Goldstone Report

Israel has lately been involved in a new turmoil since the appearance of the Goldstone Report which accuses Israel of having committed war crimes during the Gaza War last winter. Curiously, though the report acusses Hamas of violating human rights as well, Israel has been the main focus in all this matter. U.N.'s Human Rights Council has taken this case after a vote for adopting the report was made. Mexico was one of the 47 members that abstained from giving its vote. Israel expressed its gratitude to our country for adopting that position and asked Mexico to continue supporting Israel in future meetings.
Israel has been pressured and adviced to conduct an independent investigation, but the Israeli has refused, claiming the report is nothing but biased. The report has already been sent to the Security Council. The United Nations has already offered Israel two options: either they start an investigation during the following six months or Israel will have to face international prosecution.

More information:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article6891249.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8326153.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8322584.stm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704500604574480932924540724.html
http://www.oem.com.mx/elsoldemexico/notas/n1370995.htm

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Hate crimes: Now punishable by USA federal law

Today, Wednesday October 28th 2009, US President Barack Obama signed that country's first hate crimes bill into legislation, marking a great moment in law of the USA.

This bill states tha tno individual should suffer from hate crimes based on their sexual preferences or because of their gender identity. Before, even though people who did these hate crimes could be punished by law, the charge was only about beating or assault. Now, it can have the real reason.

This bill, named in honor of Matthew Shepard (a gay man who was kidnapped and beaten to death in 1998) and James Byrd (a black man also killed in 1998), is expected to lower bigotry crimes.

About 77,000 hate crimes were reported from 1998 to 2007 by the FBI. That's almost one hate crime for every hour of every day for ten years!

While there is still a way to go before we can eradicate bigotry and hate crimes from the world (we may never be able to do so!) this bill will at least allow for people to walk down the streets being themselves and not having to fear being killed just for being who they are.

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One More Barrier for the European Union

Talking about the European Union in class, we have evaluated the economical and political consequences and problems, as well as the reasons that have triggered the economic integration in Europe. We have also seen the European Union’s “need” to present itself as an authentic union at the eyes of every spectator and partaker of the international economic and political affairs. And to a certain extent, the EU has accomplished its goal. It is easy for foreigners to picture most of the European countries as a community that shares and discuss for both their national interests and the welfare of the continent in general— I know I do. But there are two aspects that I believe will never be merged into one and those are the social and cultural areas. For example, it is simply impossible to have the same image of a French and an Italian. Their customs and history have build up their identity, the one that distinguishes them and the one that is perceived by the rest of the world. And I think that on a national and worldwide level, nearly all the population resists to the idea of transforming Europe into a single culture or a single country—it would be an outrageous attack to the unique richness of each European state.
However, as this ongoing integration keeps bringing European countries closer and closer together, it is normal that a sense of threat to sovereignty and to national identity is awakened. And furthermore, a rise of racism and xenophobia is apparently expanding and taking new forms. Definitely, this is translated into an additional challenge that the European Union has to deal with because it is important to base the community over foundations of respect, tolerance, and diversity. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (previously known as the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia) is in charge of protecting human rights as well as promoting them among the European citizens; and these responsibilities have conducted them to create the Diversity Day, a counterattack to racism and xenophobia. But this is only one initiative to fight discrimination, which will obviously not eliminate it completely from some minds, mainly because, as I mentioned above, racism, discrimination, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia are being exhibited in various ways, which have to be combated with different techniques and programmes.
But whatever measures are taken, diplomats must not forget the importance and the impact on society that the reduction of this problem will have, and how this will affect the so dearly loved economic and political development of the European Union. Because, at the end of the day, it is impossible to maintain stabilized such a large community, when its people and the social life of its member states are not positively balanced. In case the problem is not solved, can you imagine the controversy when the European Union decides t go deeper concerning a common immigration policy? Debates will find their way, of course.
The following information is just to show you some examples of problems, statistics, and decisions that concern the European Union and the defence of human rights, in opposition to racism and xenophobia. The data has been acquired from an official EU's report (the link at the end) together with other useful sources.

• Growing appeal for extremist, ultra-nationalist, anti-foreigner, neo-nazi, neo-fascist parties
• A small number of EU members have official criminal data concerning racism cases (not that there are no hate crimes, but that there is no real control and collection of information).
• 2006-2007: Ireland, Austria, Poland, Sweden and the UK --> upward trend in racist crime. Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Denmark, Slovakia, and Finland --> downward trend in racist crime.
• Victims due to racist motivations are mainly Roma, followed by Sub-Saharan African, North African, Turkish, Russian, and Ex-Yugoslavian
• Employment discrimination: Since 2008, it has been declared as illegal the advertisement of jobs with nationalistic ideologies that prevent migrants from being employed.

- Case of a Belgian company which only recruited white employees.
- Nearly 50% of Spanish students believe that foreigners “steal” the jobs in their country.
- Linked to initiatives from Spain and Czech Republic? (Offer of incentives for immigrants to leave their country and promise not to come back in the next few years. “Subtle discrimination” or desperate for helping/pleasing (some) “original” citizens during economic crisis?)

• There is a racial attack every three minutes in the EU.

• Obvious educational and health care barriers for Roma and Sinti population, as well as for children from illegal immigrants and refugees

- Hate speeches and language discrimination
- Case in Greece in which Roma parents were not allowed to enrol their kids in a local primary school.

• Directive on Compensation of Crime Victims (Founded by the European Union)
• Proposal to extend the protection against discrimination in more areas, such as social security, healthcare, education, and access to and supply of goods and services.
• Racial Equality Directive of 2000: member states should establish equality bodies to promote justice and equal treatment.
  

More information:
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Library/PressReleases/58-15_09_2009_en.asp
http://www.diversityday.eu/
http://www.fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/home/ar2009_part2_en.htm
http://euro-med.dk/?p=1082
http://www.un.org/Pubs/chronicle/2004/issue4/0404p32.html

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