Finally, the Human Rights Council voted, and passed the resolution before the lunch break. The delegates will meet at 1:40 pm for a last session, in order to discuss another resolution.
Human Rights Council, resolution 1.2
Submitted by: India, the People’s Republic of China, Pakistan, Indonesia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Azerbaijan
Guided by the basic right of life enshrined in the UN Declaration of Human Rights,
Deeply concerned about the violation of human rights in the territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia,
Aware of its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations, Article 1, for the maintenance of international peace and security,
Having considered the success of previous UN observer missions in other areas of conflict,
Bearing in mind the six-point Ceasefire Agreement,
Keeping in mind the territorial sovereignty of the Russian Federation and Georgia,
1. Encouraging the implementation of laws concerning minority rights;
2. Calls upon both parties to take immediate action in re-establishing peace and security in the region according to the Charter of the UN Article 2;
3. Decides to establish a fact-finding commission with a mandate to investigate the facts of the violations of human rights and humanitarian law which took place in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The commission should provide the Human Rights Council with the report on such violations by February 1, 2009;
4. Calls for the continuation in publishing reports by the fact-finding commission after the report submitted to the Human Rights Council by February 1, 2009, regarding the situation concerning human rights violations occurring in the areas of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These reports should continue to be published until the Human Rights Council acknowledges that the human rights are no longer being violated in the given areas;
5. Proposes complete demilitarization within South Ossetia and Abkhazia with the presence of the UN observer mission;
6. Invites a formal acceptance of contribution in the conflict by both belligerents, which will then be helpful in determining cost of the humanitarian measures borne by either party;
7. Encourages both parties to the conflict to seek further mediation from a third party and/or an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice;
8. Encourages the right to freely choose national identity without intervention by both parties; this includes the obtaining of passports as per Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 15;
9. Calls for refugees and internally displaced people in Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be given the right to return to their homes and property and that their right of residency be respected as per Resolution 1808 by the Security Council;
10. Calls for the protection of civilians irrespective of religion, gender and ethnicity;
11. Recommends the setting up of a humanitarian corridor – a safe passage – for patients, doctors and other medical staff besieged in hospitals in the conflict zones, for their evacuation;
12. Further proclaims that water and medical supplies be made accessible to people in the conflict zone through similar humanitarian corridor;
13. Invites all special rapporteurs operating now in Georgia to inform the Human Rights Council on its next session, within the scope of their work;
14. Stresses the importance of preserving the independence of the human rights treaty bodies
15. Encourages safe access for media, social workers and human rights observers to affected areas, in order to properly document human rights violations;
16. Recommends that both belligerents contribute towards de-mining the areas of conflict and aid in the clearing of cluster munitions from the same;
17. Highly recommends the Security Council to consider this present resolution in their future decisions regarding South Ossetia and Abkhazia;
18. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
