(Washington, D.C., November 16, 1998) -- In a letter released today, two human rights groups urged the Guyanese government to abandon plans to withdraw from a leading international human rights treaty.
Last week, Foreign Minister Clement Rohee announced his intention to ask Guyana's National Assembly to withdraw from the First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The First Optional Protocol allows human rights victims to present individual civil and political rights complaints before the United Nations Human Rights Committee. It is considered a critically important provision of the ICCPR because it gives victims an avenue for redress. Without it, victims cannot file cases before the internationally-respected Human Rights Committee.Human Rights Watch and CEJIL (Center for Justice and International Law) called on the Guyanese Foreign Minister to reconsider support for this action in order to preserve critical human rights protections. Human Rights Watch is an international monitoring organization based in New York. CEJIL is a non-governmental organization whose objective is to achieve full implementation of international human norms in the Americas.
"Guyana's move to opt out of this important human rights treaties is part of a disturbing trend in the Caribbean region," said Sarah DeCosse, Caribbean Researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Unfortunately, all Guyanese citizens lose when their government won't allow international review of its human rights practices. We hope that the National Assembly will reject this proposal."
Guyana acceded to the Optional Protocol on May 10, 1993, allowing the U.N. Human Rights Committee to monitor and investigate abuses alleged under the ICCPR. Guyana's motion to withdraw represents the latest in a string of similar government decisions in the Caribbean region. In October 1997, Jamaica also withdrew from the First Optional Protocol. Trinidad and Tobago decided to opt out of the American Convention in May 1998.
As in the other English-speaking Caribbean region countries, Guyana's plan is propelled by the government's interest in eliminating opportunities for death row prisoners to appeal to international human rights bodies.
Viviana Krsticevic, executive director of CEJIL stated, "We certainly hope Guyana's National Assembly will not agree to withdraw from this treaty. While the government has claimed that it is acting out of concern for citizen's rights, this step will reduce the chances that human rights victims find justice."
The government announced that Foreign Minister's Rohee plans to make this motion today, November 16, 1998.
For Further Information:
Sarah DeCosse: 202-371-6592
Viviana Krsticevic: 202-842-8630
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Letter to Guyana's Foreign Minister
Letter, November 16, 1998