NGOs welcome draft principles on international solidarity presented in UNHRC International/Update/Amended)

The International Educational Development (IED) and its working partners - the Association of Humanitarian Lawyers (AHL) and the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) -- have welcomed the draft principles on international solidarity prepared by Independent Expert Dandan, and presented during the 26th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on June 13.

In a statement, Mr. Jatinder Singh Grewal, who spoke on behalf of the IED, AHL and Sikhs for Justice, said these three organizations placed great importance on the issue of "self-determination" due to its prominence in the "Charter and its Covenants ..."

Mr. Grewal further said that states have an "affirmative duty" to support those people who claim it, and therefore, it is matter of regret that most states, " for geo-political reasons" dismiss (these) claims "with no evaluation of the elements of the right."

As an example, Mr. Grewal cites the Sikhs right or claim to self-determination in Punjab.

In his statement, he further says that this claim has been repeatedly ignored, and asks whether the Independent Expert will evaluate claims that are tenable as made by the Sikhs and other groups.

He concludes his statement by saying that IED, AHL and SFJ also "appreciate the Independent Expert's attention to the issue of transnational groups, such as the Sikh Diaspora, and the right of these groups to address the continuing violations of their people in their traditional homelands due to the inability of those remaining to do so effectively and without risk of unacceptable oppressive measures."

Grewal, on behalf of the three organizations, asks whether the Independent Expert will also expand on this concept in her next draft.

Earlier, ANI had erroneously reported that this statement by an NGO in the HRC was tantamount to acceptance of it by the UN Human Rights Council.

It is to be noted that the decisions in the UN-HRC are made either in the form of adoption of draft resolution tabled by a country or a group of countries, or by way of a Presidential Statement (PRST).

As part of the practice in the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), members of the civil society organizations as well as NGOs, which have been duly accredited to the HRC, are allowed to make statements under different agenda items of the HRC.

As mentioned above, these statements are not in any way to be construed as endorsement or acceptance of the HRC.

Attn: News Editors/News Desks: The above ANI item is an updated and amended version of item no 1 released this morning. We would request that the previous item be withdrawn immediately and replaced with this one.