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08 August 2000
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CERD
57th session
8 August 2000
Morning
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this morning concluded its consideration of a fourth periodic report presented by the Czech Republic on the measures taken by that Government to fight racial bias.
In response to a number of questions raised by Committee experts, the Czech delegation said that the Roma community in the Czech Republic had been a victim of the holocaust during the Second World War; only about 600 people of the original Czech and Moravian Roma survived the Nazi genocide. That population was highly integrated and assimilated. The Sinti Roma, who had lived on the Czech territory before the war, were also practically exterminated by the Nazis.
Marc Bossuyt, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of the Czech Republic, said the document was comprehensive and frank. However, that did not mean that the Committee was satisfied with the situation in that country. There were still many concerns which needed to be addressed, particularly the situation of the Roma and the racist groups whose activities sometimes caused death.
Committee expert Yuri A. Rechetov also took part in the debate.
An eight-member Czech delegation, led by Miroslav Somol, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, was on hand to discuss the report and to answer the experts' questions. The members of the delegation included representatives from the Ministries of Interior; Education, Youth and Sports; Labour and Social Affairs; the Supreme Court and the Human Rights Council of the Republic.
As one of the 156 States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Czech Republic must submit periodic reports to the Committee on its efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.
Before adjourning its morning meeting, the Committee set up three working groups to develop a list of priority issues related to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; to contribute to the draft declaration and programme of action; and to enhance the best practice document compiled by the Secretariat of the World Conference.
Also this morning, the Committee exchanged views on the theme of prevention of racial discrimination, including early warning measures and urgent action procedures.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up the fourteenth periodic report of the Netherlands (document CERD/C/362/Add.4).
Response of the Czech Republic
In response to questions raised during the previous meeting, the members of the Czech delegation said the Council for National Minorities, the Human Rights Council and the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the Affairs of the Roma had limited executive powers, but could initiate decisions to be taken by the Government. The members were appointed by the Government. In the Commission, Roma representatives were included as members together with ministerial officials. The three institutions functioned as advisory bodies dealing with their respective areas; and they also served as facilitators to solve problems faced by minorities.
The Roma community in the Czech Republic had been a victim of the holocaust during the Second World War, the delegation said. Following the war, many of the Roma were moved to places where they were marginalized. During the Communist era, they enjoyed some social privileges, although they were alienated from their culture through forced assimilation. Only about 600 people of the original Czech and Moravian Roma survived the Nazi genocide. That population was highly integrated and assimilated. The Sinti Roma, who had lived on the Czech territory before the war, were also practically exterminated by the Nazis.
Responding to a question on why, in the 1991 census, did the Roma not identify who they were, the delegation said that it was a lack of self-identification and lower degree of emancipation; and it might also reflect past fear of persecution.
A question was asked about why members of the Roma community continued to immigrate to other countries, to which the delegation said it might be because of economic interests. It was not because they were persecuted by the Czech authorities. The Czech Republic did not encourage Roma to immigrate to other countries, instead it was troubled by the phenomenon.
Speaking on the construction of a wall to separate the residents of Romany origin in the Usti and Labem country from the rest of the local population, the delegation said that the wall had already been demolished and the situation had been normalized.
The residence permits and the procedures for asylum-seekers had been brought in line with other European countries, the delegation said; but amendments were on the way to further improve the situation. Refugees coming from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India, Iraq and from some African countries were still found in numbers in the Czech Republic. The hosting centres for refugees were not prisons as it was alleged by an expert.
Racist organizations such as the National Front and the National Alliance had been asked by the Ministry of Interior to change their statutes and principles, the delegation said. In addition, the Government had been monitoring the activities of such organizations.
MARC BOSSUYT, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of the Czech Republic, said the report was comprehensive and frank. However, that did not mean that the Committee was satisfied with the situation in that country. Many concerns still needed to be addressed, particularly the situation of the Roma and racist groups whose activities sometimes caused death.
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57th session
8 August 2000
Morning
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination this morning concluded its consideration of a fourth periodic report presented by the Czech Republic on the measures taken by that Government to fight racial bias.
In response to a number of questions raised by Committee experts, the Czech delegation said that the Roma community in the Czech Republic had been a victim of the holocaust during the Second World War; only about 600 people of the original Czech and Moravian Roma survived the Nazi genocide. That population was highly integrated and assimilated. The Sinti Roma, who had lived on the Czech territory before the war, were also practically exterminated by the Nazis.
Marc Bossuyt, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of the Czech Republic, said the document was comprehensive and frank. However, that did not mean that the Committee was satisfied with the situation in that country. There were still many concerns which needed to be addressed, particularly the situation of the Roma and the racist groups whose activities sometimes caused death.
Committee expert Yuri A. Rechetov also took part in the debate.
An eight-member Czech delegation, led by Miroslav Somol, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations Office at Geneva, was on hand to discuss the report and to answer the experts' questions. The members of the delegation included representatives from the Ministries of Interior; Education, Youth and Sports; Labour and Social Affairs; the Supreme Court and the Human Rights Council of the Republic.
As one of the 156 States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Czech Republic must submit periodic reports to the Committee on its efforts to implement the provisions of the treaty.
Before adjourning its morning meeting, the Committee set up three working groups to develop a list of priority issues related to the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; to contribute to the draft declaration and programme of action; and to enhance the best practice document compiled by the Secretariat of the World Conference.
Also this morning, the Committee exchanged views on the theme of prevention of racial discrimination, including early warning measures and urgent action procedures.
When the Committee reconvenes at 3 p.m., it will take up the fourteenth periodic report of the Netherlands (document CERD/C/362/Add.4).
Response of the Czech Republic
In response to questions raised during the previous meeting, the members of the Czech delegation said the Council for National Minorities, the Human Rights Council and the Inter-Ministerial Commission for the Affairs of the Roma had limited executive powers, but could initiate decisions to be taken by the Government. The members were appointed by the Government. In the Commission, Roma representatives were included as members together with ministerial officials. The three institutions functioned as advisory bodies dealing with their respective areas; and they also served as facilitators to solve problems faced by minorities.
The Roma community in the Czech Republic had been a victim of the holocaust during the Second World War, the delegation said. Following the war, many of the Roma were moved to places where they were marginalized. During the Communist era, they enjoyed some social privileges, although they were alienated from their culture through forced assimilation. Only about 600 people of the original Czech and Moravian Roma survived the Nazi genocide. That population was highly integrated and assimilated. The Sinti Roma, who had lived on the Czech territory before the war, were also practically exterminated by the Nazis.
Responding to a question on why, in the 1991 census, did the Roma not identify who they were, the delegation said that it was a lack of self-identification and lower degree of emancipation; and it might also reflect past fear of persecution.
A question was asked about why members of the Roma community continued to immigrate to other countries, to which the delegation said it might be because of economic interests. It was not because they were persecuted by the Czech authorities. The Czech Republic did not encourage Roma to immigrate to other countries, instead it was troubled by the phenomenon.
Speaking on the construction of a wall to separate the residents of Romany origin in the Usti and Labem country from the rest of the local population, the delegation said that the wall had already been demolished and the situation had been normalized.
The residence permits and the procedures for asylum-seekers had been brought in line with other European countries, the delegation said; but amendments were on the way to further improve the situation. Refugees coming from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India, Iraq and from some African countries were still found in numbers in the Czech Republic. The hosting centres for refugees were not prisons as it was alleged by an expert.
Racist organizations such as the National Front and the National Alliance had been asked by the Ministry of Interior to change their statutes and principles, the delegation said. In addition, the Government had been monitoring the activities of such organizations.
MARC BOSSUYT, the Committee expert who served as country rapporteur to the report of the Czech Republic, said the report was comprehensive and frank. However, that did not mean that the Committee was satisfied with the situation in that country. Many concerns still needed to be addressed, particularly the situation of the Roma and racist groups whose activities sometimes caused death.
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