THIRD COMMITTEE CONTINUES DEBATE ON RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION
Press Release
GA/SHC/3377
THIRD COMMITTEE CONTINUES DEBATE ON RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION
19961105 The international community must ensure that national legislation or administrative practices did not discriminate on the basis of race, culture or ethnic origin, the representative of Ireland said today. He was addressing the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) as it continued its general debate on racism, racial discrimination and the right to self- determination.Speaking on behalf of the European Union and associated countries, he said the genocide in Rwanda, the conflict in Burundi and the disastrous humanitarian situation in eastern Zaire were largely attributable to racial and ethnic hatred. Human rights education and training were essential to promote knowledge, understanding and acceptance, in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
The tragedies in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda were compelling arguments for the establishment of a permanent international criminal court, which could help deter serious crimes of concern to the international community and ensure that the guilty were brought to justice, he continued. Early warning measures to both prevent and respond to ethnic violence and conflict were essential.
In the 1970s, the definition of discrimination was limited to race, creed and colour, according to the representative of Argentina. Recent tragic events had shown that the world must now focus on combating all forms of discrimination on the basis of ideology, nationality, political opinion, gender, economic or social status and physical characteristics. All Governments needed to eradicate the resurgence of racism, anti-semitism and xenophobia.
The representative of China said the right to self-determination should not be distorted to authorize or encourage any action to dismember or encroach upon a country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political unity. Lopsided interpretations of the principle of self-determination, especially as a pretext to undermine the territorial integrity and unity of a country, would only aggravate ethnic conflicts and social turbulence and threaten world peace and security.
The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Wednesday, 6 November, to continue its general debate on racism and racial discrimination.
Committee Work Programme
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this afternoon to continue its discussions of the elimination of racism and racial discrimination and the right of peoples to self-determination. (For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/3376, of 5 November.)
Statements
JOHN D. BIGGAR (Ireland), speaking on behalf of the European Union, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, and Romania, said societies must establish a climate of tolerance and understanding. The international community must ensure that national legislation or administrative practices did not discriminate on the basis of race, culture or ethnic origin. Human rights education and training was essential to promote knowledge, understanding and acceptance in accordance with the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The genocide in Rwanda, the conflict in Burundi and the disastrous humanitarian situation in eastern Zaire and tensions which divided many countries were largely attributable to racial and ethnic hatred.
The tragedies in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda were compelling arguments for the establishment of a permanent international criminal court, which could play an important role in deterring serious crimes of concern to the international community and ensuring that those guilty were brought to justice, he continued. Early warning measures to both prevent and respond to ethnic violence and conflict were essential. The United Nations treaty monitoring bodies, particularly the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination could make a significant contribution to such measures. Serious incidents of racial or ethnic discrimination, intolerance or xenophobia existed in the countries of the Union and were deplored. However, such acts were not the results of policies or legislation but the acts of individuals or groups. A Union-wide effort to combat those manifestations had been launched and the European Council had approved the principle underlying the establishment of a European monitoring centre on racism and xenophobia.
He said self-determination was an ongoing process and efforts by Governments to strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions could go a long way to avert serious crises. The world community could support those efforts through technical assistance and advisory services. The Union supported the Middle East peace plan based on Security Council resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973) and 425 (1978) and hoped Lebanon's sovereignty, independence and unity and territorial integrity free from all foreign forces would soon be restored. It also supported the holding of a free and impartial referendum for the self-determination of the peoples of Western Sahara in accordance with the Settlement Plan agreed to by the two parties. The
Third Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/SHC/3377 25th Meeting (PM) 5 November 1996
status quo in Cyprus was unacceptable and the Union condemned all recent violent events on the island, particularly the killing of three unarmed Greek- Cypriots. The Union was committed to a fair, internationally acceptable solution to the question of East Timor which fully respected the interests and aspirations of the East Timorese people. It also called on the authorities in Myanmar to ensure full and free participation by all political and ethnic groups in the political process and democratic institutions.
XIE BOHUA (China) said his Government believed that the right to self- determination should not be distorted to authorize or encourage any action to dismember, completely or partially, or encroach upon the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political unity of a country. Lopsided interpretations of the principle of self-determination, especially the use of so-called self-determination as a pretext to undermine the territorial integrity and unity of a country, will only aggravate ethnic conflicts and social turbulence and threaten world peace and security.
The international community was disturbed by the difficulties that had arisen in the peace talks between Palestine and Israel, he said. In order to prevent further retrogression in the peace process, the concerned parties should base their positions on the relevant United Nations resolutions and resolve their differences through political negotiations according to the principle of "land for peace". The Chinese Government was convinced that as long as both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides carried out the agreements reached between them, the Middle East would surely see a just and lasting peace.
The emergence of any form of racism was by no means accidental, he said. Rather, forms of racism had profound and complicated historical, political, social, economic and religious causes which should be removed through political, legal, economic, administrative and educational measures to realize genuine equality, human rights and fundamental freedoms among all the racial or ethnic groups in all countries. The United Nations should vigorously support the work of the Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination and other relevant mechanisms by providing them with the necessary resources and creating better conditions so they can play a bigger role.
MARTIN GARCIA MORITAN (Argentina) said that in the past the General Assembly had adopted several resolutions calling for the end of racial discrimination. However, the forms of racial discrimination have changed with the times. The victories of the past had been against racism and colonial regimes, and results have shown that they had not been in vain. Now, it was important to highlight the changes that had taken place since the 1970s, when the forms of discrimination were limited to race, creed and colour. In view of recent events, the countries must focus on improving efforts against
Third Committee - 4 - Press Release GA/SHC/3377 25th Meeting (PM) 5 November 1996
discrimination and strive to combat all its forms. Any program designed to meet that objective must include education.
Argentina had adopted a national standard to promote equality for all people, and this law had become part of the basic legal framework, he said. On 21 August 1988, a law against discriminatory acts was promulgated, in particular acts based on race, religion, ideology, political opinion, gender, economic or social status and physical characteristics. In 1993, the Government implemented the National Program Against Discrimination, which made the country more aware of the problem of discrimination and more sympathetic to its victims. In 1995, the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism was created to establish national policies to combat racism and xenophobia.
The desecration of Jewish cemeteries that occurred in Argentina recently were racist attacks repudiated by the entire society of his country without exception, he said. The proper organizations were carrying out thorough investigations to find the perpetrators. All governments needed to eradicate the resurgence of racism and anti-semitism, xenophobia and the many versions of discrimination.
* *** *