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 News from Around the Americas | January 2006 
Terror Fight Burdens Minorities
 Prensa Latina
| | Demonstrators take part in a rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006 calling for democratic change in Iran. The demonstration, sponsored by the Council for Democratic Change in Iran, called for change in Iran and to urge the United Nations Security Council to halt Iran's nuclear weapons drive. (AP/Caleb Jones) |
United Nations - The negative impact of the so-called anti-terrorist war on minorities, as a result of persecution, torture and deaths, was denounced on Thursday during the presentation of the 2006 World State of Minorities.
Mark Latimer, executive director of the international Minority Rights Group (MRG), and Gay McDougall, first UN expert on minorities, were in charge of promoting this first specialized report.
During the news conference, they explained the situation of minorities in different regions of the world, including their suffering when governments justify harassment under the pretext of the war against terror.
According to Latimer, that situation is counterproductive and can lead to the generalized violation of human rights.
The official referred to the illegal imprisonment and unjustified abuses against minority members, a situation that has become common practice by the United States.
McDougall explained that this is the first time that the United Nations has appointed an expert to investigate issues on minorities, adding that his mandate covers four major areas: protection of threatened minorities, promotion of their culture, guarantee of their rights to non-discrimination and support for their full participation in society.
As an example of what happens when minorities are threatened, the UN expert mentioned the recent protests in France and the expulsion of Haitians from the Dominican Republic.
Latimer said that three-fourths of today's conflicts were caused by clashes and rivalry among different ethnic groups.
According to the report, the Iraqis top the list of most threatened minorities due to persecution, discrimination and slaughters. They are followed by minorities in Sudan, Somalia and other African states, which are among the top 15 regions in the world.
Latimer added that the war being carried out by the United States has created other scenarios of concern, including Afghanistan. |
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