E/CN.4/1995/78/Add.1 page 3 INTRODUCTION 1. In resolution 1993/20, dated 2 March 1993, the Commission on Human Rights requested the Secretary-General to provide the Special Rapporteur with all necessary assistance, in particular the staff and resources required to perform his or her functions, especially in carrying out missions and following them up. In resolution 1994/64, dated 9 March 1994, the Commission requested the Secretary-General without further delay to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the necessary assistance in carrying out his mandate. 2. The purpose of any missions undertaken by a special rapporteur is to take cognizance of the real situation in a country through first-hand information and discussion between the special rapporteur and the authorities of the country concerned and agents within society at large. They are in no case intended to level charges at the Governments concerned, but on the contrary to help publicize, if appropriate, the efforts made to remedy a particular negative situation. Missions are chosen on the basis of geographical distribution and bearing in mind that racial discrimination, which is inherently multiform, occurs on all continents. 3. On 14 June 1994, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, at the request of the Special Rapporteur, informed the Government of the United States of America of Mr. Glélé-Anhanhanzo’s desire to visit the United States from 10 to 21 October 1994. In a letter dated 15 August 1994, the Government of the United States agreed to the visit and said that it was prepared to provide the Special Rapporteur with all the assistance he wanted. I. CONSIDERATIONS CONCERNING THE MISSION AND OVERVIEW OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A. Purpose of the mission 4. The purpose of the mission was to enable the Special Rapporteur to meet with representatives of the Government and individuals active in the political, economic and social fields who were in a position to provide him with information relating to various aspects of his mandate. 5. In particular, it was important for the Special Rapporteur to verify the accuracy or inaccuracy of the information transmitted to him or brought to the attention of the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and the Commission on Human Rights. The information in question reported the persistence, despite the official elimination of racial segregation and of anti-discrimination laws, of structural and insidious racism and racial discrimination against African Americans, Latin Americans, Asians, Indian Americans (Amerindians), Arabs and Jews in the economic and social spheres; of racial discrimination in the administration of criminal justice; discriminatory practices in the police and police brutality symbolized by the notorious Rodney King case, which shook the United States and stirred international public opinion, and the growth of incitement to racial hatred. 1/ 6. The Special Rapporteur adopted the following 11 focal points or topics capable of highlighting the racial discrimination experienced by certain