions, including the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU).

In December 2017, he was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General as Humanitarian Expert with the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group. In December 2018, he was also appointed as the Humanitarian Expert with the Panel of Experts on Somalia. Dr. Babiker also worked as a Legal Advisor and a Human Rights Officer with UN and AU peacekeeping operations, as well as a number of UN agencies.

-Information available at the OHCHR website

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The Special Rapporteur presented to the Council his oral update on the situation of human rights in Eritrea which focused on the human rights of Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers in the context of the ongoing Tigray crisis in Ethiopia and the progress made in relation to the benchmarks set out in the reports of his predecessor. You can find the complete text of the oral update here.

IFOR took the floor after the States statements and referred to the humanitarian tragedy of the Eritrean refugees in the Tigray area and to the issue of the indefinite National Service.

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"Madam President,

 The International Fellowship of Reconciliation thanks the Special Rapporteur for his oral update.

The current situation in the region is dramatic, as reported also from our local partner organizations.

Refugee camps under international protection in the Tigray region, including schools, clinics and residential areas, have been systematically targeted and destroyed with the purpose of hindering their future usage[1]. In particular, the Hitsats and Shimelba refugee camps, which hosted refugees coming from Eritrea, have been under attack. The UNHCR acknowledges that 20,000 refugees are unaccounted for. Only around 3,000 refugees from Shimelba and Hitsats camps found their way to the other two refugee camps in the South of Tigray, Mai-Aini, and Adi-Harush, with an estimated 10.000 refouled to Eritrea. UNHCR warns that thousands of Eritrean refugees are still in need of urgent assistance[2]. 

We restate the concern regarding Eritrean migrants and refugees who often flee from the system of an indefinite National Service which presents practices that in many cases amount to forced labour.

We call on the international community to protect refugees and to withdraw from practices which reinforce such a system.

Thank you."

[1] https://www.vice.com/en/article/93wmbz/refugee-camps-in-ethiopia-appear-to-have-been-systematically-destroyed

[2] https://www.voanews.com/africa/un-eritrean-refugees-tigray-face-humanitarian-crisis
Statement attributable to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2021/1/600052064/statement-attributable-un-highcommissioner-refugees-filippo-grandi-situation.html"

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The statement can be downloaded here.

You can watch the Interactive Dialogue here.

The UN briefing on the Interactive Dialogue referred to in this article is available here.

CIVIL SOCIETY TO THE STATES PARTIES OF THE NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY

" As the world mobilises in response to the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot afford to lose sight of the other global challenges that threaten all of us, including the worsening planetary climate emergency and the ongoing threat of catastrophic nuclear war."

More than 80 civil society organizations, concerned with nuclear disarmament, issued a joint statement to the States Parties of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) on May 11th, 2020. The Statement urges the government members of the NPT, especially the nuclear-armed states and their allies, to take serious steps to fulfill their obligations to nuclear disarmament under article VI of the NPT and join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), also known as the Nuclear Ban Treaty.

IFOR supports this initiative and is one of the endorsers of the Joint NGO Statement, which will be emailed to all Member States of the NPT, in view of the fact that the 2020 NPT Review Conference -previously scheduled at the UN in New York from April 27th to May 22nd 2020- was postponed to next spring due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As reported by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, there are currently more than 14,000 nuclear weapons around the world, 9 nuclear armed states and about 32 nuclear weapons endorsing states.

ATTACHMENTS:
1. Original text of the NGOs JOINT STATEMENT
2. More info on the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty are available at https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/npt/
3. More info on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/tpnw/text

IFOR STANDS AT UN FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF "PEOPLE ON THE MOVE" AND FOR THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF SOLIDARITY

During the last session of the UN Human Rights Coucil, held in Geneva last September, IFOR has delivered the following Oral Statement during the General Debate on the report presented by the High Commissioner Ms. Bachelet:

"The International Fellowship of Reconciliation appreciates the call upon States “to address the human rights impact of climate change, including in relation to business activities” and the reminder of “the need for policy coherence – nationally and internationally” .

As highlighted, the consequences of climate change are the reason for many people to leave their homes.
Madam High Commissioner, Excellencies,
The human rights of people on the move are constantly threatened and violated. How can we tolerate caged kids, families divided at borders and shipwrecked survivors refused a place at safety or forced back or deported into areas of conflict, deprivation, discrimination and violation.
We support the call to European States to adopt a more effective coordinated action in the Mediterranean and to end the criminalisation of civil organisations that are carrying out life-saving work in the area and are fined for doing it.
This summer we have witnessed too many rescue boats seeking too long for a safe place to disembark. Sea-Watch 3, Proactiva Open Arms, Mare Jonio [of Mediterranea Saving Humans], Eleonore [of LIFELINE], to mention just some examples [others are Ocean Viking of SOS MEDITERRANEE, Alan Curdi of sea-eye...]
It took the courage of such individuals as Carola Rackete to choose humanity over political propaganda to guarantee safety and human rights for migrants; an act of civil disobedience against a ministerial order contrary to International and Human Rights Law. It took the orders of judges to respect international law and to decriminalize the rescuing of people and to re-establish that under the Law rescue is an obligation and the prohibition on entering domestic waters cannot cancel a humanitarian obligation under the International Conventions."

Watch the live-stream here: http://webtv.un.org/…/item2-general-debate-c…/6085299999001…
(IFOR's statement at 01:50:13)

Read the whole statement by clicking here: