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Mizzima: Asian NGOs met on WCAR



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                         Asian NGOs met on WCAR

June 22, 2001
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)

An Asian Regional Consultation on the World Conference against Racism
was held last week at Dharamshala, seat of the Tibetan government in
exile in Himachal Pradesh of India. The meeting was a preparation of
Asian NGOs to participate in the coming World Conference against Racism
to be held in South Africa later this year. The meeting jointly
organized by the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD)
and the South Asian Human Rights Documentation Center (SAHRDC) was
participated by human rights organizations and NGOs working on India,
Tibet, China, Burma, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and other
Asian countries.

?We are deeply disturbed that many forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance that are prevalent in
Asia are not acknowledged by States, and are excluded from the official
agenda for the World Conference Against Racism to be held in Durban,
South Africa in September?, said the declaration released at the end of
three-day meeting which was held on 15-17 June. The NGO representatives
at the Asian consultation also expressed concern about the situation in
Burma as follow:

1) Express concern about the denial of democratic rights to people of
Burma, including ethnic nationalities, by the ruling State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), which is a reflection of discrimination
based on race, ethnicity, religion and cultural differences;
2) Recognize that assimilatory policies of the Government of Burma
including prohibition to teach and learn in their respective languages,
history or heritage of the ethnic nationalities, resulted in the
promotion of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance;
3) Express concern about the religious intolerance practiced by the
Government of Burma including the destruction of the places of worship
and forcible conversion to Buddhism;
4) Recognize that women and children belonging to ethnic nationalities
are victims of multiple discrimination;
5) Condemn the practice of forced labor and slavery by the military
Government of Burma, and call for an immediate end to the militarization
of the country;
6) Welcome the political dialogue in Burma and the release of some
political prisoners. And urge the dialogue partners to ensure that
ethnic nationalities are included in the dialogue process to bring an
end to all discriminatory policies in the light of the present positive
mood in the dialogue.




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<center><font color="#000099"><font size=+2>Asian NGOs met on WCAR</font></font></center>

<p><i><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>June 22, 2001</font></font></i>
<br><i><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>Mizzima News Group <a href="http://www.mizzima.com";>(www.mizzima.com)</a></font></font></i>
<p><font size=+1>An Asian Regional Consultation on the World Conference
against Racism was held last week at Dharamshala, seat of the Tibetan government
in exile in Himachal Pradesh of India. The meeting was a preparation of
Asian NGOs to participate in the coming World Conference against Racism
to be held in South Africa later this year. The meeting jointly organized
by the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) and the South
Asian Human Rights Documentation Center (SAHRDC) was participated by human
rights organizations and NGOs working on India, Tibet, China, Burma, Bangladesh,
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and other Asian countries.</font>
<p><font size=+1>?We are deeply disturbed that many forms of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance that are prevalent in
Asia are not acknowledged by States, and are excluded from the official
agenda for the World Conference Against Racism to be held in Durban, South
Africa in September?, said the declaration released at the end of three-day
meeting which was held on 15-17 June. The NGO representatives at the Asian
consultation also expressed concern about the situation in Burma as follow:</font>
<p><font size=+1>1) Express concern about the denial of democratic rights
to people of Burma, including ethnic nationalities, by the ruling State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC), which is a reflection of discrimination
based on race, ethnicity, religion and cultural differences;</font>
<br><font size=+1>2) Recognize that assimilatory policies of the Government
of Burma including prohibition to teach and learn in their respective languages,
history or heritage of the ethnic nationalities, resulted in the promotion
of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance;</font>
<br><font size=+1>3) Express concern about the religious intolerance practiced
by the Government of Burma including the destruction of the places of worship
and forcible conversion to Buddhism;</font>
<br><font size=+1>4) Recognize that women and children belonging to ethnic
nationalities are victims of multiple discrimination;</font>
<br><font size=+1>5) Condemn the practice of forced labor and slavery by
the military Government of Burma, and call for an immediate end to the
militarization of the country;</font>
<br><font size=+1>6) Welcome the political dialogue in Burma and the release
of some political prisoners. And urge the dialogue partners to ensure that
ethnic nationalities are included in the dialogue process to bring an end
to all discriminatory policies in the light of the present positive mood
in the dialogue.</font>
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