COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION
OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Sixty-second session
3-21 March 2003



CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES
UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION

Concluding observations of the Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination*

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
1. At its 1561st meeting, on 7 March 2003 (CERD/C/SR.1561), the Committee reviewed the implementation of the Convention by Papua New Guinea and adopted the following decision on 14 March, at its 1571st meeting (CERD/C/SR.1571).
2. Despite the Committee's repeated requests, Papua New Guinea has not fulfilled its obligations under article 9, paragraph 1, of the Convention. It has submitted neither its periodic report nor the additional information requested concerning the situation in Bougainville. No dialogue between Papua New Guinea and the Committee has taken place since 1984.

3. The Committee reiterates its decisions 8 (46) of 16 March 1995, 3 (47) of 16 August 1995, 4 (51) of 21 August 1997, 2 (52) of 19 March 1998, and 1 (60) of 21 May 2002 on Papua New Guinea, in which it requested the State party to comply with the reporting obligations under the Convention and to provide information, primarily on the situation in Bougainville.

4. The Committee reiterates its requests to the State party to provide information, in particular, on the demographic composition of the population and on the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights of the various ethnic groups, and incidents of racial discrimination.

5. The Committee recommends that the State party consider withdrawing its reservation to article 4 of the Convention.

6. The Committee draws the attention of the State party to the provisions of the Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, according to which the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is the principal international instrument for the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and urging States to cooperate with the Committee in order to promote the effective implementation of the Convention.

7. The Committee wishes to make a strong appeal to the authorities of Papua New Guinea to resume the dialogue with the Committee, and to that end submit a report in accordance with article 9 of the Convention. In that connection, once again, the Committee wishes to draw the State party's attention to the possibility of availing itself of the technical assistance offered under the advisory services and technical assistance programme of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

8. The Committee decides that, in the absence of any indication on the part of the State party that it will comply with its obligation under article 9, paragraph 1, of the Convention, it will consider the implementation of the Convention in Papua New Guinea at its sixty-fourth session, in March 2004.