E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.3 page 8 14. Côte d’Ivoire has ratified the main international human rights conventions, namely the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1992), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1992), the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1992), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1973), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1995), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991). Côte d’Ivoire has signed but not yet ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. At the regional level, it has ratified the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and signed the statute establishing the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights. 15. As to Côte d’Ivoire’s obligations towards the bodies responsible for monitoring implementation of the conventions it has ratified, it is required to submit reports to the Committee against Torture, the Human Rights Committee, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee on the Rights of the Child (second periodic report). Côte d’Ivoire submitted a report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 2002. 16. Although Côte d’Ivoire hosts more immigrants than any other country in the subregion, it has not yet ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. 2. Situation of human rights: observations and allegations 17. Since the beginning of the crisis, Côte d’Ivoire has found itself in a highly unstable situation characterized by insecurity and violence, one which not only clearly holds back progress in the peace process but also has a major impact on the enjoyment of human rights in the country. According to reports, hundreds of people were killed in the hostilities that broke out in September 2002 and several have allegedly died since the end of the war, in some cases as a result of the inter-ethnic violence that has affected a number of regions, including the west of the country. According to some estimates mentioned in the report on the fact-finding mission headed by the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, for example, between 1,000 and 2,000 people were killed in the conflict, the majority of them as a result of summary executions carried out by all sides in the conflict.2 By way of illustration, in November 2003, several ethnic clashes near the town of Duékoué resulted in the deaths of an unconfirmed number of civilians.3 There are also reports that, since December 2002, some of the local populace have fled following a series of attacks in the region around Bangolo, Guiglo, Toulépleu and Bloléquin. 18. From the information provided to the Special Rapporteur by various actors and observers, including MINUCI and members of civil society, it is clear that many serious human rights violations continue to be committed in Côte d’Ivoire. There are many reports of harassment, summary and arbitrary executions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, unlawful house searches and extortion.4 In the Government-controlled zone, the great majority of the victims of these violations are allegedly from the north or from neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso. The Special Rapporteur was also told that urban militias and armed gangs attack