Race equality

UN race debate backed by Chronicleworld.org

Remember Stephen Lawrence

As fierce rows erupt over immigration and aslyum issues and increasing racial attacks occur against African Caribbean and Asian communities in British cities, there is a surprising disinterest in addressing the national and international trauma of racism.

Race equality activists have condemned the lack of a determined campaign to give key British race issues prominence at the United Nations Conference on Racism, to be held in Durban, South Africa, 31 August-7 September 2001.

This will put Britain at a disadvantage at the Durban summit where nations and non-governmental organisations will be asked to propose a new world vision for tackling racism in the 21st century. That vision includes the use of sanctions against perpetrators of serious racially-based crimes. Governments will be asked to combat racism, lift restrictive anti-immigrant policies, and control race hate spread through the Internet.

Are you being heard?
But the UK position is by no means clear, say race equality campaigners. Amnesty International UK claims that race-based discrimination and deaths in prison custody should form part of a national statement of outrage. BRAIN, a network of black anti-racism organisations, and its partner the Newham Monitoring Project, have called on local communities to document their experiences and solutions to outbreaks of racism. A package of support legislation and new money for research and training is necessary say campaigners.

These demands contrast greatly with the officially designated mouthpiece for non-governmental organisations, the UK Race and Europe Network (UKREN ). It's work has not produced a sustainable UK plan against racism, based on widespread consultation with experts and leaders of the hardest hit African Caribbean communities. This criticism is deemed to be equally valid in the case of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR), say black observers in the hate-spots of Europe, France and Germany.

Share ideas and solutions
The Chronicleworld.org aims to support local and national groups wishing to: :

• report on their experiences with racism,

• share information about problems and solutions, and

• formulate proposals to implement change.

The Chronicleworld's special interests are in 'race and the media' and will complement UN Conference efforts against the misuse of the Internet and new technologies (video, mobile phones, multimedia etc.). We will seek to identify innovative uses of the Internet that cultivate diversity, combat race hatred, and promote human rights and equality for all. These will form part of a briefing paper for information.

Contributions welcome
To ensure that your views are given prominence, we have reserved a special page in The Chronicle called the "Magna Carta on Freedom from Racism". Contributions to this effort from representatives of non-governmental organisations, academics, concerned individuals and journalists expecting to attend the Durban conference will be gratefully acknowledged.

Please register your support, views and details of your organisation's activities, by contacting us by e-mail to magnacarta@thechronicle.demon.co.uk