NHRC's support for Dalits praised

DURBAN, SEPT. 5. The National Human Rights Commission's support for inclusion of the Dalit issue, contrary to the Government's stand, in the agenda of the ongoing World Conference against Racism (WCAR) came in for praise by the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), which said that for the first time the matter had been highlighted at an international fora.

``I congratulate the principled stand taken by the NHRC, which stood up to help the Dalits and extended moral support,'' UNHRC chief, Ms. Mary Robinson, told presspersons here on Tuesday. ``The NGOs have raised what they called discrimination against Dalits in India, and the issue has been brought before the international community.''

Ms. Robinson maintained that delegations from across the world had never before heard about discrimination based on caste and the NGOs, by holding rallies, had succeeded in incorporating the cause in their declaration at a parallel conference.

China supported India in opposing attempts by certain Latin American countries to incorporate the concept of ``work and descent'' in the final declaration of the WCAR, which has been strongly advocated by Dalit NGOs.The Chinese delegation told the drafting committee that the language in the relevant paragraph of the draft declaration, which includes ``work and descent'' in brackets, should be reformed.

France, EU may quit

In Paris, the French Prime Minister, Mr. Lionel Jospin, said France and the European Union would quit the WCAR if the delegates were determined to equate Zionism with racism.

``If the final resolution continues to assimilate Zionism and racism, France and the European Union delegation will consider leaving the conference following consultations with our European partners,'' the Prime Minister's spokesman quoted him as saying during a Cabinet meeting.

- PTI, AFP

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