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STATEMENT BY HON'BLE SHATRUGHAN MR. SINHA MEMBER PARLIAMENT OF AND MEMBER THE INDIANDELEGATION OF on AGENDA ITEM 65: ELIMINATION RACISM OF AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION and AGENDA ITEM 66: RIGHT PEOPLES SELF.DETERMINATION OF TO THIRD COMMITTEE 61'tSESSTONTHE OF UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEWYORK NOVEMBER 2006 7,

Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations . 235 East43rd Strcct,New York, NY 10017. Tel: (212) 490-9660 Fax: (212\ 490-9656 . E-Mail: india@un.int indiaun@prodigy.nct

Mr. Chairman, We thank the Secretary-General his report under the for 'Elimination Racism Agenda ltern 65 of and Racial Discrimination'. We atso thank Mr. Doudou Diene, Special Rapporteur on Contemporary forms of Racism,RacialDiscrimination retated and lntolerance, Mrs.AmadaBenavides, and Chairperson the Working of Group on the Use of Mercenaries a meansof impedingthe as exerciseof the right of peoptesto setf-determination, their for introductorystatements. delegation My associates itsetf with the statementmade under the Agendaltem 65 by the distinguished representative South of Africa,as the Chairman the Groupof 77. of The report of the Secretary-General conctudes that despite taking importantstepsboth at international and nationallevelsto combat racism, raciaI discrimination,xenophobiaand related intolerance, much more remains to be done. The Special Rapporteur's findings an atarming of retreatin the struggle against racism,racialdiscrimination xenophobia a matter of concern. and is In this connection, delegation my feels that imptementation the of commitments made in the DurbanDectaration and Programme of Action with a strongresotve of key importance foster social is to harmony benefiting att. Mr. Chairman, As we work towardsa world free of the raciat prejudicesof guardagainstnew manifestations the past, w must especiatly of racialintoterance. continueto witness We instances destruction of promotepoticies of constitutional orderto based racialor ethnic on discrimination. The battte againstracismhas to be fought within societiesin each nation so as to changethought-processes and attitudes.In additionto internationat efforts, action by Statesfor the promutgation of stringent national laws, their strict implementation, and the setting up of independentnational institutions with powers address to manifestations racism,needs of heightened attention. The Special Rapporteur's to promotethe ca[[ [ink betweenthe struggleagainstracismand xenophobia and the

recognition promotion multiculturatism and of needsto be exptored further. The commitment Indiato the etimination racism wetl of of is recognised. The contribution our greatleaders, of suchas Mahatma Gandhi, to the fight against racism is significant,historic and memorabte.lt was, therefore, naturat that at independence, adequate safeguards were buitt into the Indianconstitution and the lndian Penal Code against dissemination ideas that promote of in disharmony the country.The Constitution India,in Articte15, of prohibitsdiscrimination the grounds race and this expressty on of guarantee vigorously is constitutional implemented. addition,an In and committednon-governmental energetic sectorin lndiaprovides necessary support eliminating formsof discrimination. for atl Mr. Chairman, lndia has ptayed a teading role in the struggle for decolonisation, wasat the forefrontof the movement secure and to to the right of peoptes setf-determination that thoseunderatien so subjugation, dominationand exploitationcoutd freely determine their own political status and pursuetheir economic,social and cutturaI development. Today,Palestine remains unfinished the taskin the reatisation of the right of peoptes setf-determination. to Indiahas maintained unwavering supportand sotidarityfor the people of Patestine to attain their inalienable rights, inctuding the right to setfdetermination. This has been a central feature of India'sforeign policysinceevenbeforeit achieved independence. believethat We there can be no mititarysotution the Palestinian to issue.Indiahas joined the internationat community voicingits concern in over the endtess cycle of viotence and counter-violencethat has characterisedthe current phase of this conflict. India has maintained consistently that viotence was a serious impediment to peace process,and that the sotutiondid not lie in more the viotence in pursuing pathof potitical but the diatogue.

At this juncture,it is criticalfor the international community, in particular the Middte East Quartet to work ctosetywith the partieswith a view to hetp reatisethe dream of the peoptes of Patestine lsraetto live in peace,sideby side,within recognised and and secureborders, thus reatising right to setf-determination the of peopte.ln this context,we would tike to underline the Palestinian the needfor the internationat community exercise to due vigitance in ensuring that the tegitimate freedomstruggte the Palestinian of peopteis not undermined equatingterrorist activitieswith the by struggte the people Palestine. of of Self-determination tong been recognised the right of has as peoptesof non-self governingcoloniesand trust territories to independence setf-government. and Attemptscontinueto be made at the UnitedNations and etsewhere reinventsomeof the basic to principtes the Charter,suchas self-determination, to appty of and potiticatends.Thosewho do so woutd them selectively narrow for do we[[ to reatise that sucha reinterpretation maysweep their own countries into its vortex. No right, includingthe right to self-determination, may be usedas an instrument promote to subversion erodethe political and cohesion territorial integrity of MemberStatesof the UN. The or right to setf-determination cannot be abused to encourage secessionism and undermine pturatistic, democratic states. Moreover, there is no room for self-determination be distorted to and misinterpreted a right of a group,on the basis ethnicity, as of religionor racialcriteria,or any other suchcategorization, use and it to attempt to undermine sovereignty territorialintegrity the and of States.Ethnicor religious segregation chauvinism and cannotbe groundthat societies legitimised the on needto be constituted on homogenous beforethey can be toleranttowards [ines diversity and acceptmulti-culturatism. Such view wi[[ only aid forcesof narrow a chauvinism ethnic,retigious racialexctusivity. and and you,Mr. Chairman. Thank

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