ENAR Weekly Mail 133
21 March 2008
NEWS FROM ENAR
ENAR opinion piece for 21 March, International Day Against Racism
ENAR issued an opinion on the occasion of 21 March, International Day Against Racism,
entitled “President Barroso, time to show leadership on equality!‟. This opinion piece focuses on
the upcoming European Commission proposal on non-discrimination outside employment. Read
more
ENAR members’ activities on 21 March
A number of ENAR members organised activities to mark 21 March, International Day for the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. A description of these activities in various
EU countries is available on ENAR‟s website. Read more
ENAR training seminar on intercultural dialogue
ENAR is organising a training seminar entitled “Days of Dialogue, everywhere in Europe…”
from 29 to 31 May 2008 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. In the present climate in which the
distance between citizens is increasing and the growing diversity in our society is looked upon
more and more in a negative way, there is an urgent need for a powerful instrument that can help
decrease the distance between social groups and individuals. The “Days of Dialogue” are such
an instrument that can be used in a relatively simple way for people of different ages with
diverse cultural backgrounds and ethnic identities to talk to each other about living together in a
city that can draw from its diversity. Through this seminar, ENAR aims to disseminate good
practice developed by members of its network across Europe (Art. 1 in collaboration with
Nieuwe Maan in the Netherlands and Aric in Germany). Read more
Member of ENAR Spain launches solidarity campaign
Movement Against Intolerance (MCI), member of ENAR Spain, and “International Institute for
Education and Research on Anti-Semitism” have launched a solidarity campaign in solidarity
with the Moroccan organisation “Collective Memory”, a recently-created organisation whose
mission is to fight hate, intolerance, violence, racism, anti-Semitism, and fundamentalism. The
organisation‟s board of directors recently received death threats from two Islamist organisations.
MCI is asking NGOs to send a letter to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Morocco and endorse
a statement of solidarity. For more information, contact
intolerancia@movimientocontralaintolerancia.com
NEWS FROM OTHER NETWORKS
JRS-Europe releases 14 point common position on detention
The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS-Europe) has released its common position on detention. The
document is entitled 'Administrative Detention of Asylum Seekers and Irregular Migrants in
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Europe: Common Position of JRS in Europe'. The document firmly establishes JRS' opposition
to administrative detention, and the conditions that must be adhered to for people who are
already in detention. Read more
SOLIDAR response to EU consultation on active inclusion
SOLIDAR has submitted its contribution to the second stage European Commission
consultation on active inclusion. SOLIDAR's contribution has two sections. The first part
assesses cross-cutting issues focusing on the concept and contents of the EU communication and
the methods and instruments of policy governance, as well as elaborating on SOLIDAR's
positions and expectations with regard to the EU proposals. The second part focuses on
comments and proposals regarding possible elements of all three strands of active inclusion
policies. Read more
International Trade Union Confederation declaration on 21 March
On the occasion of 21 March, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination,
the International Trade Union Confederation issued a declaration entitled “Developing trade
union strategies for combating racism and xenophobia”. Read more
Social platform expresses outrage at EU Spring Council conclusions
The Social Platform issued a press release on 14 March expressing its outrage at the European
Council‟s conclusions, which show a lack of social and human commitment to the destiny of
European citizens. Since 2005, when the Barroso Commission redubbed the long-term strategy
according to Jobs and Growth, EU leaders had never reached this kind of social emptiness. “A
technocratic document that does not show a vision to the European citizens, rather a nitty-gritty
catalogue of policies disconnected from urgent matters - raising inequalities, deterioration of
working conditions downgrading of social protection systems and public services,” said Social
Platform President, Fintan Farrell. Read more
NEWS FROM EUROPE
Czech lower house passes anti-discrimination bill
The Czech Chamber of Deputies on 19 March passed an anti-discrimination bill that secures
equal access to education, labour, health care and social benefits irrespective of age, race,
nationality, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion and world outlook. The legislation is
yet to be approved by the Senate and signed by President Vaclav Klaus into law. The Czech
Republic is the last of the 27 EU member states to pass the legislation. The Social Democrats
proposed several changes to extend the government anti-discrimination bill, but the lower house
rejected most of them. Read more
Spain police probed after African migrant drowns
Three Spanish police officers are under investigation for murder after a Senegalese man
reportedly drowned after they punctured the inflatable mattress with which he was trying to
reach the Spanish coast. Laucling Sonko, together with three other Africans, was intercepted by
a Civil Guard boat near a beach in Spain's North African enclave Ceuta one day before dawn in
September. The police towed them back a short distance and slashed the mattress when they
were about 100 metres from the Moroccan shore, despite Sonko's pleas that he could not swim,
according to the Commission to Help Refugees (CEAR), an NGO which has lodged a criminal
complaint. Spokesmen for the Civil Guard and the Interior Ministry confirmed a homicide
investigation was under way in connection with the incident but did not give any further details.
Read more
ENAR Weekly Mail 133 – 21 March 2008 2
Migrants say discrimination undermines their sense of belonging in Britain
A report published on 19 March found that nearly half of minority ethnic residents, including
Muslims, said they had experienced race discrimination and 30 per cent of recent Muslim
migrants had experienced religious discrimination. This was cited as a key barrier to a sense of
belonging in Britain. The report „Immigration, faith and cohesion‟ published by the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation, was written by a team at the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society
(COMPAS) at Oxford University. It looked at what factors contribute to, or undermine,
community cohesion in three urban areas in England with large migrant and Muslim
populations. Co-author Hiranthi Jayaweera from COMPAS said: „Evidence suggests that it is
discrimination and the perception of being unwelcome, rather than attachment to their country of
origin, that reduces migrants‟ sense of belonging in Britain.‟ Ninety-nine per cent of recent
Muslim migrants strongly emphasised democracy, justice and security as the top reasons for
living in Britain. Read more
Wilders' anti-Islam akin to anti-Semitism
Entertainment entrepreneur Harry de Winter has taken out a page-wide advert on the front page
of Monday‟s Volkskrant newspaper accusing MP Geert Wilders of racism. „If Wilders said the
same about Jews and the Old Testament as he does about Muslims (and the Koran) he would
have been long picked up and sentenced for anti-Semitism,‟ the advert reads. Wilders, founder
of the anti-immigration PVV party, has said repeatedly that Muslims are backward and that the
Koran is a fascist book which incites violence and murder. The advert is signed by the
foundation „Another Jewish voice‟, which De Winter helped found. In an interview with the
paper, De Winter says that Wilders‟ approach to Islam is like the build-up of anti-Jewish
sentiment before World War II. Read more
Obama says USA cannot ignore race
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama has sought to tackle the issue of race and defuse a
controversy over comments made by his former pastor, the Rev Jeremiah Wright. Mr Obama
said he understood the history of anger between black and white Americans but that the US
could not afford to ignore race issues. He referred to the uproar over what he called the Rev
Jeremiah Wright's "profoundly distorted view" of the US. Speaking in Philadelphia, the
Pennsylvania city seen as the cradle of US democracy, Mr Obama drew on America's long
history of racial inequality - and called on the US to move beyond it. Mr Obama also said that it
should not be news to Americans that anger over racial injustice still finds voice in many black
churches. Read more
EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC) & OTHER EU INSTITUTIONS
EU leaders come together for spring European Council
EU leaders met on 13 and 14 March in Brussels and adopted the European Council conclusions,
confirming commitments in three important areas and giving the EU adequate tools to meet the
challenges currently facing the EU-27. "We have put in motion a modern and concrete new
three-year cycle of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. We have adopted an ambitious
timeframe and confirmed key principles for the adoption of the energy and climate change
package. We have addressed current concerns regarding the stability of the financial markets"
said the Slovenian Prime Minister and President of the European Council Janez Janša at the end
of the European Council meeting. Read more
Neglect and abuse of older people is widespread, say Europeans
Older people in Europe are vulnerable to poor treatment, neglect and abuse, according to a
survey presented by the European Commission on 17 March 2008. Almost half (47%) of people
across the EU consider the phenomenon to be widespread in their country - and the challenge is
ENAR Weekly Mail 133 – 21 March 2008 3
only likely to increase as Europeans get older. But while abuse can take many different forms -
ranging from physical to psychological - it is more often the result of an inability to cope on the
part of stressed and overburdened carers than intent to exploit or harm vulnerable older people.
A high level EU conference in Brussels on 17 March 2008 offered policy makers and experts an
opportunity to discuss the quality of care for frail elderly people and pool ideas on preventing
elder abuse. Read more
Joint statement for International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the
European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), the EU Agency for Fundamental
Rights (FRA) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
issued a joint press statement calling on political parties to combat racism. Read more
Progress programme: what’s in store for the anti-discrimination strand 2008
The European Commission‟s „For Diversity, Against Discrimination‟ campaign, launched in
2003 with the aim of promoting awareness of EU anti-discrimination legislation, is set to
continue in 2008 and beyond, as an integral element of the European Commission‟s
PROGRESS programme. During the course of 2008 and beyond, a series of interactive events
will take place across Europe, with highlights comprising the continuation of some of last year‟s
most popular activities. These will include the award for journalists writing about discrimination
issues, the yearly anti-discrimination truck road-show as well as many more community-focused
events and competitions. Read more
EU ministers stress social significance of sport
As EU Ministers discussed the future of sport, they emphasised its educational and socialising
role and agreed that it should be used more as a means to strengthen intercultural
dialogue. The Joint Declaration on Social Significance and Dialogue in Sport, adopted by EU
Ministers for Sport on 17 March 2008, calls for more structured dialogue between governmental
and civilian domains and enhanced cooperation between all stakeholders in developing EU
policy on sport. The declaration notably highlights the role of regular physical activity as a
means of promoting health, development, peace and environment, as well as the social
significance of sports organisations in bringing together people form different social and cultural
backgrounds. Read more
UNITED NATIONS
Arbour urges states to sign on to anti-racial discrimination treaty
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour called on 18 March for all states
to sign up to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination, and said that "as a matter of urgency" they should also "strengthen law
enforcement to ensure justice for victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance." Arbour, who was addressing a High Level Panel in Geneva prior to the
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, noted that there
had been substantial progress in combating racism since the UN General Assembly inaugurated
the International Day six years after the Sharpeville massacre in South Africa on 21 March
1960. However, she added, "48 years after the Sharpeville shootings, no country can claim to be
free of racism's destructive influence." Read more
Report on 2007 asylum levels and trends in industrialised countries
The UNHCR has issued a report on Asylum Levels and Trends in Industrialised Countries for
2007. According to the report, some 338,000 new applications for refugee status were submitted
last year in 43 industrialised countries, a 10 percent rise compared to 2006, when 306,300
ENAR Weekly Mail 133 – 21 March 2008 4
asylum claims were registered. 2007 saw a reversal in the 5-year downward trend in asylum
applications in industrialised countries, largely because of an increase in the number of Iraqi
asylum seekers. The top five countries of origin of asylum applicants in 2007 were Iraq, the
Russian Federation, China, Serbia and Pakistan. After the United States and Sweden, the main
countries of destination for asylum seekers in 2007 were France, Canada and the United
Kingdom. Read more
ROMA ISSUES
Fundación Secretariado Gitano “Employment makes us equal” campaign
Since the year 2000 Fundación Secretariado Gitano has been developing "Acceder", an
employment programme financed by the European Social Fund. To denote the beginning of a
new phase of the programme 2007-2013, they are developing an information campaign
presenting the programme results as well as an awareness campaign under the slogan
"Employment makes us equal." This new awareness campaign is aimed at questioning the
prejudices that still affect Roma's access to employment. Read more
'No legal status' for Scotland's gypsies
Scottish gypsy travellers are not a separate ethnic group under the Race Relations Act and
therefore not entitled to make racial-discrimination claims, a tribunal has ruled. Kenneth
MacLennan, of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, had complained of racial discrimination, alleging he
was victimised by being dismissed for "taking a stance on behalf of gypsy travellers". But
employment judge Nicol Hosie rejected his complaint. In his written judgment he said: "While
there may be a body of opinion that Scottish gypsy travellers should be treated as an ethnic
group and should enjoy the protection of the 1976 act, there is no legislation, as yet, which
affords them such protection." Although under the 1976 act, (as amended in 2000) English
Romany Gypsies and Irish travellers are protected as ethnic groups, Scottish Gypsy Travellers
are not protected in the same way.'' Read more
Portugal: Portimo tears down 32 shacks
The Portimo City Hall, following its own guidelines of eradicating all informal settlements in
the city by 2009, has demolished 32 shacks located in Cruz da Parteira neighbourhood, which
were predominantly housing members of a small Roma Gypsy community. Read more
Round table on Roma youth inclusion
Salto-Youth Cultural Diversity Resource Centre is organising a round table regarding Roma
youth inclusion in view of the Youth in action programme on 7 and 8 April 2008 in the
European Youth Centre in Budapest, Hungary. The objectives of the Round table include:
assessment of needs of Roma youth with relation to the Youth in Action programme; explaining
the Youth in Action programme spirit and possibilities; exploring National Roma inclusion
strategies connected to Youth in Action programme; gaining a picture of the connection between
Roma youth work and Youth in Action programme; and creating better cooperation between
national agencies and Roma NGOs. Read more
REPORTS & PUBLICATIONS
Council of Europe publication: Gods in the city - Intercultural and inter-religious
dialogue at local level
Clearly, "God is changing in Europe": religious faiths and beliefs are increasingly making their
presence felt in the public arena, at all levels. Because religions are more and more often behind
the forging and assertion of multiple identities, the authorities have a duty to take the utmost
account of them when establishing democratic rules and arrangements for "living together".
ENAR Weekly Mail 133 – 21 March 2008 5
Local authorities are ideally placed to lead this work, which requires creativity, imagination, a
willingness to engage in dialogue and the opening of meeting places. It is for this reason that the
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has chosen this avenue
and launched a debate, in which local political figures and university researchers have been
closely involved. The fact that it is sizing up the issues thrown up by intercultural and interfaith
dialogue and opting for an approach based on mutual knowledge means that it has chosen from
the outset to break new ground. Read more
CEPS briefing on the future of the area of freedom, security and justice
The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) has issued a policy briefing entitled „What
Future for the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice? Recommendations on EU Migration and
Borders Policies in a Globalising World‟. The President of the European Commission, José
Manuel Barroso, has launched a brainstorming exercise about the future policy priorities for the
development of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ). This Policy Brief seeks to
contribute to this brain-storming exercise by putting forward a package of policy
recommendations covering the following three themes: how to structure Justice and Home
Affairs in the EU; mastering the integration debate and comprehensively framing the
citizen/foreigner/immigrant relationship; the utility of large-scale information systems with
interoperable databases including biometric technology for the protection of people living in the
EU. Read more
CONFERENCES & EVENTS
OSCE training on responding to hate crimes
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is organising a training
seminar for civil society representatives on how to prevent and to respond to hate crimes from
31 May to 2 June 2008 in Warsaw, Poland. This training will provide civil society organisations
with a menu of tools to build a more effective response to hate violence. Using techniques
modelled in the training, NGOs will craft and implement strategies tailored to individual country
and community challenges. Civil society participants will be trained on a variety of models;
from establishing partnerships with officials, to monitoring, and victim support. The training
will include lecture, group discussions, interactive activities, and small group work covering all
the major topic areas in the resource guide. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2008.
Read more
Round table on the right to vote for foreigners
The Centre d‟information et d‟études sur les migrations (CIEMI), a member of ENAR France,
and Migrations Société are organising a round table on the right to vote for foreigners on 27
March 2008 in Paris, France. It will be an opportunity to have a debate on the theoretical
questions related to this issue. Read more (in French)
Call for participants: training on new media skills for NGOs
Transitions Online and the Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS are inviting applications for a
12-month initiative that seeks to provide NGOs with Internet tools and strategies to help them
promote transparency and good governance in their respective countries. The program is open to
NGOs in the new member states of the European Union. The project kicks off with a workshop
in Prague from 8-11 May. You'll learn the latest methods for encouraging your members and the
larger public to engage in data collection and analysis. You'll also hear about new ways to use
and present this data, allowing your research to have a greater impact on public policy. Read
more
ENAR Weekly Mail 133 – 21 March 2008 6
Summer School on immigration and asylum policy of the European Union
The Odysseus Academic Network will hold the 8th edition of its Summer School on Immigration
and Asylum Policy of the European Union from 30 June to 11 July 2008, in Brussels University
(ULB). The Summer School aims to provide its participants with a comprehensive and up-to-
date understanding of the immigration and asylum policy of the European Union from a legal
point of view. Read more
Brussels Debate: “Negotiating differences: a responsibility of artists and cultural
institutions”
The second of the seven Brussels Debates, organised in the context of the 2008 European Year
of Intercultural Dialogue, is taking place on 2 April 2008 in Brussels. Entitled “Negotiating
differences: a responsibility of artists and cultural institutions”, it will focus on the topic of
"Arts & Culture". Jette Sandahl, Director of the City Museum of Copenhagen and Ahmet Polat,
Lecturer at ArtEZ, Academy of Visual Arts in Enschede, will join the debate as speakers. Read
more
ENAR Weekly Mail 133 – 21 March 2008 7