I CARE - EU LACK OF SUPPORT FOR RACISM YEAR CRITICIZED

I CARE - News - Internet Centre Anti Racism Europe: 7/12/2011- The international year to spotlight racism against people of African descent is ending, and the head of the organizing committee lashed out Tuesday at many countries, especially the 27 European Union members, for their lack of support. Macedonian human rights expert Mirjana Najchevska, who chairs the committee, said the year's activities were held mainly in Latin American countries. The goal in 2011 was "to fight the invisibility of people of African descent" and acknowledge discrimination against them dating back to slavery, she told the closing high-level General Assembly meeting. "I do not think that the commemoration activities matched either the importance of the goal or even the proposed extensive list of possible activities," Najchevska said. "Especially concerning is the very poor support from the EU countries and the absence of more significant contribution of some regional organizations" like the Council of Europe. When the 2011 International Year for People of African Descent was launched last December by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, she said, very few countries were in "a small and half empty hall." "Today, we are closing the year, without the presence of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in an even smaller hall and in front of even less countries," Najchevska said. Mutama Ruteere of Kenya, the U.N. independent expert on racism, told the closing session that people of African descent continue to be marginalized and discriminated against in virtually every area. "Furthermore, people of African descent are often among the poorest of the poor as a consequence of racism and racial discrimination," he said.