Githu Muigai has replaced Doudou Dienne as the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. Muigai addressed the Human Rights Council in Geneva today and was particularly alarmed by the mainstreaming of racism and xenophobia by their adoption of political parties in democratic countries. Muigai did not specify.
Many EU countries, if not all, fall into this category. Tougher immigration and deportation policies are popular campaign tools in the resurgence of nationalism in Europe throughout the past several years. Right wing political parties in France, UK, Italy, Denmark and many others have employed techniques generating a fear of the “other.” Racism and xenophobia goes beyond immigrations issues.
Muigai also examined religious discrimination and called for a universal approach in addressing these problems. Muigai wants member states to promote a dialogue between cultures, civilizations and religions in the hopes of recognizing and deconstructing established patterns of discrimination.
