E/CN.4/1998/79
page 10
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Elaborate recommendations to strengthen the promotion, protection
and implementation of the human rights of migrants.”
28.
The Working Group was officially established in Geneva
on 17 November 1997. It held its first session from 17 to 21 November.
The summary records of its meetings and its conclusions and recommendations
may be consulted at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
(d)
Activities of the Council of Europe
29.
As indicated in the Special Rapporteur's last report to the
General Assembly (A/52/471), the Council of Europe proclaimed 1997 European
Year Against Racism. In that connection, it is worth mentioning the adoption
by the Committee of Ministers of that organization, on 30 October 1997, of
Recommendation No. R (97) 20 to member States on “hate speech”, in which the
Committee recommends that Governments:
“(a) take appropriate steps to combat hate speech on the basis of
the principles laid down in this recommendation;
“(b) ensure that such steps form part of a comprehensive approach
to the phenomenon, which also targets its social, economic, political,
cultural and other root causes;
“(c) where they have not done so, sign, ratify and effectively
implement in national law the United Nations Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, in accordance with
resolution (68) 30 of the Committee of Ministers on Measures to be taken
against incitement to racial, national and religious hatred;
“(d) review their domestic legislation and practice in order to
ensure that they comply with the principles set out in the appendix to
this recommendation.”
30.
The Special Rapporteur welcomes that normative action by the Committee
of Ministers and trusts that member States of the Council of Europe will
implement it effectively in their national law. The Council of Europe also
informed the Special Rapporteur that it had set up a European observatory on
racist and xenophobic phenomena, which should help combat xenophobia and
intolerance in Europe. The Committee of Ministers also called for a clause
forbidding discrimination to be introduced in European Union treaties.
Lastly, the Special Rapporteur has been informed of the entry into force, on
1 February 1998, of the European Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities. 2/ Those developments are appreciable and promising.
IV.
CONTEMPORARY MANIFESTATIONS OF RACISM,
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA AND
RELATED INTOLERANCE
31.
As in previous reports, the Special Rapporteur wishes to set out below
the most salient facts that have come to his notice concerning contemporary
manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance. These concern discrimination against Blacks (negrophobia);