RIGHTS OF DALIT PEOPLES

Early day motion 608, tabled 18 December 2001 by Jeremy Corbyn (Labour). Signed by 42 members.

That this House is deeply disappointed that the World Conference Against Racism held in Durban in August failed to address the issue of caste discrimination and related forms of discrimination based on work and descent; recognises the positive contribution to the Conference of Dalit representatives from India and of affected peoples from several other countries in providing testimonies of systematic discrimination on the basis of work and descent; expresses concern that the EU did not express clear and unified support for the paragraph on 'discrimination by work and descent' in the Draft Programme of Action, at the conference; welcomes the European Parliament's call for EU member states to 'investigate to what extent its policies contribute to the abolition of caste-discrimination and the practice of untouchability in India'; calls on the UK Government to prioritise caste discrimination in its development and human rights programmes in the relevant countries; urges the United Kingdom Government to ensure that discrimination by work and descent continues to be raised with the appropriate governments, including at the regular EU/India 'summits' and other bilateral occasions; and, looks forward to the day when caste discrimination will be eradicated once and for all.

Signatures by party: Labour 28, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 1.