National seminar on racism tomorrow

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, AUG. 1. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) are jointly organising a one-day national seminar on "Racism and racial intolerance", on August 3 on the NLSIU Campus here.

The exercise assumes special significance in view of the forthcoming world conference against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, which is being organised at Durban in South Africa from August 31 to September 7, 2001, Dr. Mohan Gopal, Director of the NLSIU, said in a press release here on Tuesday.

The first national consultation (public hearing) is also scheduled to be held in Bangalore on August 4, 2001, at the Senate Hall, Central College campus.

The seminar, as well as the public consultation, is being organised with the objective of ascertaining the views of academics, judges, lawyers, human rights activists, NGOs and others on the issue of racism and racial intolerance. Issues relating to caste and race will also be discussed at the seminar.

Mr. Justice J.S.Verma, Chairperson of the NHRC, will inaugurate the seminar. Prof. N.R.Madhava Menon, Vice-Chancellor, National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, Mr. Devanoor Mahadeva, renowned Kannada writer, Prof. Ranbir Singh, Vice-Chancellor, National Academy Sciences, Hyderabad, Supreme Court advocate, Mr. Anil Dewan, Prof. Ravi Verma Kumar, former Chairperson, Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, Mr.

L.G.Havanur, former minister and first Chairperson, Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, Prof. T.K.Oommen, renowned sociologist, JNU, Delhi, Prof. Gopal Guru, well-known political scientist, Pune University, Prof. V.K.Natraj, Director, MIDS, Chennai, Prof. Kancha Ilaiah, Hyderabad, Dr. Siddalingaiah, former MLC and poet, Dr. Ramachandra Guha, Dr. G.Mohan Gopal, Director, NLSIU, Mr. Justice Puttaswamy, Chairperson, Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Commission, Ms. Devaki Jain, women's rights activist, Prof. Jayagovind, Prof. Uday Raj Rai, Prof.

G.K.Karanth, Dr. Cheluvaraj, former Vice-Chancellor, Gulbarga University, Mr. T.Venkataswamy and former Chairperson, Karnataka Backward Classes Commission have been invited to act as resourcepersons. One hundred people drawn from various disciplines and parts of the country, especially from the South, will participate in the seminar.

National consultation

The first national consultation on racism to be held on August 4 will comprise a day-long public hearing starting at 10 a.m. NGOs, human rights activists and others, especially from southern India, who wish to bring any issue related to the world conference on racism to the attention of the NHRC may do so by sending a written statement to the NHRC. They can also present it in person.

These events are the first of their kind, and the organisers expect them to generate a full and frank exchange of views on these issues, including those relating to caste, race and related forms of discrimination according, Dr. Mohan Gopal said.

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