E/CN.4/1996/72/Add.2
page 27
order to promote equality for ethnic minorities in access to housing and
employment and, in the situation currently prevailing, in the areas of
work and securing accommodation. The federal employment office could
not, however, be persuaded of the need to eliminate the indication “Alien:
yes/no” in the computerized data files of the central employment office.
This differentiation is of no interest to a commercial firm and is absolutely
irrelevant to a candidate's qualifications for a job, but it does on the other
hand constitute a manifest and inadmissible example of discrimination.
17.
It emerges from discussions with the advertising departments of major
newspapers that discriminatory indications such as “no foreigners” or “Germans
only” have mostly been eliminated from the situations vacant columns.
18.
As for the remarks and stereotypes corroborating prejudices that
appeared in a series of economic publications, the Commissioner for Aliens
roundly criticized the publisher, an effective proceeding that achieves
results in most cases. On the other hand, effective counter-measures are
difficult to devise for coping with the threats, general and specific (such
as anonymous letters and notes), addressed to members of ethnic minorities and
also to the Office of the Commissioner for Aliens. Judicial inquiries are
instituted in every case after such incidents.
Measures applied in Berlin's various administrative services
Police department
(a) Planned restructuring of the police administration so as to ensure
direct and continuous relations and meetings with migrants' organizations,
representatives of minorities and advisory boards (this has already been
discussed at police headquarters and the first steps have been taken);
(b) Development and implementation of reorientation courses for
police, with the aim of professionalizing their behaviour in their dealings
with minorities (improving their presentation and developing their sensitivity
during their professional training are key elements). The police training
department is already working on this project and is being advised by the
Commissioner for Aliens.
Public services
(a) Campaigns to step up recruitment and placing of ethnic and cultural
minorities in the government departments and municipal undertakings of Berlin
State, as well as in the police. The civil service must show the way in this
sphere.
Schools
(a) The project “Schools against violence”, launched last year,
features measures to combat xenophobia and racism through workshops,
bringing-up of the subject in class, excursions to places of commemoration,
and sensitization of teachers and outreach workers (by continuing education);
(b)
Need to develop programmes of exchanges and meetings.