Busisiwe Mosiieman
22 June 2001
Gaborone — "We human beings, are created for fellowship, togetherness, family, community, inter-dependence - and complementarity. We should celebrate our diversity. We should exult in our differences as making not for separation, alienation, and hostility but for their glorious opposites. There is room for everyone, for every race, culture, language and point of view."
The above is the high ideal of what our world should be, a rainbow world, as visualised and eloquently expressed by Desmond Tutu of South Africa.
He was speaking at a meeting held in Geneva to prepare for the UN conference against racism, xenophobia, and related intolerance. The meeting is scheduled for Durban, South Africa from August 31- 7 September 2001.
Our present world is far from Tutu's ideal. Our world is till plagued by acism and its accompanying evils of xenophobia and ethics intolerance. The evils of intolerance are so pervasive that no region of the world, no country, no community can claim to be free from them.
This is despite the enormous work being done by the UN for the promotion of human rights world wide since the end of the Second World War in 1945.
In some ways, there seems to be more racial intolerance than ever before. There has been increased movement of people from the poor countries of the world to the rich more developed countries.
So many of these migrants from poor countries, who go to a richer country, receive a cold, even hostile reception. Xenophobia has become commonplace.
Hatred, based on fear, fear of economic competition, fear of being swamped by foreigners and losing identity is common. Racism is even appearing in parts of the world where it had not been evident before.
There have been, in different parts of the world, sporadic outbursts of genocide.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, feels that acceptance by the world of the existence of racism and xenophobia and that they are challenges to be faced by local and international communities, is the beginning of overcoming the problem. Often, people are in denial of the existence of these evils.
The UN proclaimed the year 2001 as International Year Against Racism, Xenophobia and Other Forms of Intolerance.
Regrettably, there is insufficient media coverage or awareness raising of the Durban conference. The media of SADC countries could be doing much more to stimulate interest and to keep discussion alive on a wide variety of subjects related to racism and xenophobia.
Our papers should by now be filled with interviews of leading thinkers and analysts on race.
What about case studies in the form of documentaries aimed at breaking down racial thinking, xenophobic addiction? We should be reading well thought-out pieces about how the Jewish communities of the world went about their successful campaign for reparations for their treatment by Nazi Germany and the implications of this for other historical claimants such as the Maoris, the Aborigines, Native Americans, former African slaves.
What about advocacy by relevant SADC NGO's who have been provided with an excellent platform in Durban to bring forward their latest ideas about their pet projects regarding racism, xenophobia and ethnic intolerance?Several preparatory meetings for the conference have been held in such diverse parts of the world as, Dakar, Santiago, Tehran, Geneva, Strasbourg to name a few. It is important for the organisers to thrash out issues and reach consensus about what should be the burning issues at the Durban conference, and what should be the new vision participants can take away with them from Durban, as well as future action plans.
The conference will attract 12,000 to 15,000 participants from all over the world.
It is estimated that the conference will cost about P130,million (R62,000 million of which will be paid by the host country). The balance is expected to be paid by interested foreign governments NGO's and the UN itself.
The choice of a venue on the Africa, in Durban is most fitting because of all the continents of the world, Africa has suffered the most from racism, slavery and colonialism.
Of all the countries of the world, South Africa suffered and triumphed against the worst form of institutionalised racism which pervaded every aspect of life. And yet, the country is still dealing with the complex problems of residual racism, even in the new democracy, as well as stubborn xenophobia born in part by South Africa's long isolation from the rest of Africa.
What exactly, does the Durban conference against racism wish to achieve? In the words of Mary Robinson the chairman, the conference should provide: "a serious and honest addressing of the past realities of racism, discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance, while also providing a reinvigorated commitment to address contemporary scourges." The conference convenors further hope participants will "achieve a break through in perceptions about racism and xenophobia and shape a new visions which will, embrace the diversity of the human family in the future.
An important theme of the Durban conference according to its convenors, will be the protection of minorities and other vulnerable groups.
This is an issue that has relevance the whole world over. Preventing discrimination against and protecting the rights of persons belonging to national, ethnic and religious minorities, of indigenous populations, refugees, and migrants-these are challenges which are relevant to all countries of the world.
The Durban conference will also focus on how to improve the situation of nomadic or travellers' communities such as the Roma Sinti, and even the San.
Another important theme of Durban will be the status of women and of the girl-child world-wide. Discrimination and abuse based on sex or gender is still rampant in many societies.
To get rid of them requires the introduction of legal reforms and a change of attitude and mindsets. The Durban conference should somehow help marshal education, the media, legislation and civil society to popularise values of gender-equality and mutual respect world wide.
The convenors further hope Durban will be a "ground breaking event.
It will deal with what we should do in every community, in every nation and in the community of nations to create a new context where everyone is treated fairly, equally and with dignity, irrespective of colour, race, gender, nationality or religious belief. Durban must summon our collective will to make genuine respect for the dignity of every individual and equal opportunity for all, a reality."
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