Photo by Roberto Milan

CAPE TOWN – Along with other student, special interest, and human rights organisations, RainbowUCT is leading the formation of a new coalition against hate crimes of all kinds, and recently protested a recent Swiss legislation that discriminates against Swiss Muslims.

The protest was held on 10 December 2009 at the Consulate General of Switzerland on Long Street, and coincided with the observation of International Human Rights Day.

As part of the protest, we hand delivered a letter to the Office of the Ambassador which strongly condemned a recent Swiss legislation that prohibits any new construction of minarets atop Islamic mosques in Switzerland.

On 29 November 2009, the citizens of Switzerland voted into law through a referendum on the federal level, among other issues, a ban on the construction of new minarets on Islamic mosques. The referendum took place after a controversial and malicious campaign to ban the construction of minarets in the country, backed by conservative Christian groups and by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP), which said that allowing minarets would lead to the “Islamisation” of the country. During the campaign, posters appeared in many Swiss cities which created menacing depictions of the identity and culture of Muslims, who comprise a significant portion of the Swiss population, and many of whom are full-fledged Swiss citizens.

As members within a coalition of human rights activists, we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the introduction and adoption of this measure. It attacks Switzerland’s own constitution and the human rights guarantees and protections against discrimination contained within, and constitutes a direct violation of international treaties and initiatives, including the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It unequivocally violates every aspect of human dignity.

Signatories of the letter include the following organisations:  the Social Justice Coalition, the Centre for Law and Social Justice, the Triangle Project, the Treatment Action Campaign, the Aids Law Project, Gender Dynamix, Lesbigay (Stellenbosch University's LGBTI organisation), Durban Lesbian and Gay Community and Health Centre, the Forum for the Empowerment of Women, Cape Town Lesbians, Kaleidoscope, Gay and Lesbian Archives, Glorious Light Metropolitan Community Church, and the South African Youth Liberating Organisation.

Present at the protest were members of RainbowUCT and representatives from the Social Justice Coalition, LesbiGay, the Treatment Action Campaign and Foodbank SA.

To find out more about the Swiss referendum, click here.

Read the full letter below:

10 December 2009

Ambassador
Switzerland

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS DAY PROTEST AGAINST STATE-SANCTIONED HATE-CRIMES: BANNING MINARETS

1. In our drive to address and eradicate all forms of hate crime and discrimination, we, the undersigned individuals and organisations wish to formally protest recently introduced legislation in Switzerland.
2. The individuals and organisations signed on to this letter are actively involved in struggles against hate crimes against all people including lesbians, black people, people living with HIV, asylum-seekers, refugees, immigrants,Jewish and Muslim people. We also struggle against gender-based violence in our country.
3. On 29 November 2009, the citizens of Switzerland voted into law through a referendum on the federal level, among other issues, a ban on the construction of new minarets on Islamic mosques. The referendum took place after a controversial and malicious campaign to ban the construction of minarets in the country, backed by conservative Christian groups and by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which said that allowing minarets would lead to the “Islamisation” of the country. During the campaign, posters appeared in many Swiss cities which created menacing depictions of the identity and culture of Muslims, who comprise a significant portion of the Swiss population, and many of whom are full-fledged Swiss citizens.
4. A few days after the referendum one of your members of parliament called for the outlawing of Jewish and Muslim cemeteries. His apology does not erase the anti-semitism and Islamophobia and it opens the doors to violence against immigrant communities.
5. We condemn the Swiss government’s acceptance of such a referendum, which contradicts the government’s previous claim to reject such a measure. It is our belief that the Swiss government should ensure that the rights outlined in its constitution, including the freedom of religion, are enforced and applied to every Swiss citizen, and should not allow such fundamental rights to be the subject of popular votes. We echo the concerns of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights, Navi Pillay, in declaring that the measure is clearly discriminatory and places Switzerland in direct opposition to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its protocols, which its government has ratified.
6. We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the introduction and adoption of this measure. It attacks Switzerland’s own constitution and the human rights guarantees and protections against discrimination contained within, and constitutes a direct violation of international treaties and initiatives, including the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It unequivocally violates every aspect of human dignity.
7. State-sanctioned hate-crimes in Europe led to the Nazi Holocaust against Jewish people and the attempt to exterminate lesbians, gay men, transgendered and the Roma people. In our country state-sanctioned hate crimes led to apartheid which the UN declared a crime against humanity.
8. We send this message on International Human Rights Day to remind the Swiss government and the people of Switzerland that equality is indivisible, and that basic human rights, as outlined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are applicable to all of Switzerland’s citizens and residents, regardless or race, colour, gender, class, language, religion, sexual orientation or identity, political affiliation, national or social origin, property, birth, or other criteria.

We urge the Swiss government to prohibit any legislation which so blatantly contradicts its commitment to supporting human rights.

We call on all UN agencies and other international bodies with their headquarters in Geneva to re-arrange all scheduled meetings in countries that do not promote state-sanctioned hate crimes.

We call on the South African government to raise our demands in the UN Human Rights Council and with your Ambassador.

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