VICE MINISTERS FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF VIET NAM AND URUGUAY ADDRESS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Commission on Human Rights
57th session
23 March 2001
Morning




Commission Continues Debate on Racism and Racial Discrimination



The Vice Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam and Uruguay addressed the Commission on Human Rights this morning, describing, among other things, their nations' activities aimed at providing fundamental human rights to all as well as some actions which were necessary at the international level.

Nguyen Tam Chien, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, said that each nation was entitled to the sacred right of the freedom to choose its path of development and its political institutions. The implementation of human rights, especially the implementation of civil and political rights, should go hand in hand with the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights. It was necessary that constructive dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues be conducted on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

Guillermo Valles, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, said that his country respected the rule of law and human rights and had total faith in democratic systems as the only way of guaranteeing human dignity. Progressive development of the universal system for the protection of human rights was necessary. A more constructive, progress-based approach with less castigation was needed to increase efficiency.

The Commission also continued its debate on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related forms of intolerance. Representatives from the Syrian Arab Republic, the Russian Federation, Pakistan, Indonesia, Argentina, the Republic of Korea, the United States, Algeria, Cameroon, Romania, Thailand and Mexico discussed, among other things, the upcoming World Conference against Racism and the aims which it should encompass. Several speakers said education was necessary for creating an appreciation of diversity and for attacking the root causes of racism. Ignorance and fear of differences, compounded by migration, was also mentioned as a cause of racism and racial discrimination.

The Commission will reconvene at 3 p.m. this afternoon to continue its debate on racism.


Statements

NGUYEN TAM CHIEN, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, quoting the former Vietnamese leader, Ho Chi Minh, said that independence would be meaningless for a country if it could not bring happiness and freedom to the people. It was also his simple but lofty wish that everyone would have enough food and clothing and equal access to education. With regard to the international community, each nation was entitled to the sacred right of the freedom to choose its path of development and its political institutions. It was necessary to enhance international dialogue and cooperation for better mutual understanding, for the promotion of human rights, and for equal opportunities to every nation and people to develop. No country or society was entitled to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries or societies.

Viet Nam believed that the implementation of human rights, especially the implementation of civil and political rights, should go hand in hand with the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights. Thanks to the recent economic achievements, Viet Nam had increased its budgetary allocation for social needs, with priority given to programmes aimed at poverty alleviation, especially in rural, mountainous areas and for ethnic minorities. The poverty rate had been reduced from 25 per cent in 1995 to 11 per cent in 2000. By the year 2000, literacy and primary education had been attained in all provinces and cities of the country. The literacy rate now stood at 95 per cent. Over 90 per cent of the population had access to health care services.

With regard to the human rights situation in Viet Nam, it was necessary that constructive dialogue and cooperation be conducted on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Viet Nam was ready to make its modest contributions to that end.

GUILLERMO VALLES, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, said that Uruguay respected the rule of law and human rights and had total faith in democratic systems as the only way of guaranteeing human dignity. Among others, the rights to life, security and physical integrity were guaranteed in today's peaceful Uruguay. The work in preparation for the World Conference against Racism was of great importance. The President of Uruguay had expressed the need to find ways to come to terms with the past. Families of those who had disappeared under the dictatorship needed to know what happened to their loved ones. A truth commission had been created to express this will. Efforts had been made including, among others, the extension of an amnesty law, the reinstatement of persons who had lost their jobs and the reimbursement of families who had lost possessions.

The progressive development of the universal system for the protection of human rights was necessary. Social policies were there to meet the needs of the whole population while directing special attention to those who most needed help. Uruguay had the best income distribution indicator in Latin America. This by no means diminished the responsibility of the system as a whole to support the right to development. Protectionist policies still existent undermined efforts to develop. Without economic progress, the proper conditions for human rights to flourish could not be guaranteed.

Some attitudes of racism and racial discrimination affected societies in their collectivities. A more constructive, progress-based approach with less castigation was needed to increase efficiency. War, violence and poverty were the results of much deeper causes. They needed to be attacked at the cause level, not the effect level.

KHABBAZ HAMOUI FAYSAL (Syrian Arab Republic) said racism and xenophobia were getting worse by the day; accelerated development only seemed to make matters worse, along with globalization. There were particular problems for the people of Palestine, the occupied Golan, and Lebanon, where they had become something like tenth-class citizens under the depredations of the occupying power. And this at the beginning of the so-called Third Millennium. Peace and tolerance could only prevail if racism and racial discrimination were eradicated from the minds of people.

The worsening situation around the world showed that the measures taken so far by States had not been enough. Islam was a religion of peace and tolerance, yet some, who had sick minds, tried to distort that reality and tarnish the image of Islam. Islam was among the first religions to insist that all people were equal. Syria hoped for every success for South Africa in organizing the World Conference against Racism.

GRIGORY LUKIYANTSEV (the Russian Federation) said that the success of the forthcoming World Conference against Racism would depend on the cooperation of the international community. It should be emphasized that here and there, one remarked the development of other forms of racism related to nationalism and ethnicity concocted even at the level of some States. The priority agenda of the World Conference should include the causes of the vulnerable groups who were victims of racial discrimination. In some instances, the issue of separatism and other conflicts of ethnicity had turned into issues of racial discrimination. It was also crucial that the outcome of the World Conference should prohibit racial discrimination which could be manifested in the form of racial discrimination, xenophobia and other related intolerance.

MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan) said that in this year of the World Conference against Racism, existing instruments related to racism and xenophobia needed to be built upon. Islamophobia was a form of structural racism and needed to be combatted as such. Every effort needed to be made to preserve cultural diversity. Civil society needed to cooperate with the OIC and other Member States to promote tolerance and understanding and to take resolute measures to end acts that defamed and denigrated religions and cultures.

Poverty and lack of education were often at the root of racism. Due attention needed to be given to the related, but separate, issues of migration and trafficking. Migrants' problems arose from poverty and prejudice. The integration of foreign residents needed to be facilitated by States. Sexual violence and the trafficking of women and girls for prostitution were serious elements of the trafficking problem that needed to be addressed at the World Conference. Current legal systems often penalized the victims rather than the traffickers. Protection strategies, safe rescue and the return and rehabilitation of victims needed to be addressed, among other things.

SUSANTO SUTOYO (Indonesia) said education as a life-long process was essential to the promotion of a genuine dialogue among different societies. Indonesia took pride in its mosaic of different cultures and peoples, but the political transformation process, combined with the economic crisis currently besetting the country, had had a significant impact; the May 1998 riots were an unfortunate case in point, as they resulted in a number of horrendous human-rights abuses. The transition process towards a pluralistic democracy had also had a number of unintended consequences, such as the recent ethnic conflicts in some parts of the country. These had not been addressed swiftly enough, and it was necessary for the Government and the public to learn the lesson of these tragedies for the sake of national unity, and to learn the meaning of harmony and tolerance.

The Government was determined to address the root causes of conflicts arising from racial, ethnic and religious differences and to remove any discriminatory clauses from its legislation -- a process that had already begun. Indonesia believed that the World Conference against Racism should adopt a short, forward-looking, action-oriented declaration and programme of action that nonetheless addressed in depth the scourge of racism.

HORACIO EMILIO SOLARI (Argentina) highlighted the work done by different groups in the preparations for the forthcoming World Conference against Racism. The World Conference was an important event and was a good opportunity which should be seized by the international community to continue it fight against the phenomenon of racism. Racial hatred had been a scrooge that spread during the last century. The recurrence of racism could not only be attributed to race, but to other issues, including employment opportunities. In many States, the phenomenon had been controlled through the strengthening of institutions such as the Ombudsman. In Argentina, for example, any person inciting violence based on racial hatred received punishment. The acts of any form of racial discrimination were also prohibited. Specific measures had been publicized to promote racial intolerance and additional steps were also taken to respect the rights of the indigenous peoples. The venue of the forthcoming World Conference was a good choice.

EUI-YONG CHUNG (the Republic of Korea) said the World Conference offered a chance to take stock of the efforts made to combat racism and discrimination to this day. The Republic of Korea had acceded to the six major international human rights instruments including, among others, the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, and was one of only 33 countries to have made its declaration under Article 14 of that Convention. The divergence of priorities that had emerged in the preparatory process for the World Conference would not be insurmountable if approached with a forward looking perspective.

Undocumented migrants were particularly vulnerable to the humiliation, discrimination and racism that migrants were subjected to in many parts of the world. The Government of President Kim Dae-jung had made human rights policy a cornerstone of its domestic and foreign policy and had extended protection to legal foreign workers and the opportunity to gain access to primary education to the children of undocumented foreign workers. The Government of the Republic of Korea was in the final stages of establishing a National Human Rights Commission in the country. No efforts would be spared in achieving full respect for the dignity and worth of the human person.

ELLEN SAUERBREY (the United States) said the US Government opposed racism in all its forms and manifestations; it acknowledged the country's painful racial history and the legacy it had created for many people of African-American and Native American descent, and for people of other minorities; it recognized that it had not always measured up to the high standards it had set for itself. While the US could not claim to be immune from incidents of xenophobia, the gates to the nation had long been open to people from around the world, and the country had become the most ethnically, racially, and religiously diverse nation on earth. Far from opposing this diversity, the US welcomed it; the old racial and ethnic barriers to opportunity were falling across the country because America's laws and people demanded it.

The United States was deeply committed to the success of the upcoming World Conference against Racism. It saw the World Conference as an opportunity for each country to focus on its own policies and practices; there also was much the countries of the world could learn from each other if the matter was approached positively and if the Conference was not used as an occasion to judge and condemn.

HOCINE SAHRAOUI (Algeria) recalled that in his report, the Special Rapporteur on the contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance had concluded that the new forms of racial discrimination and xenophobia were to be found, unfortunately, in the developed countries. That phenomenon was disturbing; and during the past few years, those contemporary forms of racial discrimination had attempted to seek political, moral and legal recognition. In some States, Government leaders did not hesitate to develop a political speech of "national preference" and to include in their regulations terms such as "non-nationals", "new immigrants" or "foreigners in irregular situation". In addition, in the name of the right to the freedom of expression, some media coverage attributed all the evils of the society to foreigners without the public authorities challenging such allegations, which incited racism, xenophobia, and which appealed to racial violence and crimes.

The upcoming World Conference against Racism, which would be held in South Africa, would be a fantastic opportunity for all peoples and nations on the planet to treat frankly the issue and to adopt pragmatic and concrete measures in order to do away with racism. It was also significant that the Conference would be held in a continent that suffered most from racial discrimination and colonialism, and particularly in a country which had been subjected to the worst form of racism -- apartheid.

FRANCOIS-XAVIER NGOUBEYOU (Cameroon) said it was disconcerting to note that racism and racial discrimination and related forms of intolerance occurred daily; it also was clear that such problems were the root causes of many conflicts and of many human-rights violations. Genocide, rape, and social and economic exclusion had occurred for reasons of race. Cameroon thought that in this multi-racial and multi-ethnic world, no country should be able to base nationality on matters of race. Cameroon was a multi-ethnic country and proud of it.

The World Conference against Racism should take into account the specific concerns coming out of the regional preparatory meetings; the Conference should be forward-looking and should focus on specific actions that would ease daily life and lead to long-term solutions. Ending racism lay in simple actions that were already within everyone's grasp. A study should be undertaken to find ways of preventing the dissemination of racist propaganda through advanced media systems. There should be an international fund for compensation of victims of racism and a worldwide monitoring system for combatting racial discrimination.

ANDA PILIP (Romania) said that her country attached great importance to the promotion and respect for human rights and to international cooperation in that field. The promotion of human rights as a foundation to a real democratic society had become an essential element of the policies of the Romanian State. Romanian citizens were equal before the law and before State authorities. The identity of each social segment was respected by the authorities. The fight for the total elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, and national origin remained the main objectives of States and the international community. The phenomena of racial discrimination still subsisted in different corners of the world, resulting in extremely grave situations in some areas.

The delay in economic reforms in Romania had incited popular dissatisfaction. Seizing such opportunities, extremist rhetoric had been carried out by some quarters of the society. However, such attitudes had now decreased as the economic reforms were taking momentum. Romania believed that the forthcoming World Conference against Racism would be a highly important moment in the combat against the plague of racial discrimination.

LAXANACHANTORN LAOHAPHAN (Thailand) said that racism was not a new phenomena, but was distinguished today by its ability to spread quickly into all spheres of life and to penetrate into every household across the globe. Prevention was the key to addressing the problems of racism and discrimination from which women and children suffered more than their male counterparts. Education and socialization in all aspects and at all levels needed to be culturally sensitive. It was equally important to tackle the problems of racism and discrimination at their roots and in a holistic manner. A comprehensive economic and political approach was needed as some root causes were poverty, illiteracy, hunger, unemployment and ill health.

Inclusiveness was far better than exclusiveness. Governments were a catalyst in the planning and implementing process, but every sector of society had responsibility. The media needed to provide knowledge and awareness responsibly as its role could be both constructive and destructive. Measures to counter racism and racial discrimination needed to be gender sensitive. The Prime Minister of Thailand had signed the Visionary Declaration "Tolerance and Diversity" to raise public awareness and support for the World Conference Against Racism. In Thailand, a National Committee had been established in preparation for it.

MARICLAIRE ACOSTA (Mexico) said the scourge of racism had not been eradicated, and new forms were emerging. War crimes and genocide had resulted from racism without sufficient response by the international community. National sovereignty could never be used to excuse such atrocities. Some developed countries must revise their rules on immigration and migration to remove racist elements. The media, including the Internet, should not be used to spread racial hatred. The World Conference against Racism would have massive participation from non-governmental organizations, and Mexico appealed to them to contribute their expertise and to ensure that recommendations stemming from the World Conference were applied nationally and internationally; the dedication of NGOs was essential for instilling an awareness in society of the dangers of racism. Measures for the short-, medium-, and long-term should come out of the World Conference, along with sufficient funding to carry them out. Special efforts should be made to protect the rights of migrants and migrant workers.

Mexico had issued an open invitation to international human-rights experts to visit the country, and that included those who studied racial discrimination; Mexico admitted it had problems in this area, particularly related to discrimination against its indigenous peoples, and it was striving energetically to resolve them.



* *** *