Talking to bianet for the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Turkey's Human Rights Association (IHD) chair Yusuf Alataş reminded that Turkey lacks rudimentary legislation on the subject.

"To eliminate and foreclose all practices of discrimination, first you need a legislation that gives a general definition of the act of discrimination, defines the rights of those discriminated against and pointing out the sanctions to be exerced upon the perpetrators".

Nonetheless, discrimination wouldn't be eliminated totally with legislative precautions. "More important is the functioning of the society and practices related to that which needs to be changed" says Alatas as he lists the basic steps to follow:

* All discriminatory phrases and definitions in current legislation shall be removed.

* A basic education against discrimination in the society should be formulated. Most people don't know what it means and how it develops.

* Schoolbooks should be cleared from discriminatory phrases. Media should avoid generalizing such a language.

"Government must comply with international law"

One of the invisible faces of discrimination is practiced concerning the right to access social rights. For example, Roma people often face discrimination in education, in work life and access to public services.

Noting the examples of "hate speech" on the Internet towards Kurds, non-muslims or other minorities in Turkey, Alatas says a serious change in public consciousness is needed.

Recently, racist discriminatory expressions have became common on forum and newspaper sites especially following the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

In conclusion, Alatas urges the government to ratify the 12th Optional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which reinstates a bar against discrimination.

Although Turkey signed the protocol on 2001, the National Assembly is yet to ratify the text.

Furthermore, Turkey has ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination -which dates back to 1965- only in 2002.(TK/EÜ)