Today, the international conference "Neocolonialism: Human Rights, Peace, and Security," organized by the Baku Initiative Group, will kick off at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland, Report informs.
The choice of December 14 for the conference is not accidental. Thus, on December 14, 1960, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples under Resolution No. 1514 (XV). Since then, December 14 has been celebrated as "decolonization day" in the world.
About 50 representatives from 22 countries—the US, the UK, France, Türkiye, Switzerland, Algeria, Pakistan, Serbia, Qatar, Senegal, Cameroon, Vietnam, the Comoro Islands, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, New Caledonia, Corsica, Martinique, French Polynesia, Corsica, Wallis and Futuna, and the Solomon Islands, as well as two international organizations—the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the UN (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women)—have been confirmed to participate in the conference. In addition, heads of NGOs specializing in human rights and decolonization and foreign media representatives will also participate in the event.
In the Geneva office of the UN, representatives from the former and current colonies of France are expected to give speeches reflecting the cases of gross violations of human rights by France in their countries. Officials of a number of countries have informed that they will make their national statements.
The International Director of CAGE, an independent advocacy organisation working to empower communities impacted by the War on Terror, a British citizen, Muhammad Rabbani, came to Switzerland to participate in this conference, but he was detained by the Swiss police at the request of France. The police admitted that the reason for the detention was France. Despite the rightful demands of the human rights defender Rabbani himself and his lawyer, the Swiss police continue to refuse to release him.
At the end of the conference, the declaration is supposed to be signed by the participants.
The conference held at the UN Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, is the 4th international event organized by the Baku Initiative Group in 2023 on support for the peoples fighting against colonialism and striving for freedom.
