HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE ON RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
Press Release
HR/CN/769
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE ON RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
19970321 (Reproduced as received.)GENEVA, 17 March (UN Information Service) -- The rise of contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia was increasingly disturbing, the Special Rapporteur on racism, Maurice Glele-Ahanhanzo, told the Human Rights Commission this afternoon.
Commenting on a report he had submitted earlier to the Commission, Mr. Glele-Ahanhanzo said those problems were gaining ground in an almost official way. He noted that blatantly racist political parties were increasing their share of the vote, while openly racist laws were being adopted in some countries.
Victims of racial discrimination around the world had their eyes and hopes focused on the United Nations, which could not continue to remain quiet and had to take concrete measures, he added.
Following the Special Rapporteur's statement, the representative of the Russian Federation urged the United Nations to adapt and fight new forms of racism. He said Russia, as one of the largest multi-national countries in the world, found it vitally important to prevent inter-ethnic hostility and reviewed constitutional changes to that effect.
The representative of India decried that the Programme of Action of the current Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination was starved of finances, and urged the Commission to promote the debate on racism and support the convening of a world conference to combat it. The representatives of Zimbabwe and Iran echoed the call for such an international gathering.
Meanwhile, the representative of the United States, although admitting that racism was a problem in the United States and in every country in the world, said it was unfortunate that the Special Rapporteur had concluded that racism was tolerated or even tacitly approved by the institutions of her Government.
This afternoon the Commission also heard statements by Algeria, South Africa, Indonesia, Uganda, Turkey, Libya, Cyprus, Israel and Syria. The following non-governmental organizations, who also expressed their concern about growing contemporary forms of racism, particularly in Europe, took the floor: International Federation of Human Rights, the International Association of Educators for World Peace, the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations, the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, Centre Europe-Tiers Monde and Minority Rights Group.
At the end of the session, the Commission heard statements in exercise of the right of reply from India and Armenia. Tomorrow, starting at 10 a.m., the Commission will begin discussing the status of the International Covenants on human rights and the effective functioning of human rights treaty bodies. The Minister of State for Human Rights of Gabon and the Vice-Prime Minister of Croatia are scheduled to take the floor.
Statements
MAURICE GLELE-AHANHANZO, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, commenting on the debate that followed the presentation of his report (document E/CN.4/1997/71 and Add. 1) last week, said the abundance of documentation on the subject reflected a situation that was "increasingly disturbing". Racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia were gaining ground in an almost official way. Political parties that were blatantly racist were increasing their share of the vote, while blatantly racist laws were being adopted in some countries. Furthermore, places of worship were being desecrated and immigrants had become useful scapegoats for the economic crisis. The international community could not continue to remain quiet; otherwise, the hopes of millions who wanted to live in equality would be futile. Victims of racism had their eyes and hopes focused on the United Nations, and therefore the Organization's deliberations had to lead to concrete measures. He was "disturbed and saddened" at the obvious distress of many people, but was encouraged by their determination to rise from the situation they were in. The United Nations had to assume its responsibility towards them.
BORIS KRYLOV (Russian Federation) said the tragedies of the past were unfortunately repeating themselves today as one witnessed acts of ethnic cleansing, genocide and inter-ethnic hostility. The new forms racism and racial discrimination were taking made it difficult to identify, prevent and combat them. Hundreds of thousands of people around the world were arbitrarily deprived of their citizenship, and attempts were being made to build societies along mono-ethnic principles. The United Nations must adapt to fight these new forms of racism, it must acquire new substance; methodological approaches and evaluation categories needed to be improved. For Russia, one of the largest multinational countries in the world, the
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prevention of inter-ethnic hostility was vitally important. Legislative measures aimed at developing and strengthening inter-ethnic harmony and prevent crisis situations had been taken, notably through the Constitution of the Federation and in a 1996 Presidential decree.
MOHAMED SAHLAH-DEMBRI (Algeria) said recent upheavals on the international stage, along with the geopolitical changes of recent years, had favoured the emergence of nationalist chauvinism based on recurrent strife and bitterness. That had spilled over into conflicts between different communities and ethnic groups, causing the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives. The entire community of nations should firmly and unequivocally condemn those developments. As a result of the world economic crisis, xenophobic and simplistic ideas attributing the growth of racist ideologies to the presence of migrant workers had grown. He rejected the concept of national preference used by political leaders who exploited the precariousness of workers and pointed to foreigners as threats to cultural identity, social harmony and the source of all social ills. The Commission should clearly condemn the idea of racial and ethnic superiority, as well as any legislation which increased the legal insecurity of foreigners.
ARUNDHATI GHOSE (India) said racism was a growing phenomenon, an all pervading cause of discrimination affecting all aspects of human interaction. The international community had recognized that the need to eliminate all forms of racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance was a priority task. The persistence and growth of racism threatened the stability of societies and undermined the values of tolerance and pluralism. In some cases, social and political groups were propagating theories of racial superiority unhindered by law, the media, civil society or even governments. The Internet had become a vehicle for spreading racial intolerance. Meanwhile, the Programme of Action of the Third Decade was starved of finances, yet there appeared to be funds available for other activities of the United Nations Centre for Human Rights. Indeed, the Department of Public Information has done much more than the Centre to advance the aims and objectives of the Third Decade. India was dismayed to learn from the current report of the Special Rapporteur that he continued to face problems with the provision of adequate resources to enable him to discharge his mandate effectively. The Commission, for its part, had to promote debate, raise awareness and try to find effective solutions to that problem at the international level. It should also support the convening of a world conference to combat racism and racial discrimination.
FELICE GAER (United States) said the elimination of national, racial and ethnic discrimination had been and would remain the firm and clear policy of the United States Government. The Government's efforts had the support of all Americans to "overcome the tragic legacy of slavery and segregation and eliminate racism and racial discrimination". In no country in the world was
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there such open, public discussion of race and discrimination. The United States made no claim that the task was finished -- racial divisions had a long and painful history, and each new wave of immigrants gave new targets to old prejudices. Racism was a problem in the United States and in every nation in the world, but it was unfortunate that the Special Rapporteur had concluded that it was tolerated or even tacitly approved by the institutions of the United States Government. The United States concluded that the Special Rapporteur did not understand the racial situation in the country. More generally, the Special Rapporteur's analysis of a wide range of contemporary forms of racism and racial discrimination was often disappointing. The United States called on him to give anti-Semitism more detailed and nuanced attention.
JACOB S. SELEBI (South Africa) said that since the transformation of his country into a democratic State, a number of provisions had been implemented and measures taken to combat racism and racial discrimination. The very first clauses of the South African Constitution dealt with the issues of equality and race and provided that no person shall be unfairly discriminated against, directly or indirectly, on the grounds of, among others, race, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, culture or language. The new Government was correcting the effects of previous apartheid policies and ensuring that provisions were made for compensation or remedial action for victims of past discrimination. Moreover, several national institutions had to safeguard the Constitution, including the Human Rights Commission, the Public Protector, the Commission on Gender Equality, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Youth Commission.
EDDY PRATOMO (Indonesia) said the proclamation by the General Assembly of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination was a testament to the firm commitment of the international community to eradicate all forms of racism and racial discrimination and to advance the cause of human rights. There should be adequate financial resources to conduct the activities envisaged in the Programme of Action. It was also important to establish the Centre for Human Rights as the focal point for coordinating all the programmes to be implemented by United Nations bodies, as well as the inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, for the realization of the Third Decade.
T.J.B. JOKONYA (Zimbabwe) said it was intriguing that in an era when the world was seen as a "global village", one should be witnessing the resurgence of xenophobia, racial intolerance and ethnic conflicts. The efforts of the United Nations system in combating this scourge had not always been successful and effective. Zimbabwe called for the convening of a world conference on racism to remove this "vile and iniquitous problem". Racism had to be fought with all means available, and these could only be obtained following a comprehensive diagnosis of the problem. The Programme of Action of the Third Decade could only succeed with adequate financing. The international press
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and media should assist in the fight against racism by barring communication of racist sentiments and ideas from their systems.
NATHAN TRUMBA (Uganda) said that although the Special Rapporteur had carried out investigations in a relatively small number of countries, his report highlighted the extent of the problem of racism. There had been a resurgence of propaganda aimed at inciting racial and ethnic hatred. The outcome of such incitement had been increased violence against minorities and migrant workers. The genocides in Rwanda and in the former Yugoslavia were only the worst examples of racial and ethnic intolerance. Economic and social upheavals, the massive influx of asylum seekers into certain countries and the aggressiveness of right-wing organizations were among the problems that led to xenophobia. But the answer to such problem developments was not developing a siege mentality or creating a fortress against ethnic groups or races perceived as undesirable.
BOZORGMEHR ZIARAN (Iran) said the international struggle against racism had suffered serious setbacks recently. The notion of white supremacy had once again given rise to a resurgence of racism, racial violence, discrimination and incitement to racial hatred in the West. Skin colour had become the determining factor in the treatment of human beings, exposing many to abhorrent atrocities, as clearly illustrated by the Special Rapporteur. Racism had extended its roots deeply in the police and justice systems of the West. The reports of the Special Rapporteur revealed shocking facts on brutality; intimidation and harassment by police; arbitrary arrests; death in custody; frame-ups; destruction of key evidence; and discriminatory application of the death penalty in the West. Those were vivid examples of the failure of institutions to protect the human rights of all people, regardless of their race. Of utmost concern was the caving in by politicians to racist demands. This trend, if not ceased immediately, would lead to the legalization of racism, which would in turn encourage far-right movements to go on the rampage with impunity. Iran strongly supported the recommendation of the Special Rapporteur to convene a world conference on racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia.
TUGAY ULUCEVIK (Turkey) said racism was the most serious socio-political problem of today's world. His countrymen had constantly fallen victim to racism and xenophobia in Europe. The young were particularly vulnerable to racist messages, and hence education was an effective tool in the combat against racism. Legislative and executive organs could also be used to build social awareness and punish racist and xenophobic offenses. Universities, professional associations, local and regional administrations and the media should stand hand in hand and crusade against racism.
ABDUSSALAM SERGIWA (Libya) said policies based on racism, racist discrimination and xenophobia were the largest insult to the principle of
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equality among human beings. Those policies were still being carried out in many parts of the world. In Europe and the United States there had been an outburst of violent racist campaigns against foreigners, immigrant workers, Arabs, Muslims and blacks. As for the report of the Special Rapporteur, he called for greater precision in the use of terms like Semitic and anti-Semitic. Arabs were Semites, and hence could not be anti-Semites. The Special Rapporteur also had not reviewed Israel's racist practises against Palestinians. Concerning the Third Decade, there had been inadequate progress made. Increasing the financial and human resources of the Centre for Human Rights would enable it to better carry out the activities of the Third Decade.
LORIA MARKIDES (Cyprus) said preventive action aimed at combating racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance should be initiated -- a "new era must act on the understanding that prevention is better than cure". To that end, her country supported the new procedure introduced by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination for identifying cases in which urgent action might be recommended. Cyprus was fully committed to respecting diversity and pluralism and to promoting tolerance, even though its people had been subjected to racial discrimination as a result of the last 23 years of occupation.
ALEXANDER GALILEE (Israel) said that more than 50 years after the Holocaust, the evil of racism was far from being well understood. From inter-tribal slaughter in Africa to "ethnic-cleansing" in the former Yugoslavia, from Holocaust denial to racist propaganda, the plague continued to thrive. There was no correlation between the amount of attention devoted to the issue by the United Nations and the results achieved, but the work should be continued. Israel welcomed the fact that three years ago, and for the first time, the Commission's annual resolutions on measures to combat contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance had included references to anti-Semitism. Racism was not confined to one region of the world, nor should it be seen simply as a residue of colonialism or an as aspect of prejudice against the citizens of developing countries. Israel supported the work of the Special Rapporteur and hoped it would continue to be carried out in a comprehensive and fearless manner.
AYAD ORFI (Syria) said racism and racist discrimination threatened Arabs and Muslims in some parts of the world. Syria called on everyone to confront that danger. The Special Rapporteur's report said Arabs were often portrayed as terrorists, which backed Syria's belief that the Western media was trying to destroy the image of Arabs and Muslims. Syria had hoped that the Special Rapporteur's report would be just, rather than giving pages to one kind of racism, while only briefly mentioning others. Israel had sent the Special Rapporteur wrong information about history and religion. For instance, it said Arabs are anti-Semitic. How could they be anti-Semitic when they were Semitic themselves? Also, the Arab and Islamic worlds differentiated between
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the politically aggressive Zionist movement and Judaism as a holy religion. It was as though Israel was trying to make the Commission believe that the Koran was against Jews. It would seem that Israel was intent on not respecting the Commission.
BOUBOU DIABIRA, of the International Federation of Human Rights, said his organization had, for a number of years, drawn the attention of the Commission to the deplorable treatment of foreigners and asylum seekers in Western European countries, and that existing measures and practices favoured racism and xenophobia. In 1996, his organization had issued a report of an international panel which had investigated the situation of foreigners and asylum seekers in France, which it had found to be intolerable. French practices provided for the removal of foreigners from French territory in the absence of a veritable judicial control. His organization had submitted 14 recommendations on the two issues covered in the report to the French Government, touching upon, among others, the right to seek asylum, the right not to be expelled and the right to receive a fair hearing. He called on the French authorities, as well those of other European nations, to respect their international undertakings and end those serious violations of human rights.
WILDA SPALDING, of the International Association of Educators for World Peace, said that to combat the cynicism generated by continuing political challenges and the negative offensives being launched by hate groups, it was essential that those working towards action to combat racism utilized every means to educate the public and encourage each other. All tools for that positive campaign had to be efficiently used. There were two areas of implementation of the Programme of Action which the Association would like to focus on, namely partnership accountability and education. The round-tables the Association had organized during the last meeting of the Subcommission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities revolving around "Youth and Youth Impact on Racism" had been well received. Mobilizing accountable partnerships with each other using the vehicles of celebration was one very important step out of the labyrinth towards a future illumined by the Universal Declaration for ourselves and coming generations.
BERYL CARBY-MUTAMBIRWA, of the International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations, said despite efforts made by the international community and concerted efforts by non-governmental organizations and grassroots movements during more than two decades, the scourge of racism and racial discrimination was still on the rise in most countries, and political parties openly promoting racist ideologies were increasing their electoral strength. It was a matter of dismay that governments had not allocated sufficient resources to implement the Programme of Action of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. The Commission should set a date for a world conference to combat racism during this session. Such a
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conference would be an important instrument to raise awareness of the growing peril of racism and racial discrimination.
RIYAZ PUNJABI, of the Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, said the world had witnessed the worst holocausts as a direct result of the promotion of racist ideologies. Paradoxically, as technological advancement was bringing peoples closer, there was a resurgence of racial discrimination and xenophobic practices. Unless governments and States dealt with groups and associations which promoted racism and xenophobic practices effectively, there was reason to believe that those same governments and States were covertly sponsoring racism. Among the groups suffering from discrimination was the Christian minority of Pakistan.
CYNTHIA NEURY, of Centre Europe-Tiers Monde, said the term "American apartheid" had first been used to describe the racial separation of urban areas in America as reflecting a continuing reality in that country. The racial segregation of blacks in urban areas inexorably led to economic, cultural and educational exclusion. That phenomenon was both dangerous and inadmissible. The Commission should draw the attention of the international community and the American authorities to those issues. Indeed, in the United States, human rights were denied twice -- by the "instrumentalization" of individual freedoms and by the concrete denial of social rights.
MARION OLSTHOORN, of the Minority Rights Group, said the organization had published a report highlighting the way in which asylum seekers, many from Africa and Asia, suffered racial discrimination in Western Europe. That contrasted sharply with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports which showed the generosity of many African and Asian countries in helping those fleeing conflicts. The UNHCR recognized more than 13.2 million asylum seekers and refugees in need of international protection, but only around 2.1 million were to be found in Europe. The generosity of Western Europe towards asylum seekers was not impressive. While the number of refugees and internally displaced persons was growing worldwide, the number of asylum seekers arriving in Western Europe had started to decline. The European Union had harmonized its asylum policies, erecting a system that restricted the number of asylum seekers and refugees. Once asylum seekers reached Western Europe, they would find the determination procedures increasingly difficult. Western Europe must fulfil its international obligations to asylum seekers and refugees, and also tackle the root causes of refugee flows.
Right of Reply
H.K. SINGH (India) said his country enjoyed traditional ties of friendship with the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). India was home to the second largest Muslim population in the world, and Muslims were
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valued as equal participants in all aspects of national life. India regretted, however, that the OIC Secretary-General had been persuaded to comment on the internal affairs of India, and to make judgments on a situation which were not shared by a majority of OIC States. The statement had also referred to the bilateral talks scheduled to be held between India and Pakistan. While welcoming this support, India warned that any outside intervention in a complex and delicate situation might not be conducive to the building of peace and harmonious relations in the region.
KAREN NAZARIAN (Armenia) refrerring to the statement made this morning by the Secretary-General of the OIC regarding "Armenian aggression" in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, said it was well known that the conflict was between the Nagorno Karabakh Defence Forces and regular Azerbaijan army units. Also, the number of displaced persons in Azerbaijan mentioned by the OIC Secretary-General was exaggerated. On the other hand, 600,000 Armenians had been uprooted during the conflict. Lastly, the dissemination of inaccurate information might damage the peace process and hamper the work of the Minsk Group, which was meeting in Paris today.
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