A/54/303 and a general feeling of insecurity and fear further prevented their return. 37. The Special Rapporteur pointed out that the military solution adopted by the Government in the ethnic areas had become a serious problem rather than a solution. A political solution in the ethnic areas in the context of political dialogue, recommended by the Special Rapporteur in paragraph 79 of his previous report (E/CN.4/1998/70) had become urgent in order to prevent a worsening of the situation. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iraq 38. In his report (E/CN.4/1999/37) the Special Rapporteur, Max van der Stoel expressed concern at the continuing violations of human rights in Iraq, including, inter alia, the imposition of oppressive measures directed in particular at ethnic and religious minorities. He referred specifically to the military attacks by the Government against civilian settlements in the southern governorates of Al-Nassiriya, Amara and Basra. 39. He also reported on the murders of two internationally respected Shiite religious scholars, Grand Ayatollah Shaykh Mirza Al-Gharawi and Ayatollah Shaykh Murtada Al-Burujerdi. He drew to the attention of the international community that, as a part of a policy of intimidation against the religious minorities, eight Shiite clerics had allegedly been sentenced to death. 40. With regard to the human rights situation of the Kurds of the governorate of Kirkuk, he was concerned about the continuing practices of the Iraqi Government to implement its policy of Arabization through a process of internal deportation aimed at the forced relocation of the non-Arab population, especially the Kurds, Turkmen and Assyrians living in Kirkuk. Other discriminatory measures against the non-Arab citizens and forced Arabization are believed to be applied, along with the deportation process, aimed at decreasing the proportion of non-Arab citizens in the oil-rich region of Kirkuk. VI. Non-governmental organizations 41. Minority Rights Group (MRG) has provided information on its training sessions on the minority specific rights contained in international human rights instruments and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities. Minority Rights Group is an international human rights organization based in London which works to secure justice for minorities suffering discrimination and prejudice and achieve the peaceful coexistence of majority and minority communities. 42. Since the inception of the Working Group on Minorities, Minority Rights Group has held a wellestablished, one-week training seminar for minorities during the week prior to the sessions of the Working Group. Over the past two years, about 30 participants have attended the seminar, from countries such as Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, India, Israel, Kenya, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Rwanda, Thailand, Ukraine and Uganda. In this connection, training materials on minority rights have been developed by Minority Rights Group, together with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute. On several occasions, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has provided trainers on United Nations mechanisms. 43. Feedback from the trainees, trainers, members of the Working Group and United Nations staff has indicated that these training sessions have considerably strengthened the minority attendance and participation in the Working Group, and increased the quality of the contributions to its deliberations. Many of the minority participants are able to arrange one-to-one meetings, outside the formal sessions, with governmental representatives and experts. Many participants have also reported that the training has helped them enter into dialogue with their Governments about minority rights issues. 44. As well as attending the training itself, the programme allows for minority participants to organize follow-up activities in their countries. This not only ensures an ongoing process, but also acts as a multiplier so that a wider range of those involved in minority community organizations are aware of the United Nations mechanisms and the potential for dialogue. Some examples of follow-up activities include awareness-raising on the rights of the Pygmy minority and encouraging them to participate in public life in Cameroon; awareness-raising of issues affecting the Niger Delta community of Nigeria; workshop on international instruments for the promotion of minority rights among the grass-roots minority refugee community in Nepal; promoting knowledge and implementation of minority rights in Myanmar; and a series of workshops on the conformity with national laws and regulations of the situation of the tribal minorities in Thailand. Notes 7