China offered three recommendations to eliminate racism at the
61st annual session of the United Nations Commission on
Human Rights in Geneva on Monday, as the commission began its
general debate on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and all
forms of discrimination.
La Yifan, alternative representative of the Chinese delegation
to the commission, said that Western countries' inadequate
recognition of the harm of racism and their lukewarm measures
against it are the fundamental causes of its spread.
"Second, while helping the developing countries to reduce
poverty and making an effort to narrow the gap between rich and
poor, the international community should also strongly advocate
racial equality and harmony as well as dialogue between different
civilizations," he added.
La also called on the United Nations to strengthen its fight
against racism.
La expressed extreme disappointment and regret that nearly four
years after the World Conference Against Racism, instead of being
checked, racism had been manifested with increasing frequency and
in new forms.
Without resolute countermeasures, said La, extreme forms of
racism such as new theories of racial superiority, neo-nazism and
neo-fascism would once again move to the fore, bringing calamity to
mankind.
Several speakers at the session -- including representatives
speaking on behalf of the EU, Arab, African and Latin American
nations -- discussed issues related to the continued responsibility
of states to take measures against racism and racial discrimination
at the national level and the need to fully fund and support
related mechanisms.
Also discussed was the importance of ratifying and implementing
the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination and the Durban Declaration and Program of
Action.
(China.org.cn, Xinhua News Agency March 22, 2005)