MINELRES: E-NEWS 28/01/04: new ECRI reports on racism released

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UNITED E-NEWS:

ECRI (European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance of the
Council of Europe) released five new reports examining racism,
xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance in Belgium, Bulgaria,
Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland
English reports on:  http://www.coe.int/T/E/human_rights/Ecri/


L'ECRI a publi? aujourd'hui cinque nouveaux rapports sur le racisme,
la x?nophobie, l'antis?mitisme et l'intol?rance  en Belgique, en
Bulgarie, en Norv?ge, en Slovaquie et en Suisse.
Fran?ais: http://www.coe.int/T/F/Droits_de_l'Homme/Ecri/




Forwarded mail from ECRI (English / Fran?ais)
ECRI releases its first 3rd-round country reports

ECRI released today the first five reports on racism, xenophobia,
antisemitism and intolerance of its third monitoring cycle on
Belgium, Bulgaria, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland. The third round
country reports focus on "implementation". They examine if ECRI's
main recommendations from previous reports have been followed and
implemented, and if so, with what degree of success and
effectiveness.

  ECRI recognises that, in all five Council of Europe member
countries, positive developments have occurred. At the same time,
the reports detail continuing grounds for concern for the Commission:

In Belgium, the issue of political parties which resort to racist or
xenophobic propaganda is of special concern to ECRI.  Much remains
to be done to ensure that foreigners and persons of immigrant
background enjoy genuinely equal opportunities in employment. The
increase in manifestations of antisemitism and islamophobia calls
for concerted efforts of Belgian society as a whole against these
phenomena.

In Bulgaria, there are still stereotypes, prejudices and
discrimination against minority groups, particularly Roma, as well
as against immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.  There are still
serious problems connected with the excessive use of firearms and
force by the police against Roma, and ECRI stresses the problem of
segregation of Roma children in schools.  Furthermore, the new
Denominations Act passed in 2002 does not remedy all the
shortcomings as regards freedom of religion in Bulgaria.

In Norway, the need to ensure adequate protection against racist
expression remains of special concern to ECRI.  Much remains to be
done to ensure that foreigners and persons of immigrant background
enjoy genuinely equal opportunities in employment and housing.
Furthermore, a number of issues as regards the situation of
immigrants and asylum-seekers in Norway are raised by ECRI.

In Slovakia, racially-motivated violence, including serious acts of
police brutality continues. The Roma minority remains severely
disadvantaged in most areas of life, particularly in the fields of
housing, employment and education. ECRI also calls for a full,
transparent and impartial investigation into the recent allegations
concerning sterilisations of Roma women without their full and
informed consent.

In Switzerland, the incidence of police misbehaviour and
discriminatory treatment towards members of certain minority groups,
notably black Africans, is a matter of concern, as is the general
climate of opinion in society towards this group.  The issue of
asylum-seekers and refugees is also the subject of negative and
hostile debate in public and political spheres, and a number of
problems remain in the field of the asylum procedure.


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