Perspective

The Spirit of the Century: ONE HUMAN FAMILY

By Mary Robinson

From August 31 to September 7, 2001, leaders and representatives from around the world will gather in South Africa for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, to discuss ways to tackle one of the great scourges that continues to plague humankind. The following is a shortened version of the address by Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and secretary-general of the World Conference against Racism, at a meeting of the preparatory committee of the Conference in May 2000.

The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance has the potential to be among the most significant gatherings at the start of the new century. It can be more: it can shape and embody the spirit of the century, based on the shared conviction that we are all members of one human family. Persistent inequalities in the enjoyment of the most basic human rights are not only wrong in themselves, but also a major cause of social upheaval and conflict. Opinion polls in numerous countries show that issues relating to racial discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance are uppermost among public concerns today. 


Combating Racism as Conflict Prevention

Combating racism can play a crucial role in preventing conflicts, reducing racial and ethnic tensions and inculcating respect for difference. I feel that the importance of developing preventive strategies has still not been fully realized by governments. 

The more one examines situations of conflict, the more one realizes, firstly, that vital opportunities to prevent conflicts from occurring continue to be lost and, secondly, that failures of prevention entail huge costs. Yet, the tendency to react rather than to anticipate--even in the face of overwhelming evidence of the perils of delay-- remains all too common, with results that are plain to see.

By tackling racism and xenophobia we strike at forces which are at the root of most conflicts.

To begin with, we must, above all, understand and take full account of the nature and extent of racism and bigotry in our modern world: xenophobia in all its manifestations; anti-Semitism; negrophobia; discrimination against indigenous peoples, migrants, refugees, displaced persons and minority communities. And there are numerous examples of discrimination on social and religious grounds.


Racism in the Modern World

Even as success was achieved in abolishing apartheid, a struggle that had almost universal support, it has become ever more apparent that racism, discrimination, xenophobia and bigotry are worldwide phenomena, more deep-rooted and more virulent than had been supposed. Genocide in Rwanda and "ethnic cleansing" in the former Yugoslavia have brought home to us the extremes to which such intolerance can lead in our own time. The hope that the lessons of the Holocaust would rule out such terrible crimes forever has not yet seen fulfillment.

A good start would be to recognize that no society is free from the taint of racism. The tendency to discriminate against fellow human beings on the grounds of race or other difference is not confined to any one country or continent. As Martin Luther King urged: 

"We are challenged to work all over the world with unshakeable determination to wipe out the last vestiges of racism. . . . Its vicious grasp knows no geographical boundaries."

Secondly, we should acknowledge that having laws and monitoring arrangements in place is not enough. The Committee to Eliminate Racial Discrimination is the oldest of the UN treaty-monitoring bodies, and it, together with the mechanisms established by the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission, has worked long and hard to eradicate racism. In spite of that, and in spite of two World Conferences and three International Decades to combat racism, the problem is still very much alive. The most overt forms of racism may have been outlawed, but discrimination persists in multiple forms, often in subtle, systemic ways. In fact, to judge from the persistence of racist attitudes in the face of often elaborate antidiscrimination measures, we would have to admit that actions against racism to date have met with, at best, limited results.
The task before us is to devise innovative strategies to combat racism. That means not merely shaping laws and mechanisms to protect against racial discrimination, but effecting a change of minds, hearts and spirits. Aung San Suu Kyi has put it well:

"The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in . . . mental attitudes and values . . . Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. . . . "


Education as Key

Fear lies at the heart of racial hatred and xenophobia: fear of difference, fear that economic or social position is threatened, fear that identity could be lost in an increasingly globalized world. If fear is a main factor, education is a key remedy. We must resolve to devote more resources to education against racism and xenophobia, drawing on the immense influence which the Internet and new technologies bring. The Internet, which has been abused as a vehicle to propagate theories of racial superiority and anti-Semitism, can be a formidable means for educating and changing attitudes for the better.


The Economic Dimension--A Fortress Mentality

Looking at the roots of racism and xenophobia in the modern world, the importance of the economic dimension is immediately apparent. The gulf between the rich and the very large numbers who live in dire poverty is widening all the time. 

While some are aware of this gulf and attempt to bridge it, many prefer to adopt a fortress mentality, based on a determination to defend their prosperity against perceived external threats. This is a trend that has increasingly ugly, xenophobic undertones to it. There is a tendency to demonize those who come to rich societies in search of a better life. Migrants are exploited and blamed for economic ills that have nothing to do with them. Refugees, displaced persons and asylum seekers in search of safety are treated harshly and, more and more often, turned away.

What is especially worrying today is that the fortress mentality is assuming global dimensions. Globalization can achieve economies of scale, which increase companies' profits. The danger is that, unless the international community acts now to ensure that the benefits of the information revolution and of open markets are more widely shared, globalization will become a further barrier to poorer countries participating fully in the international economy. The protests at the World Trade Organization conferences and elsewhere reflect a sense that the present world economic system weighs heavily on the side of the rich.

The international community faces a fundamental choice here: either we envisage a world of two vastly differing parts, one with ever-increasing wealth and technological sophistication, the other a place where people live in abject poverty; or we embrace the idea that we are all in this together as members of one human family, with entitlements to economic, social and cultural rights which need to be progressively implemented. This embracing option regards diversity as strength, not weakness, and recognizes the great social, cultural and, yes, economic benefits of a multicultural society. It is a vision of a world where people of all colors, creeds and standing live together in harmony and peace. It is the vision of Leopold Senghor: 

". . . Nature has worked things out so that each people, each race, each continent would cultivate, in their own particular way, specific virtues of humanity, and it is here that we find the precise expression of their originality."


Responsibilities of Governments

There is a particular responsibility and duty of care on governments when it comes to fighting racism, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance. Relations between different races and ethnic groups within a society are a highly sensitive issue on which those in uniform, whether police, military or prison staff, need adequate training. Governments and the political community should at all times lead public opinion, not play the race card or pander to those who claim they feel threatened by people they regard as different.

There are many instances I could cite where governments have turned a blind eye to ethnic and racial tensions, or have treated indigenous peoples badly or, worst of all, have stoked up ethnic and racial tensions for political advantage.

I am deeply committed to a strong follow-up mechanism to the World Conference to examine whether governments have delivered on their promises. I want to help make this a Conference of actions, not just words.

The aim is clear: to identify innovative ways to shape the spirit of this new century in recognition of the inescapable fact that all of us, whatever our differences, belong to one human family. We should have a vision of a world where the color of a person's skin, their religious or ethnic identity, makes no difference to their entitlement to pursue whatever course in life they wish, where diversity is regarded as a strength and not a problem. If that spirit were to prevail and to be translated into practical measures to abolish all forms of discrimination, we would have achieved a great deal.


Idealism and Conviction

To those who say that this is too idealistic an approach, I would reply that all movements which have improved the human condition have been born out of idealism and a conviction that bad practice can be changed. The antislavery movement in the 19th century, the civil rights and antiapartheid movements were all based on idealism, and all faced challenges that at the time looked insurmountable.

To provide inspiration we need look no further than the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. In his famous speech from the dock in 1964 he said:

"I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for, and to achieve. But if need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."

The courage of Nelson Mandela, who uttered these words as he faced a prison term that would last 27 years, should be an inspiration to us in our work. We should take courage, too, from the generosity of spirit he has shown ever since and his unswerving commitment to a multicultural South Africa.

My goal is that when we reach the end of our deliberations in South Africa next September, we will have agreed on a ringing statement against racism which will reach out to and inspire people everywhere, and that we will have been able to agree on a practical program of action that will truly make a difference in the struggle against racism.

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