A/49/677
English
Page 12
49. In 1995, the Special Rapporteur plans to go to Brazil and Germany, whose
Governments have already agreed in principle to his visit. Contacts have
already been made with the French Government, and the Special Rapporteur expects
to have a reply shortly. Contacts are to be made with countries in Africa,
Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Pacific Ocean region, it being understood,
however, that the Special Rapporteur is limited by the applicable rules to no
more than three missions a year.
D.
Seminar
50. In his preliminary report, the Special Rapporteur proposed the holding of a
seminar for the purpose of bringing together specialists from several
disciplines (anthropology, law, economics, history, philosophy and sociology)
and persons active in combating racism and racial discrimination, in order to
review current thinking on the question and to seek innovative means of
suppressing contemporary outbreaks of racism and racial discrimination. While
welcoming the Special Rapporteur’s proposal, the Commission on Human Rights had
not made the necessary resources available to the Secretariat for the convening
of this meeting. Accordingly, as the General Assembly considers this report,
the Special Rapporteur would like to enlist the Assembly’s support for the
holding of the seminar in 1995.
III.
CONTEMPORARY MANIFESTATIONS OF RACISM AND RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION AND INCIDENTS
51. Given the human and material circumstances under which the Special
Rapporteur prepared this report, it would obviously be difficult here to list
all contemporary manifestations of racism and racial discrimination or to
discuss related events in details. If his working conditions improve, the
Special Rapporteur hopes to be able to submit a more substantial document to the
Commission on Human Rights. For the time being, however, he will confine
himself to the most striking manifestations and incidents.
52. It should be made clear that the fact that the Special Rapporteur mentions
certain countries here does not imply any wish on his part to stigmatize them.
On the contrary, he would like to acknowledge the spirit of cooperation shown by
these countries and the transparency - in contrast with other countries - with
which they are dealing with the problems confronting them.
A.
Racism and racial discrimination in general
53. During 1994, the Special Rapporteur ascertained that racism and racial
discrimination persist, are taking increasingly violent forms and enjoy the
support of growing numbers of fringe groups in several regions, particularly
America and Europe. Ethnic hatred has brought about serious crises in Zaire and
the former Soviet Union as well as in Rwanda and Yugoslavia. In the Sudan, the
conflict between the Arabs of the north and the black Africans of the south
continues to make headlines. The relations between Arab-Berbers and black
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