A/52/471 English Page 10 C. The role of the media in inciting racial violence: contributions to the debate on the theme "Internet, racism and racial discrimination" 19. In his latest report to the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/1997/71), the Special Rapporteur described cases where the Internet has been used as a vehicle for racist propaganda, mentioning in particular a 1995 report by the Centre pour l'égalité des chances et la lutte contre le racisme in Belgium. As part of his continuing study of this issue, the Special Rapporteur has received a communication from the International Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism, a non-governmental human rights organization based in Geneva. The Movement reports that, since the Internet came on the scene, many cases of discrimination have been recorded on sites in Japan, basically against members of the Buraku population but also against Koreans living in Japan and against the Ainu, women, persons with disabilities and homosexuals. The Movement also mentions a case of discrimination found in a message put onto the Internet by a certain "Association for the Protection of the Japanese" and aimed particularly against the Buraku. According to the Association, the Buraku are "genetically inferior and children born of a union with a Buraku woman inherit congenital defects". Also, "Buraku people working in teaching are not capable of transmitting Japan's traditional values". The Movement says that the Association has never been taken to court. 20. The Special Rapporteur is seriously concerned about these incidents and recommends that the Japanese Government, and all Governments that may have knowledge of similar incidents in their countries, should take firm action to stamp such practices out. On the international level, he welcomes the initiative taken by the General Assembly in its resolution 51/81 (para. 10), whereby the Assembly recommends that a seminar be organized by the Centre for Human Rights, in cooperation with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Telecommunication Union and other relevant United Nations bodies, non-governmental organizations and Internet service providers, with a view to assessing the role of the Internet in the light of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. 21. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights plans to hold this seminar on the Internet and racial discrimination from 10 to 14 November 1997 and has invited the Special Rapporteur to it. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the imminent holding of the seminar and hopes that its work will be a step forward in the search for ways and means of resolving the thorny issue of the use of the Internet as a vehicle for racial discrimination, and that it will adopt specific recommendations so that suitable strategies can be adopted and specific action taken to combat the practice. D. Roma, gypsies or travellers 22. In his latest report to the Commission on Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur mentioned cases of racial discrimination against Roma, particularly by skinheads, in Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The /...