CONVOCATION 31 OCTOBER 2010: NO TO RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA

The last Sunday of the month
In the Plaza Mayor (next to the horse statue), at 12:00 noon
Women in Black
invite you
to a vigil in black and in silence.

31 OCTOBER 2010
NO to racism and xenophobia

Women in Black against War – Madrid

Invite the citizenry:
To a personal reflection on attitudes and prejudices regarding immigration, as well as the rejection of its utilization in politics and voting.

We urge the government of Spain and public institutions:
To adopt with urgency national legislation against racism and xenophobia.

Let us expel war and violence
from history
and from our lives
..................................................................................

Women in Black say NO to Racism and Xenophobia

At a meeting in Barcelona, 3-6 October 2010, the European ombudsmen (Defensor@s del Pueblo) reported on the increase of xenophobia in Europe because of the crisis and have issued a call to protect the rights of the most vulnerable people. They also issued an alert regarding the growing hatred and fear of Moslems and discrimination against minority groups such as gypsies.

Europe is suffering a weakening in its culture of democratic values, which, in some places, is giving rise to violations of human rights.

Among the most recent episodes are the decision in Italy to designate those “without papers” as delinquents, closing of the borders of Great Britain, and the expulsion of Romanian gypsies in France. All this has been generated by a political speech linking immigration with delinquency.

The expulsion of the gypsies can reinforce prejudice against this ethnic group, which is already one of the most discriminated against in the European Union, as well as against immigrants. For this reason, ENAR (The European Network against Racism) has advocated for a global European strategy for the inclusion of gypsies, which would guarantee that they be protected against discrimination, that they have equal access to education, employment, housing and health services, as well as the possibility of participating in the civic and economic life of their countries.

This increase in racist violence is accompanied by a new tendency that constitutes a grave threat to democracy and human rights: political utilization of racism and its intellectual legitimization, owing above all to the influence of the racist and xenophobic platforms in the political programs of democratic parties, as well as their interest in obtaining votes, which will subsequently result in discriminatory laws.

Women in Black invite the citizenry:
· To a personal reflection on attitudes and prejudices regarding immigration, in order to be able to live amongst a human diversity.
· To reject the acceptance of racism and xenophobia as something normal.
· To reject its utilization in politics and elections.
We urge the government of Spain and public institutions:
· To adopt with urgency national legislation against racism and xenophobia, as indicated by the International Convention against the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination.
· To confront, through education, investigation and reporting, the ideas, concepts and images that incite and justify racism and xenophobia.

Traslator Trisha Novak, USA