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Mr. Chairman,
Since this is the first time I am taking floor in this Committee, allow me to
extend my felicitation to you on your election to preside over the important
Committee. I also wish to congratulate other members of the Bureau.
Mr. Chairman,
2. The Pakistan delegation associates itself with the statement made on this
item by the Group of 77 and China.
Mr. Chairman,
3. The World Conference against Racism held last year demonstrated a renewed
commitment to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance. We confronted our past of division and discrimination, , and
drawing lessons from it, attempted to design a cooperative and peaceful future
course. It was the hope of all our peoples that the Conference would help to
mitigate the plight of millions afflicted by various forms and manifestation of
racism.
4. Although some sincere work has been done towards the implementation of the
outcome at Durban, the conditions, a year later, of those suffering from racism
and racial discrimination, in its various forms and manifestations, have not
improved. Instead, these conditions may have deteriorated further . We endorse
the conclusions of the Secretary General's report A/57/204. We agree that
combating racism, discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance requires
conviction, consistency, perseverance and determination.
Mr. Chairman,
5. The Secretary General’s report (A/57/204) has cited a resurgence of racism,
racial discrimination and xenophobia in various parts of the world. Ethnic and
religious minorities, economic migrants and refugees, in particular from Africa,
Asia and the Arab world, are visibly subjected to racial and religious profiling
and acts of intolerance. Such behavioural change in some traditionally tolerant
societies is reflected and reinforced by the rise of nationalist anti-immigrant
political parties.
6. We endorse the Secretary General’s call for an in depth study to analyze, in
a holistic perspective, the causes of the migratory phenomenon and to examine
the “human dimension” of globalization. Migrants move mainly because of poverty
at home; often they face prejudice and discrimination where they go. Too
frequently, they become the scapegoats for the social and economic problems of
their host countries, segregated in ghettos; the first to be suspected of
crimes; susceptible to police abuse and brutality.
7. In accordance with the norms of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and
other UN human rights instruments, the peaceful integration of immigrant
communities is the obligation of the receiving countries. Such integration
should not be at the cost of suppressing the separate cultural or religions
identity of the migrants.
Mr. Chairman,
8. The defamation of Islam, and discrimination against Muslims, represents the
most notable demonstration of contemporary racism and intolerance. The recent
proliferation of blasphemous remarks by certain religious leaders and other
personalities attacking Islam and the Holy Prophet (PBUH), are clear
manifestations of religious bigotry and demagoguery. It is unfortunate that the
world media -- proclaiming the premise of free speech -- has so callously
allowed such defamation and blasphemy to be disseminated against our religion.
And, unfortunately, the voice of the usually vocal defenders of religions
tolerance and non-discrimination – the United Nations, the human rights
officials and mechanisms as well as liberal politicians – has been deafening in
its silence. Partly as a reaction, prejudice against the West has also risen at
the popular level in a number of Muslim countries. The people of the world must
not succumb to the conspiracies of those who desire to provoke a clash of
civilizations and cultures.
Mr. Chairman,
9. The World Conference has recognized Islamophobia as a structural form of
racism. Islamic peoples and communities are facing such manifestations of racism
in many parts of the world. Those defaming a religion, through bigoted words or
actions, desecrating religious sites and insulting revered religious
personalities, should be denounced unequivocally. Acts of intolerance,
discrimination, stereotyping, racial profiling, and hatemongering in all forms,
shapes and manifestation must be opposed at the national and international
level. Hate must be stamped out with the same zeal with which the fight against
terrorism is being pursued.
10. We should strive to remove misunderstandings between societies; and promote
understanding of each other’s values. Religious and cultural diversity in the
globalizing world needs to be used as a vehicle for complimentary creativity and
dynamism, not as a rationale for a new ideological and political confrontation.
Mr. Chairman,
11. The President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, in his address to the
57th session of the United Nations General Assembly, has proposed that, as a
first step in promoting harmony and mutual understanding, the General Assembly
should consider the adoption of a Declaration on Religious and Cultural
Understanding, Harmony and Cooperation. We hope that the General Assembly will
respond positively to this proposal at its current session.
Mr. Chairman,
12. While new manifestations of racism are rising in some parts of the world,
several age-old practices and institutions of racism – most prominently, the
caste system in our eastern neighbour -- remain to be addressed and opposed
openly and systematically. As the 2002 Human Rights Watch Report observes, at
Durban, “…the Indian government… maintained that caste discrimination was an
internal matter and used its political and economic leverage to censor any
mention of caste in WCAR documents." The omission of the caste system – a system
of multiple apartheid which affects hundreds of millions of Dalits and other
“lower” – caste Hindus -- is a gaping hole in the world community’s endeavour to
eradicate racism.
Mr. Chairman,
13. Encouraged by the impunity it appears to enjoy from international criticism,
Hindu fundamentalism – of which the caste system is but one manifestation -- has
been gaining strength, with alarming manifestations and implications for our
region and for the world. The philosophy and practice of the Hindu extremist
parties ruling in New Delhi – the BJP and its fascist allies, the VHP, the RSS,
the Shiv Sena – call for institutionalized discrimination and suppression of
non-Hindus – Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and others. Since 1947, there have
been 150,000 communal riots in India -- 3,000 riots each year. And, the graph of
Hindu violence is rising.
14. In February this year, over 2000 innocent Muslim men, women and children
were killed mercilessly by mobs in Gujarat. Entire neighbourhoods were put to
the torch. Women were systematically raped. Pregnant women killed in cold blood.
Babies cut into pieces. This pogrom was organized with the complicity of the
Gujarat Chief Minister and his Government. Human Rights Watch, in its special
report on the Gujarat massacre, stated:
"… the attacks on Muslims throughout the state were planned well in advance (of
the Godhra incident), and organized with extensive police participation and in
close cooperation with officials of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state
government."
15. Instead of demonstrating any remorse, the Gujarat Chief Minister remains
defiant. Three days ago addressing a crowed of 2000 Hindu fanatics, he said
“Hindu militancy … will wipe Pakistan off the world map”.
Mr. Chairman,
16. There has been no accountability for the act of genocide against the Muslims
of Gujarat. Instead, there was a cover-up by New Delhi. The Indian Prime
Minister sought to blame Muslims for being troublemakers “wherever they live in
the world”. Since the national government is unwilling to prosecute the BJP
officials, the Gujarat Chief Minister and others complicit in the Muslim
slaughter, should be charged and tried by an international tribunal for the
crime of genocide, under Genocide Convention, and for gross violations of other
human rights instruments. Unless such resolute action is taken by the
international community, India’s Hindu fanatics will continue to wage their war
of hate, violence, discrimination and elimination against the Muslims and other
minorities. A week ago, Bal Thackeray, head of Shiv Sena, urged Hindus to form
“suicide squads” to kill Muslims. The world can no longer remain a silent
spectator to the danger of approaching genocide against the Muslims of India.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.