STANDING UNITED IN OUR STRUGGLE AGAINST RACISM
STATEMENT AND PRESS RELEASE FROM THE
EUROPEAN NETWORK AGAINST RACISM (ENAR)
ON
THE OUTCOME OF THE
WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM
Brussels, 12 September 2001
The European Network Against Racism (ENAR), represents over 600 NGOs across the European Union. ENAR has been a key player in the preparations for the World Conference at the European level. At the preparatory conference in Strasbourg in October 2000, ENAR worked alongside other NGOs to establish a united front against all forms of racism. The NGO Declaration and Plan of Action from Strasbourg successfully reflected the priorities of the various ethnic, cultural and religious groups represented in Europe. Sadly, the Declaration from the NGOs at the World Conference itself undermined unity and failed to represent all the groups needing protection against racism.
"During the years that I headed up the Runnymede Trust, I campaigned vigorously against anti-semitism - we all know it is a light sleeper. At the same time, I was amongst the first to raise the dangers of Islamophobia, conscious that new forms of racism were emerging. Our struggle against racism will not be won by pitching one form of discrimination against another, that will merely allow others to pitch us against each other. As a network, ENAR is committed to combat all forms of racism and we must be united in our struggle",
says Sukhvinder Stubbs, Chair of ENAR.
In this spirit, at its last General Assembly, ENAR members voted in favour of the following resolution:
"All antiracist NGOs affiliated to ENAR, including Muslims and Jewish members, maintain solidarity in alliance against all acts of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Any division between these two communities can only serve the forces of hate of which both are the targets. For its part, the ENAR General Assembly vigorously condemns all forms of anti-semitism and islamophobia."
In our duty to respect the resolution and universal Human Rights standards, we therefore cannot endorse the language contained in certain parts of the NGO Declaration and Programme of Action adopted in Durban, South Africa, during the NGO Forum.
Nevertheless, we want to stress the many positive elements that emerged out of the NGO process in Durban such as the high level of NGO participation, the wealth and the diversity of issues debated throughout the forum.’’
"We must press for the engagement of NGOs in the follow-up process and ENAR will campaign for National Action Plans so that each country can have the strongest legislative framework to protect all its population against racism",
said Maria Miguel Sierra, Campaign officer of ENAR.
ENAR will continue its struggle against all forms of racism in a united front, reflecting the concerns of diverse groups and voices across the NGO Community.
Persons of contact:
Sukhvinder Stubbs, Chair of ENAR, mobile phone: 00 44 77 74 75 70 43
Maria Miguel Sierra, Campaign officer of ENAR, 0032 2 229 35 70