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THIRD DECADE TO COMBAT
RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
In preparation for the World Conference
Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Related Intolerance



SEMINAR OF EXPERTS ON RACISM, REFUGEES AND MULTIETHNIC STATES



Organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
in collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Room V, Palais des Nations, Geneva
6-8 December 1999


Introductory statement by Mary Robinson
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Monday 6 December 1999 at 10 a.m.


Ladies and gentlemen...

I am pleased to welcome you to this Seminar of Experts on Racism, Refugees and Multiethnic States, which my Office has organized in the context of the Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination and within the framework of the preparatory process for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. It is very appropriate that this Seminar takes place during the week in which we commemorate Human Rights Day.

Violations of human rights are nowhere more dramatically illustrated than in the case of mass exoduses, whether they occur across borders or within States.

The movement of refugees and forcibly displaced persons has become a tragic feature of our time, and we have witnessed this most recently in the tragedy in Chechenya. Current movements, unlike those of the past, increasingly take the form of mass exoduses rather than individual flights. Eighty percent of today’s refugees and displaced persons are women and children. In the last few years, the numbers of refugees and forcibly displaced persons has reached an unprecedented scale. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that currently some 50 million persons are victims of forced displacement. Among the 22 million persons UNHCR is assisting, only about 13 million are refugees in the conventional sense. The other “people of concern” include a variety of different groups: internally displaced and war-affected populations; asylum seekers; stateless persons and others whose nationality is disputed; as well as “returnees”, that is, refugees and internally displaced persons who are attempting to make the difficult transition back to normal life in the country from which they fled. The refugee crisis is a human rights tragedy which must be urgently addressed.

Refugees and internally displaced persons leave their country or community of origin because of a well-founded fear of persecution that may be based on their being targeted on account of their race, ethnicity or nationality. Racism and ethnic conflicts today are major causes of forced displacement. Ethnic tensions are often exploited, deliberately fostered and exacerbated to further political objectives.

Refugee crises which are rooted in racial and ethnic tensions exhibit distinctive features that very much complicate the provision of assistance to affected groups as well as the search for a just and lasting peace.

At their worst, racism and ethnic tensions can result in genocide. Brutal and systematic violations of human rights demand quick and decisive action with adequate support. Although the prime responsibility for taking such action remains with the government concerned, where a government is unable or unwilling to take such action, the question arises as to whether intervention by the international community may be necessary and justified. The international community, and in particular neighbouring States, have become increasingly reluctant to bear the brunt of mass exoduses and assume the financial and other implications of refugee crises, whereas early and effective intervention by the international community can save suffering before the cost of intervention escalates. In his opening statement to the fifty-fourth session of the General Assembly this year, the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan addressed the issue of sovereignty and the question of whether national borders should protect leaders who abuse people in territories under their control. There are important issues at stake here which must be reflected on and addressed.

Since its creation, the United Nations has struggled to find measures to combat racial discrimination and ethnic violence. It is a multifaceted, complex issue that continues to present enormous challenges to the international community. We are making some progress. The UN combats racism through the UN Charter itself, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Genocide Convention. Most recently, the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has been reviewing country reports on causes of, and measures to combat contemporary forms of racism. It also deals with individual allegations of violations of the rights established in the International Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which has been ratified by one hundred and fifty-five States. As we embark on a new century, we must pay more attention to early warning systems and urgent actions as possible effective measures in combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. It is important that the international community focus on preventive measures, and this is reflected in my report to the Commission on Human Rights

A further complexity of the issue of racism and refugees is that States under pressure from their own populations are showing increasing reluctance to host refugees. Faced with xenophobia and various forms of discrimination, refugees are often caught in a vulnerable situation both at home and in the host country. Host countries must assume the often difficult task of protecting the rights of refugees while preempting racist backlashes. And often in the case of mass exoduses, host communities suffer from the mass movement of people. Without appropriate assistance to affected communities, racist backlashes proliferate with resultant threats to the lives and well-being of refugees.

The granting of asylum does not always offer a solution in the case of mass exoduses. Host countries can at best offer asylum on a temporary basis or to only a limited number of persons on a permanent basis. Therefore, we must address the root causes of racism and ethnic conflicts which trigger the refugee crises to begin with. These problems not only divide the population in the home country, but also refugees in the host country. Racism and ethnic tensions complicate assistance to refugees and forcefully displaced persons throughout a crisis and, in addition, may preclude safe return and reintegration. In many cases, return to the community of origin is extremely difficult and requires global agreement at the political level backed by appropriate international guarantees.

For these reasons, we must, in all stages and all aspects of assistance, remain especially watchful and take additional measures to ensure that the inherent difficulties of managing refugee crises do not foster new racism and ethnic tensions that will trigger a further cycle of violence. The risk of racist backlash is always present and it can be heightened in times of conflict and the mass movement of persons.

Combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, remains our collective responsibility. A fundamental first step is that States and the international community as a whole acknowledge the reality of multi-racial and multi-ethnic States. Only then can we endeavour to protect and promote all human rights for all.

Preventing, managing and resolving refugee crises rooted in racism and ethnic tensions raise many daunting challenges. This Seminar has been organized to contribute to a better understanding of these issues, and to facilitate the adoption and implementation of effective solutions. These solutions must focus on practical measures of prevention, education and legislation, as well as effective remedies to the victims of acts of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.

More specifically, the objectives of this Seminar are:

- to examine racism and ethnic conflicts as one of the root causes of refugee crises;

- to discuss ways and means of intervening quickly to stop a crisis at its early stages;

- to find ways and means to protect the rights of refugees within host countries while preempting racist backlashes;

- more generally, to find ways and means to ensure a better protection of vulnerable groups within States;

- and finally, in the long term, to find ways and means to eradicate racism and ethnic conflicts in order to prevent such flows of refugees altogether.

My Office has invited experts from a variety of professional and geographic horizons, in order to benefit from their knowledge on these issues and hopefully to arrive at appropriate conclusions and recommendations. We especially thank the five experts: Professor Pita Agbese, Mr. Ivan Garvalov, Mr. Peter Nobel, Mr. Kallu Kalumiya and Professor Mario Jorge Yutzis who have prepared background papers on the agenda items of the Seminar. These papers will provide the basis for the discussions over the next three days. About 20 other experts will be participating in their personal capacity. In addition, the input of observers is most welcome: Member States and international and non-governmental organizations with an interest in and commitment to this important topic.

I especially wish to thank UNHCR for its collaboration and for the technical, expert and other input it has provided in organizing this Seminar, which is very close to its mandate. In particular, UNHCR prepared and will present the background paper on racism as an obstacle to return and reintegration.

After you have discussed these issues of racism, refugees and multiethnic States and adopted conclusions and recommendations, the report of this Seminar will be submitted to the first Preparatory Committee of the World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance to be held in Geneva from May 1st to the 5th , 2000.

The Preparatory Committee, and ultimately the World Conference itself will face the challenge of ensuring that the best conditions are in place for the international community to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and to adopt concrete and effective measures to eliminate these plagues that are an affront to all humanity.
I wish you all a stimulating, innovative and fruitful Seminar, and I look forward to your conclusions and recommendations.