Thread: Swiss citizenship system 'racist'

Swiss citizenship system 'racist'
By Imogen Foulkes
BBC News, Geneva

An official report into the process of naturalisation in Switzerland says the current system is discriminatory and in many respects racist.

The report, from Switzerland's Federal Commission on Racial Discrimination, recommends far-reaching changes.

It criticises the practice of allowing members of a community to vote on an individual's citizenship application.

Muslims and people from the Balkans and Africa are the most likely to be rejected, the report points out.

Switzerland has Europe's toughest naturalisation laws. Foreigners must live for 12 years in a Swiss community before they can apply, and being born in Switzerland brings no right to citizenship.

Under the current system, foreigners apply through their local town or village.

They appear before a citizenship committee and answer questions about their desire to be Swiss. After that, they must often be approved by the entire voting community, in a secret ballot, or a show of hands. This practice, the report says, is particularly likely to be distorted by racial discrimination.

It cites the case of a disabled man originally from Kosovo. Although fulfilling all the legal criteria, his application for citizenship was rejected by his community on the grounds that his disability made him a burden on taxpayers, and that he was Muslim.

The report recommends that decisions on citizenship should be decided by an elected executive and not by the community as a whole. But such a move is likely to encounter stiff opposition.

Foreigners are a key issue in the run-up to Switzerland's general election next month.

The right-wing Swiss People's Party, currently leading in the opinion polls, claims Swiss communities have a democratic right to decide who can or cannot be Swiss.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/e ... 992670.stm

Published: 2007/09/13 15:59:59 GMT

© BBC MMVII

The EU globalists hate soveriegnty all over the world. I guess since Switzerland won't join the EU globalists they are open season for pot shots!

While I realize that in today's world of PC on Steroids their process may seem racist, but I'm sorry.....in looking around, I rather agree with how they do things.

Government rejects racism accusations

Switzerland stands by the principle of freedom of opinion but rejects any form of racism, the government has stressed.

Responding to United Nations criticism, it said that while racism was unacceptable, it was up to the courts to determine whether particular statements violated anti-racism laws.

"In a democratic society freedom of opinion must be defended, in particular in the context of political debate," the government said in a letter responding to charges laid by two UN special rapporteurs.

Last month the rapporteurs complained about the controversial "black sheep" campaign by the rightwing Swiss People's Party, which calls for foreign criminals to be expelled from the country.

The posters show three white sheep standing on a Swiss flag kicking out a black sheep with the slogan "Create Security".

Doudou Diène, the UN special rapporteur on racism, and Jorge Bustamente, the rapporteur on the rights of migrants, asked the Swiss government for an explanation.

The campaign has aroused considerable debate within Switzerland. Swiss President Micheline Calmy-Rey, a member of the centre-left Social Democrat Party, said it "stirs up hatred" and "disgusts" her.

Roman Jäggi, spokesman for the People's Party, hit back, saying the campaign was "completely fair".

"We have a big problem with violence and in particular youth violence, and foreign criminals are a big factor," he told swissinfo.

Previous concerns

Diène's complaint about the poster campaign was not the first time he had expressed concern about racism in Switzerland.

In March this year he submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council in which he accused the Swiss authorities of lacking a "coherent and resolute political strategy against racism and xenophobia".

In his 2006 report he had noted that racism, xenophobia and discrimination were "trivialised" in political debate in Switzerland and also observed strong evidence of institutional racism, including within the police.

The government rejected the conclusions of both reports, but said it would step up efforts to combat racism and discrimination.



http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/deta ... 3000&ty=st[/img]

It is really hard to take any claim of racism seriously these days.

I would also say that Switzerland has the right to control who gets into their country, and if some people think that is racist, that's just too bad.

This is how Switzerland wants to run it's country so be it. They are not in the EU and cannot be bullied by the UN into accepting millions of migrants to displace and overrun their country. They are concerned about keeping their culture and security and jobs for their citizens. I wish America was this concerned.

I LIKE THE PRACTICE OF THE COMMUNITY VOTING ON CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS. WE SHOULD DO THAT. WELL, I CAN FANTASIZE CANT I?

At least they have a say who lives in their community, and I don't believe most people would be racist, there is a difference between burden and racist. I know people think we are racist but some of my best friends have been Hispanic and Lou Dobbs is married to a Hispanic. It is more about them being here legally speaking our language and wanting to fit into our society and culture. If I wanted to live in the Hispanic culture I would move to one of those country's, but don't force it one me.



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Racism is being used as the tool to weld the wishes of the globalists together..worldwide. Switzerland citizens should frown upon these claims of racism and continue their laws of immigration.

Responding to United Nations criticism, it said that while racism was unacceptable, it was up to the courts to determine whether particular statements violated anti-racism laws.

TO HELL WITH THE UN.

These people are smart.... they do not want the world's regurgitated people... Why are others looking in the Swiss back yard for trash before they look in thier own.... by the way... I am all for what they have going on. Tell the EU to eat your dust... the EU is on a self destruct mode.