GA/SHC/3599

THIRD COMMITTEE HEARS CALLS FOR STRATEGIES TO HALT RISE OF EXTREMIST GROUPS

The redistribution of social, economic and cultural power was necessarily entwined in the struggle against racism and racial discrimination, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard this morning as it continued deliberating issues related to racism and self-determination.

South Africa's representative made that observation on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and as host to the 2001 World Conference on racism. He said apartheid had brought incalculable economic miseries and political destabilization to the SADC region. The region�s ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversity, however, was an asset rather than a threat. It enriched politics and interdependence. The way to overcome Racism and prejudice was to foster social justice and fairness and to promote equal opportunities and equitable economic participation for all.

Noting that xenophobia occurred around the world, the representative of Tunisia said Africa had not been spared. All over the continent, ethnic violence had forced people to flee their homes. The only answer was economic and social development for the continent as a whole. Tunisia would participate in the World Conference on racism with that aim in mind. It would provide one of the Conference vice-presidents.

A representative of the European Community said the European Union would actively participate and generously fund both the World Conference and regional preparatory conferences, in order to continue devising practical initiatives to halt the rise of extremist and racist organizations. He said a directive had been unanimously adopted against racist practices and for promotion of equal treatment.

The right of people to self-determination around the world was also reaffirmed this morning. The representative of Pakistan called on the United Nations to take a more pro-active role in meeting the aspiration of the Kashmiri people. The representative of Iraq called for the International community to exert pressure to end racially discriminatory practices against his country.

Numerous countries called for peaceful settlement in the Middle East. Both the representative of Israel and the observer of Palestine said they were committed to it.

Also making statements were the representatives of the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Iceland, Cuba, Venezuela, Angola, Congo, Belarus, Bangladesh and France, speaking on behalf of the European Union.

Third Committee - 1a - Press Release GA/SHC/3599 29th Meeting (AM) 20 October 2000

Also speaking this morning was the observer for Switzerland.

A representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) made a statement.

The Committee will meet again at 3:00 p.m. to continue its consideration of issues related to the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, along with the right of peoples to self-determination.

Third Committee - 3 - Press Release GA/SHC/3599 29th Meeting (AM) 20 October 2000

Committee Work Programme

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to continue considering issues related to racism and to self-determination. (For background, see Press Release GA/SHC/3596 of 18 October.)

Statements

MIRKO GIULIETTI (observer of Switzerland) said national and international initiatives over the last few years had shown that States were well aware of the increasing problem of racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance. It also showed that there was worldwide consensus on the need to address that issue with swift and decisive action. In that regard, it was most important for all States to become parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial discrimination. That would provide the appropriate legal framework for global action.

He said that there were five areas where Switzerland would concentrate its efforts to combat racism. The first was the Internet. He stressed the importance of the contribution the Internet had made in the fight against the spread of racist ideas. However, the negative Web sites which spread racist and xenophobic ideas were becoming more and more prevalent. The international community should exert every effort to eliminate such sites, while being careful to make appropriate distinctions between the functions of access providers and service providers.

Next, Switzerland would concentrate on criminal laws. By making slight changes in the country�s laws, many positive changes had been wrought that ensured the promotion of tolerance instead of hatred. That should be a lesson for other States. The third focus of the Swiss Government would be to stress the important role of the specialized agencies, both at national and international levels. Those agencies had much to offer in the form of advice and awareness raising. His delegation therefore supported the establishment of independent specialized bodies to deal with issue of racism.

Next, he said that along with those specialized national or international bodies, consultation bodies should be established to work directly with victims of racism at the local level. Those agencies should be open and available to all people, to hear complaints or provide mediation services. Finally, he said that Switzerland would like to encourage all States to establish a better relationship with ethnic minorities to establish permanent mechanisms for dialogues which could provide positive solutions. Switzerland had found that reaching out to ethnic minorities through civil society actors could produce positive results.

DUMISANI S. KUMALO (South Africa), speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said that after living for years under the destructive policies of apartheid, which had brought incalculable economic miseries and political destabilization to his region, the people who had stood against the worst form of racism in the twentieth century were more than competent to say that legal provisions alone did not provide sufficient solutions. The struggle against racism and racial discrimination should, of necessity, embrace the redistribution of social, economic and cultural power. That could only be achieved by promoting social justice and fairness and by promoting equal opportunities and equitable economic participation for all. He said that the ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic diversity of the SADC region were not a threat but an asset which enriched its politics and interdependence.

He went on to say, however, that the struggle against racism posed a serious challenge for the SADC region. He did have confidence in the region�s potential to invest in its own economies and to create jobs, to extend the wealth of the region to its citizens. All that would speed efforts to improve health, deliver housing services, appropriate education and a clean water supply. The spirit of collective determination to achieve freedom for all had been and would always be the region�s clarion call. On the right to self-determination, he said that principle was a fundamental human right. With that in mind, his delegation deplored the recent acts of violence in occupied East Jerusalem. He called on the Israeli Government to exercise restraint and to avoid disproportionate use of force in the Palestinian territories.

HAZZA MOHAMMAD FALAH AL-QAHTANI (United Arab Emirates) said racial discrimination was one of the gravest injustices in the world today. Every single racial crime must be investigated. Schools and means of communication must be used to raise a new generation that was tolerant. There was too much that was wrong in the media, and its defamation of people was rampant. Since 1948, Israel had used all its power to spread wrong information about the Palestinians and Arabs. Arab houses were being burned by a Government that whined about having been wronged. It was God's will that a 12-year-old Palestinian child should be photographed as he was shot, with his father unable to protect him.

The suffering occurring in occupied Palestine was out of tune with the twenty-first century and with the Millennium Summit, which had stressed tolerance. The international community must intervene in the situation in the occupied territories to liberate the Palestinian people from the genocide occurring there. There must be no double standard.

SIMONA FRANKEL (Israel) said the tools of communication must be mobilized to prevent incidents of racism and violence before they occurred. Electronic communication in conjunction with other means could become a basis for information on acts of racism. It could educate the young and facilitate the development of tolerance for those who were different, preventing the development of hostility derived from ignorance. The United Nations must find a way to take advantage of the Internet and, conversely, prevent the use of the Internet as an avenue for disseminating destructive propaganda.

The Palestinian observer had made remarks with regard to the rights of children, she continued. It should be noted that 99 per cent of Palestinians in the territories lived under the rule of the Palestinian Authority. Any complaints regarding the rights and well-being of Palestinian adults and children should be addressed to that body. In addition, those who elected to send their children to participate in acts of violence and aggression bore full responsibility for the results of that criminal abuse of children. Israel had reflected its desire for a just peace with Palestinian neighbours at the end of the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit. Mutual accusations led nowhere. All must reaffirm a commitment to mustering all strength for bringing about a just and lasting peace in the region.

MICHAEL POWLES (New Zealand) said the Programme of Action for the 2001 World Conference should go beyond historical analysis of the causes and the extent of problems. It should map out strategies for overcoming obstacles. A practical and concrete approach would yield the greatest results. Men, women and children who suffered the daily pain and indignity of racism urgently needed action, not more words. Priority issues for the Conference would be human rights education, an exchange of "best practices", implementation of the Convention on eliminating racism, consideration of the situation of indigenous people and other minorities, address of new forms of racism, and the role of civil society and State actors in fighting racism.

The exclusion of New Zealand and Australia from the Asia-Pacific regional preparatory meeting for the World Conference to be held in Tehran in February 2001 was disappointing and of concern, he said. Regional preparatory meetings should be organized along United Nations regional commission lines. New Zealand had participated on that basis in the preparatory process for the Economic and Social Commission for Asian and the Pacific countries in September. Japan had expressed unqualified support for the participation of both Australia and New Zealand. Hopefully, New Zealand would be able to participate fully and constructively in the preparatory process with others from its part of the world.

THORSTEINN INGOLFSSON (Iceland) said that while the international community had come a long way in the battle against racism and racial discrimination, there were still enormous obstacles and challenges to be overcome. The world community must particularly focus on the tremendous influence the mass media had on public opinion, and encourage responsibility in that field. It must promote positive media initiatives while at the same time raising the level of pubic awareness to the possible adverse effects of some media outlets. Every person should become a responsible media user. The alarming rise and promotion of racist and xenophobic ideas in political circles had also been identified as serious violations of human rights, he said. The international community must fight against those practices at every opportunity. An atmosphere of greater harmony and tolerance within societies must be created.

He said that the Council of Europe would continue to play a key role in combating racism and xenophobia, and other intolerance in Europe. The main theme of the recent regional meeting held in Strasbourg in preparation for the upcoming World Conference had been: �All different, all equal: from principle to practice.� That conference had adopted a political declaration which stressed that Europe was a community of shared cultural values. Member States had stressed that they were alarmed by the indifference to manifestations of racism. That underlined a worldwide responsibility, not only in intergovernmental organizations, but also for individuals. Individuals had a duty to make it impossible for racist or discriminatory ideals to take root in their communities. Racism could not be eradicated unless each and every person took the necessary action to prevent and to speak out when witnessing practices of racism.

MERCEDES DE ARMAS GARCIA (Cuba) said that the right of States to exercise self-determination was one of the fundamental principles of international human rights covenants. As long as nations lived under colonial domination or foreign occupation there would be no reason to talk about respect for human rights. In that regard, her country remained firmly and steadfastly in solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and the will to live with dignity. For Palestinians and all people locked in similar struggles, the guarantee of the right to self-determination was one which required decisive action on the part of the international community. That was true not just because there were still 17 occupied territories but because new threats were arising. There was a troubling increase in the number of attempts by the more powerful nations to mould the peoples and cultures of other nations. The dilemma for developing countries was whether to accept such interventions as a matter of course. That so-called humanitarian intervention was a violation of the United Nations Charter and right to self-determination, she said. The international community should strive for respect of nations and territorial integrity, rather than promote the dissolution of less developed nations into uniformity under the relentless progress of globalization.

Like economic and political dictatorships, she said, notions of superiority based on nuclear power and manipulation of human rights posed serious threats to the right of nations to self-determination. The inviolability of the right to independence should remain a high priority on the international agenda. In that regard, she said that her country urged the return of the Guantanamo base to Cuban sovereignty. Its present use was a flagrant violation of the Cuban people�s right to self-determination and had been noted in the report of the Special Rapporteur on the use of mercenaries. That report noted that the use of mercenaries had increased, she added. Even in times of peace, mercenaries were used to disrupt the lives of people within countries. Cuba supported the report�s findings, particularly in the area of identifying new forms of mercenary activity, such as those undertaken by individuals who worked from within their own countries. Mercenaries, she urged, must be subject to international investigation and appropriate punishment. It was important to note, however, that Cuba reserved the right to act against such phenomena to protect its people. Her country had been victim to mercenary activities by the United States over the last 40 years. Those activities were a flagrant violation of the principles of the Charter. Cuba would continue to cooperate with the work of the Special Rapporteur and would request that the General Assembly consider extending his mandate.

SAYED DURAN (Venezuela) said there was no doubt that the work by the United Nations to fight racism and racial discrimination had borne fruit all over the world. But the efforts of the wider international community to combat new and more subtle forms of racism should not be overlooked. Venezuela�s constitution stipulated the undeniable right of freedom for all. Equality was also guaranteed in laws adopted to protect vulnerable populations. The people of Venezuela were united in a respect for the principles of equality and freedom from discrimination. The country promoted a process of participatory democracy which guaranteed the protection of the values of freedom and respect for the rule of law.

She said that national institutions had been created to promote human rights. Those agencies mainly targeted the most vulnerable sectors of society. There was also a new attitude that promoted respect for cultural diversity. She said that it was up to the international community to do its part to create an atmosphere that would promote the culture of tolerance. In that regard, her delegation looked forward to the upcoming World Conference as an important step in the right direction. She called on all governments that had the capacity to do so to make contributions to the Voluntary Fund to allow participation of less developed countries. Finally, she said that Venezuela recognized the right to self-determination and that all nations had the duty to respect that right.

SHAMSHAD AHMAD (Pakistan) said the rights of self-determination should be granted wherever people were oppressed. It was a right of all people and the basis for all human rights. The two human rights Conventions included the right of self-determination, and the United Nations had played a pivotal role in affirming that right for people living under repression since its inception. The people of East Timor had at last exercised the right under United Nations auspices, while the expectation that the Palestinian people would soon exercise that right had seen a setback. Offering sincere condolences to the families of those who had lost their lives, he said the provocative visit to Al-Haram Al- Sharif had put the Middle East peace process in serious jeopardy. The Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh was a first step that would hopefully lead to a comprehensive settlement affirming the Palestinian people's rights.

His country understood the tragedy because of its own experience in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, outlining the background to India's annexation of the region. However, only the people of Kashmir could decide their future and they continued to fight against the illegal Indian occupation. No family had been left untouched by Indian injustice, including deaths and massacres of innocent Kashmiris by renegade military elements. India�s "outright State terrorism" could not reflect the Kashmiri people's indefatigable quest for freedom. The United Nations should take a more pro-active role in helping to meet the aspirations about the will of the Kashmiri people. East Timor and Namibia were eye-opening examples of people receiving help to achieve their rights. There could not be selectivity between regions and peoples.

ANTONIO LEAL CORDEIRO (Angola) said the World Conference on Racism would be the opportunity to create a new world vision for the fight against any form of racism and for an international vision of racial reconciliation. It should create improved dialogue between minorities and majorities. It should help make civil society, the media, and political decision-makers better informed. Finally, it should lead to the implementation of new strategies and solutions for reducing racist actions overall. Above all, the outcome of the Conference must be to change attitudes towards racial conflict, a most shameful characteristic for today.

Angola supported the right of self-determination for all people still living under colonial and foreign occupation, he said. The historic accomplishment in East Timor, whose people had succeeded in exercising their right to self- determination, was a source of satisfaction. The recent violence in the Middle East was regrettable, and the peace efforts in the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit most welcome. The resolution of the conflict in Western Sahara, through implementation of the United Nations Peace Plan, looked promising. The Special Rapporteur on mercenaries should continue with his mandate in order to end the use of mercenaries.

SOMAIA BARGHOUTI, observer of Palestine, recalled the background to the situation in her country, including the recent deterioration that had reached an alarming and dangerous level characterized by an indiscriminate and excessive use of force. She emphasized that the national rights of the Palestinian people must be recognized, like those of any other people. The foremost of those were the right to self-determination and the legitimate right to establish an independent State with Jerusalem as its capital. At this very critical time of the Palestinian people's struggle for freedom and independence, "serious action" was required to realize the objective.

There had been optimism that by this time the peace process would have culminated in a peace treaty between the State of Palestine and Israel, she said. A comprehensive, just and lasting peace had been anticipated in the Middle East. The recent dehumanization of the Palestinian population threatened the foundation of the peace process, because it was obvious that, for Israel, the peace process was a vehicle to continue its occupational subjugation. However, the Palestinian people remained committed to the peace process and the implementation of all signed agreements. After more than a half century of suffering and injustice, the Palestinian people would not accept anything less than full recognition and respect of their legitimate rights. With support and solidarity, it would soon participate as a full member of the United Nations.

GABRIELLE OLEA (Congo) focused her intervention on the report of the Special Rapporteur on mercenaries, which had noted some positive changes after protracted civil wars in her country. She said that peace was at the centre of the Congo�s rebuilding policies, but that was dependent on the ability to collect weapons and integrate former fighters into society. Application of recent peace agreements, and the work of the international mediator, had been most important in that regard. She was pleased to note that the cessation of hostilities embodied in the agreements had led to the wholesale return of displaced persons to areas that had been destroyed by war. Given those positive changes, sparked by the people of the Congo themselves, she wondered if the continued presence of the Special Rapporteur was necessary.

Turning to the idea of an international inquiry, while not rejecting the idea, she wondered what its objective would be. Would it not be more important to consolidate the national peace? The Government had worked actively to avoid bestowing any sort of amnesty or legitimacy on perpetrators of political and economic crimes. She, therefore, wondered if any sort of international inquiry would actually hamper that work. She also requested the United Nations to revise and lower the level of security in Brazzaville and Point Noir, and called on the international community to support the efforts of international mediators to consolidate peace in the region.

Mr. OGURTSOV (Belarus) said that not a single country was free from racism or discriminatory practices. It appeared that racism was adapting and changing more rapidly than international action could devise ways to combat its spread. The emergence of more subtle forms of racism and the rise in activity of hate groups that exploited the fruits of democracy were particularly troubling. He was most alarmed at the increase in violent activities by right-wing organizations and skinhead groups. Neo-Nazi groups now regularly attacked people with darker skins, as well as religious monuments and cemeteries. With all that in mind, he said it was high time for the Committee to draft a resolution on measures to deal with neo-Nazi and extreme right-wing activity. His delegation looked forward to participating in the discussion of such a draft. He said that the international community must not waste time merely saying racism was evil. Its task was to take decisive action. His great hope was for a positive outcome to the upcoming World Conference. The preparatory work had engendered a certain measure of optimism that the Conference would give birth to an effective mechanism to combat all forms of racism.

MUHAMMED ENAYET MOWLA (Bangladesh) said that while he believed that humankind was striving towards a better future, the persistence of hatred, discrimination and intolerance dwarfed any achievements made so far. In just the past century, he said, the world had seen what intra-State conflict, endemic violence and social strife had done to undermine positive change. Ignorance and fear had eroded values. And the worst forms of intolerance, racism and xenophobia had resulted in genocide and ethnic cleansing. Those atrocities had been accompanied by a shocking rise of ideologies which challenged the fundamental values of human rights today. New and more subtle forms of racism were emerging, most often targeted towards groups that were seen as �different� or vulnerable, such as refugees, migrants or ethnic and religious minorities. It appeared, then, that there was no better time than now to hold the upcoming World Conference. He hoped that the Conference would take a comprehensive approach towards eradicating all forms of intolerance and renew the fight against racism and racial discrimination.

Bangladesh believed that unless our minds could be freed from racist and discriminatory perceptions through education, fear of the unknown would only exacerbate those problems, he said. The role of parents, teachers, religious leaders and journalists was important in teaching the world�s children to respect diversity and to solve differences through dialogue. In that regard, he highlighted the importance of all actors in the international community in the promotion of a culture of peace. On the question of self-determination, he said the principle was central to his country. Having won its right to self- determination through the sacrifices of war, Bangladesh valued that principle most. With that in mind, he said the recent events in the Middle East were of great concern to his delegation. The cycle of violence there must be stopped. He hoped that the recent agreement at the Sharm el-Sheikh Summit would end the violence and lead to a just and lasting peace that would establish the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

MOHAMMED SALMAN (Iraq) said racism continued insidiously. Differences between people were a basis for marginalizing them, particularly in developed countries and especially against Islam and Arabs. Outlining the background for his country's multiple religions and the safeguards instituted to protect each, he pointed to the situation in the north of his country as a pilot programme for autonomous existence. Minorities all over the country were protected, he added.

However, the policy of the United States and the United Kingdom against his country was aimed at dividing Iraq and destroying its autonomy. Those policies -- along with sanctions and foreign interference -- were dangerous practices constituting racial discrimination. Yet, the real situation was the lack of a central authority in the northern governorate, where fighting with foreign elements was occurring. The international community should exert pressure to restore Iraq's autonomy, end the no-fly zone and remove the sanctions.

DALEL KRICHENE (Tunisia) said there were many reassuring signs seeming to indicate that humanity was coming together and was beyond racial discrimination. Unfortunately, there was also an increase in the racism of far-right groups. The ideologies involved were based on a cheap level of thinking aimed at winning votes in elections. Noting that xenophobia occurred around the world, she said that Africa had not been spared. All over the continent, ethnic violence had forced people to flee their homes. The only answer was economic and social development for the continent as a whole. Tunisia would participate in the World Conference on Racism with that aim in mind. It would provide one of the Conference vice-presidents, and would offer its experience as one of the first to have signed the Convention on racial discrimination. Since then, it had taken many initiatives, such as revising the school curriculum to include the teaching of tolerance. It was paving the way to the time when all peoples, in particular the Palestinian people, would be free of domination.

HUGUES MORET (France), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said the right of people to self-determination implied the innate desire of people to decide their own fate. It also stipulated that people should have the right to decide the use of their resources. No people should ever be deprived of their right to a basic subsistence. The use of resources should also contribute to a people's welfare.

The right to self-determination would have no meaning without consideration of the individual people involved. Those peoples must have certain basic rights, such as the freedom to associate with others and communicate ideas through a free press. They must be able to determine their own fate and participate in free elections. In short, the right of self-determination was the fundamental right that incorporated all the others and reaffirmed the indivisibility of all human rights.

RICHARD WYATT, delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, said practical initiatives were being taken within the Union to halt the rise of extremist and racist organizations. Political leaders must stand up and make clear that society would not tolerate racism, xenophobia or any other form of discrimination. They must also make certain to take measures that root it out.

International cooperation in the fight against racism and discrimination was essential, he continued. The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia had been watching and combating racism in the Union since 1997, including through an information network. A proper understanding of the problem was essential for effective action that relied on policies being properly targeted.

He said progress in some areas had been remarkably rapid. A unanimously adopted directive to combat racial discrimination had laid down common standards of protection. It also required States to designate a body to promote equal treatment and provide independent assistance to victims of discrimination. Other initiatives included judicial and police cooperation, adoption of an action programme, mainstreaming, funding of programmes aimed at immigration and asylum situations, outreach to other countries and regions, and finally, active participation and generous funding for both the World Conference and regional preparatory conferences.

KOURTOUM NARCO, Technical Support Division, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), noted the contributions her agency was making towards preparations for the upcoming World Conference. The UNFPA would be represented by its country offices at regional expert meetings, organized around key themes to be addressed at the Conference. The agency had also fully participated in the International Day of the World�s Indigenous People and the preparatory consultations for the World Conference, which took place on 9 and 10 August, respectively. Those consultations resulted in a draft declaration by participating indigenous people that will be introduced at the Conference.

She added that the UNFPA had been responding to requests from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights by providing information on its funded programmes or activities which addressed the issue of racial discrimination. Those included programmes especially developed for indigenous people and refugees

Third Committee - 4 - Press Release GA/SHC/3599 29th Meeting (AM) 20 October 2000

or internally displaced persons around the world. She said that, in Latin America, the agency had been supporting initiatives and programmes that addressed the special needs of indigenous people. As for future contributions, she said the UNFPA planned to hold a round table on indigenous people and reproductive health and gender in 2001. She was certain that the conclusions of those discussions would be useful for the ongoing work of the World Conference.

* *** *

United Nations