E/CN.4/1999/15 page 9 legislation prohibiting the provocation of national, racial or religious hatred, division or intolerance, are completely covered by article 106 of the new Criminal Code. C. Cuba 21. The Cuban Government is very concerned by the resurgence and strengthening, particularly in the developed world, of new forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other related forms of intolerance affecting millions of people including children, women, the elderly and the disabled who, in view of their status, therefore suffer double discrimination. 22. One of the most insidious and reprehensible manifestations of racial discrimination, which cries out for immediate remedy, is discrimination and intolerance towards immigrants. In certain highly developed countries, these manifestations have become institutionalized. Even immigrants and their children whose status as residents of a country is perfectly legal are deprived of essential social, educational and health services, thereby ignoring the contribution which such citizens make to wealth creation in those countries and to the operation of the services involved through the payment of taxes. 23. Greater attention should be paid to the improper use of the media and information technology such as the Internet to spread ideas based on racial superiority or racial hatred, and the international community should take more specific action in that field. In that connection, the seminar to assess the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination held in Geneva from 9 to 13 September 1996 yielded commendable recommendations (see E/CN.4/1997/68/Add.1, Annex II, paras. 8-10). 24. It is worthwhile reiterating, as the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has acknowledged in its recommendation XV adopted at its forty-second session on 17 March 1993, that the prohibition of racist and xenophobic ideas constitutes a legitimate and necessary limitation on freedom of opinion, expression and association, all of which entail specific obligations and responsibilities. 25. The Cuban Government shares the Special Rapporteur’s concern regarding the inadequate implementation of the activities provided for in the Programme of Action for the Third Decade; it too believes that the reason is a lack of interest on the part of the principal donor countries, whereas financial resources are selectively allocated to other human rights activities in the interests of a restricted group of countries. Some of the effective activities contained in the Programme of Action need to be relaunched and implemented without delay; if this is not done, the problem will worsen and become practically impossible to rectify. 26. Cuba supports the recommendation of the Commission on Human Rights that 2001 should be declared a year of mobilization against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance with a view to focusing international attention on the objectives of the World Conference. It also associates itself with the proposal that the activities of the Programme of Action for the Third Decade should be focused towards the preparatory process