Frédéric Burnand/swissinfo - It may be a consequence of the great changes in the world and individual and collective shifts engendered by globalization, but it seems that racism and xenophobia continue to explode periodically in more or less violent acts whether in the North or the South, among the rich and the poor.

According to the UN expert on racism, Doudou Diène of Senegal, manifestations of hate are on the rise in recent years. For this reason he insists that the UN conference on racism can play a catalyzing role. The first conference was held in Durban, South Africa only days before the events of September 11, 2001.

Fearing a repeat of the anti-Israeli demonstrations outside the 2001 summit, charges of anti-semitism, incendiary declarations by NGOs, several countries and associations have expressed doubts about organizing a conference charged with monitoring the plan of action adopted by member states at Durban.

Canada has already announced it will not participate in the follow-up conference and the US, Israel and even France are threatening to do likewise.

“No one can forget the activities of 2001 which transformed that conference into an intolerable tribune against the state of Israel. I will not agree that this trend be repeated in 2009,” declared Nicolas Sarkozy on March 10, during a visit by his counterpart Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Perez.

The French president added, “France, which will preside over the European Union during the second half of 2008, will argue for a Europe to not participate if its legitimate concerns are not respected.”

A spirit of consensus

The trainwreck of this meeting should not be foretold ahead of time. The last meeting of the preparatory committee for the follow-up conference indicates a possible way out.

Diplomats on this committee have in fact decided unanimously to hold the 2009 conference on racism in Geneva, the European headquarters of the United Nations. It is a site that does not risk sparking controversy, according to Doudou Diène although some NGOs feared the worst since South Africa was among the sites under consideration.

“This is the first good news coming from the preparatory committee that was established in August 2007 under the presidency of Libya,” commented the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism. The French NGO was particularly alarmist and in opposition to the conference and to the Human Rights Council which was charged with its preparation.

As host to the conference and to members of the Human Rights Council, Switzerland praised the initial decision. “The framework is good,” said Muriel Berset-Kohen, charged with human rights for Switzerland’s mission to the UN in Geneva. The diplomat was referring to the table of contents of the follow-up conference final document which was adopted last week.

According to Doudou Diène, all the participating states were effectively in agreement on examining only putting into action those documents adopted in Durban that have not resulted in controversy.

“The choice reflects the will of the majority, both North and South,” said the Special Rapporter on racism.

And this, despite the wishes of the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) to include a series of new themes such as (racial) profiling in the fight against terrorism or defamation of religion.

A controversial theme

That being said, one or the other of these themes could come back in through the window, during negotiations on the final documents of the Geneva conference. Its success is therefore far from being guaranteed. The theme that incites the most concern – religious defamation - could lose its polemical character since it has been raised in the context of inciting hatred.

If this direction is maintained, the Human Rights Council and its experts would not protect one religion against individual (abuse) – which is what NGOs fear – but rather persons stigmatized under the pretext f their religion would be protected.

Condemnations of incitement to racial and religious hatred are contained in article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as in the civil and political rights of numerous national legislatures,” reminds Doudou Diène.

The NGO role

It remains to be seen what will happen outside the Geneva conference and whether some NGOs will, as at Durban, fan the flames of hate and stigimatization.

“It is impossible and inconsistent to want to combat racism without a civil society. Their participation is paramount if one wants to mobilize the population,” stressed the Special Rapporteur.

And Doudou Diène argues that, “it is integrating them into the process of reviewing the Durban summit that we will avoid the disruptions that occurred in Durban.”

Speaking anonymously, an expert familiar with the Geneva file suggests a more prosaic : the limited budget for this conference will leave little room for an NGO forum.

Translated from French by Pamela Taylor

See also our article: Durban II:redifining racism