Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1462882
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 OPINION 11 Combating racial discrimination RACISM and ethnic discrimination can occur anywhere – in schools, in the provision of goods and services and their supply, in the neighbour- hood, and in workplaces. Each and every one of us can stand up against racism and disrespectful attitudes. In this context, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution 2142, adopted on 26 October 1966, proclaimed 21st March as the In- ternational Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to be com- memorated annually. This date was chosen to commemorate the killing of 69 people when in 1960, the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid pass laws. Racism is also present in our coun- try. In fact, in 2017, as the NCPE Com- missioner, I concluded an investiga- tion regarding alleged discrimination on the basis of race and ethnic origin. The complainant explained that while in a bar, he realised that his friend and his brother were arguing with two bouncers outside the bar when the latter started hitting them. The com- plainant tried to intervene to calm the situation. However, other bouncers from nearby clubs joined the fight. The complainant, although injured, managed to escape, however these bouncers chased him and continued beating him. At some point, the com- plainant lost consciousness and was later taken to the police station, where he filed a report. Subsequently, he was taken to hospital by ambulance. During the investigation, the com- plainant claimed that this beating happened solely because of his race. The version of events given by the complainant was not only corroborat- ed by his witnesses, but also by other third parties and by circumstantial evidence made available during the investigation. These facts indicated a clear case of discrimination based on race and ethnic origin. Such racist incidents and racial dis- crimination in general have been exacerbated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns and other restricted measures had a dispro- portionate impact on workers in precarious employment situations, self-employed, and informal workers globally, the latter being mainly made up of racial minorities and migrant workers in many countries. There was also a significant increase in racial ver- bal abuse, harassment, and violence in public spaces, mainly targeting people of Asian descent in the context of the current crisis. This shows that racism, xenophobia, and intolerance are prev- alent in all societies. However, there are many ways to take action. In fact, the European Commis- sion against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) was established in 1993 by the Council of Europe as the official, in- dependent human rights monitoring body in the field of combating racism and intolerance. ECRI works to com- bat discrimination on the grounds of race, national/ethnic origin, colour, citizenship, religion, and language (ra- cial discrimination) and intolerance, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. ECRI's statu- tory activities cover country monitor- ing of state parties including Malta, work on general themes covering this remit and fosters relations with civil society and equality bodies. At a domestic level, the first-ever National Anti-Racism Strategy was launched in 2021 to tackle discrim- ination experienced by individuals with racial or ethnic backgrounds. This Strategy aims to confront and eliminate racism in all its forms, in- dividual, systemic, and societal, and to stimulate and support intercultural inclusion. Moreover, in Malta, the NCPE as an equality body, investigates complaints on the grounds of race and ethnic origin in employment, education, vo- cational/professional training, banks and financial institutions, as well as on access to and supply of goods and services. To address such discrimination, the NCPE provides training on diversity, equality, and non-discrimination to any organisation that requests it and creates awareness-raising campaigns for the general public. As stated by Muhammad Ali, "hat- ing people because of their colour is wrong. And it doesn't matter which colour does the hating. It's just plain wrong." Let's all work together to eliminate racial and ethnic discrimi- nation. The National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) can be contacted on: 2276 8200 or equality@ gov.mt or our Facebook page that there's nobody left to actu- ally 'bribe', 'bully', 'threaten' or 'cajole' anymore; and – much more to the point - there isn't even anything to really break our 'silence' and/or 'reflection' about, anyway (except maybe to discuss which roads to take, in order to avoid getting caught up in all those carcades…) Well, put that all together, and the solution to this whole 'Day of Silence' conundrum be- comes rather self-evident, don't you think? There's no need to add it to the list of 'archaic laws' that Franco Debono was once supposed to weed out of our na- tional legislation… but never did [Note: what ever happened to that idea, by the way? Because I can think of a few other 'archaic laws' that need to be scrapped rather more urgently: including at least one that was supposed to be 'debated' in this very cam- paign… but never was. Funny, huh?] But in any case: it's not neces- sary to actually consign the 'Day of Silence' to the scrapheap of history, or anything as drastic as that. Nor even, for that mat- ter, to simply update it to the 21st century (which, let's face it, shouldn't be that hard. And I could say the same for that other 'archaic law', by the way; but let's not digress...) No, indeed: it would be far sim- pler (and much more beneficial, all round) to simply shift it a couple of days later instead. You know: make it 'post-election Sunday', instead of 'pre-election Friday'. And, hey presto! Just like that, a law that was originally conceived in the distant 1920s – an era for which it was well-suit- ed, too: seeing as how there was a 24-hour gap anyway, between the time 'things happened'; and the time 'things got reported in the papers' – becomes every bit as relevant, and useful, as it was originally intended to be. For let's face it, folks: when do we need 'Silence' (and I would say 'Reflection', too) the most? On the day when people are so uncontrollably anxious to speak out about politics – and as LOUDLY as they possibly can, too - that they willingly risk a fine of €1,164.69, no less… with every single Facebook status up- date they post, over the course of the entire 24-hour cycle? (Seriously, though: if the po- lice were to ever get round to actually enforcing this 'archaic law'… not only would they end up having to arrest practical- ly every single Facebook user on the entire island; but there's one guy on my feed, alone, who would probably end up owing the Electoral Commission over half a million euros …) Or do we need that 'silence' a whole lot more, on a day when… well, you're probably hearing them all right now, aren't you? And – just like me – asking yourself whether it really was such a bad idea, after all, to im- pose a little 'peace and quiet' for a change… Renée Laiviera Renée Laiviera is Commissioner for Promotion of Equality