Blog

Day international for the elimination of racial discrimination.

The international day for the elimination of the racial discrimination is celebrated every year the 21 March, to commemorate this day of 1960 where, in Sharpeville (South Africa), police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against the pass laws imposed by apartheid.

In proclaiming the international day 1966, the Assembly urged the international community to redouble efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination [resolution 2142 (XXI)].

The message from Kofi Annan

On the occasion of the day 2004, Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has had the opportunity to disseminate the following message :

The 21 March 1960, a non-violent protest rally against the law on the pass – one of the most hated institutions of apartheid – took place in Sharpeville, in South Africa. Balance sheet : 69 deaths among the protesters. The Sharpeville massacre was a turning point in the struggle against apartheid. He also led the General Assembly [of the United Nations] to establish this annual day, whose purpose is to call attention to the fight against racism, wherever it occurs and regardless of the time.

This year is the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, It reminds us of the horrors that can lead to ethnic and racial hatred. It is also the bicentennial of the revolution in Haiti, with which the peoples of the Caribbean and Latin America were freed from slavery. And 2004 is finally, as decided by the General Assembly, the international year to commemorate the struggle against slavery and its abolition. Through these three events, We need not only to honor the memory of the victims of past tragedies, but also demonstrate our commitment to avoid that others suffer a similar fate in the future.

This means that we must put an end to the consequences, which persist to this day, slavery and the slave trade. These historical injustices are among the causes of poverty, underdevelopment, the marginalization, social exclusion, economic disparities, the instability and insecurity that many suffer today in different parts of the world, especially in developing countries. At the World Conference against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance held in 2001, the States acknowledged that slavery and the slave trade were appalling tragedies for humanity and were among the main causes of racism. The United Nations remains firmly committed to helping peoples and countries to overcome this legacy of the past, as well as to combat contemporary forms of slavery – as forced labour, particularly for purposes of sexual exploitation – continue to weigh on our collective conscience.

Racism is also one of the roots of genocide. The racist practices, racist ideologies, and dehumanizing discourses that deny the dignity and the rights of whole groups must be condemned. But condemning is not enough: We must also strengthen our capacity for early warning and prevention of genocide, massacres, ethnic cleanings and other crimes of the same kind and really support the efforts made to ensure that the culprits are brought to justice, including before the International Criminal Court. I intend to soon appoint a special adviser on the prevention of genocide and make other proposals to strengthen our action in this area.

Tolerance, intercultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where Nations are more interconnected than ever. We rely on Governments, in particular, so that they have the necessary political will and act resolutely. This international day for the elimination of racial discrimination is an opportunity for all of us to rethink the fundamental principle set out in the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of rights the man, equality for all human beings, and put it into practice.

by Hôtel★★★ Restaurant gourmand Coco Lodge Majunga

http://www.reservation-hotelcocolodge.com/