CANCERS OF RACISM, XENOPHOBIA PLAGUE THE GLOBE
Ashahed M.Muhammad
Final Call
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May 4 2009
GENEVA (FinalCall.com) – Ambassadors, human rights activists and
journalists from all corners of the earth traveled to the Palais des
Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva,
Switzerland April 20-24 for the Durban Review Conference. It was the
largest unified international effort to establish real policies to
end racism globally, with an opportunity to repent, atone and correct
the injustices of the past. The conference would also serve as a
comprehensive assessment to determine what progress was made following
the 2001 World Conference Against Racism held in Durban, South Africa.
In a letter written to conference participants, elder statesman
and former South African President Nelson Mandela wrote that the
2001 Durban Declaration and Programme of Action established at the
World Conference Against Racism "has been hailed as providing the
most comprehensive framework of our time to combat racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia, and all other forms of intolerance."
"The memory of slavery and the slave trade, the holocaust, apartheid
in South Africa, genocides in Kosovo and Rwanda are still fresh in
our minds and continue to remind us of the ultimate price paid due
to racial prejudice," said Oryem Henry Okello, Minister of Foreign
and International Affairs for the Republic of Uganda. "The memory
must spur us into action so that future generations will live in a
more just society," Mr. Okello added.
Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human
traits and abilities resulting in the inherent superiority, or
inferiority of a particular racial group. The global existence of
institutional racism which results in certain racial groups receiving
special privileges or in the converse being denied opportunities,
rights or benefits is also a reality.
Xenophobia is generally defined as the fear of anything considered
strange or foreign.
Discrimination involves treating or consideration of, or making a
distinction in favor of, or against, a group of people based on race,
class or creed.
It was overwhelmingly agreed that the issues identified in the 2001
Declaration and Programme of Action are still problems that are in
need of solutions, and the Durban Review Conference was the forum to
review progress and assess levels of implementation.
"The elimination of racism is a gradual process," said Bernard
K. Membe, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the United Republic of
Tanzania. "Eight years since the adoption of the DDPA, and many
years after the coming into force of the International Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination, the world is still
facing diverse forms of discrimination and related intolerance,"
Mr. Membe said.
The multi-level building which officially became the European
headquarters of the United Nations in 1966 hosted discussions–in
many different languages–throughout the entire week. Large visual
displays filled the corridors and hallways, with pictures and
sculptures along the walls. Interesting side programs, and unique
documentary viewings provided ample opportunities for ethnic, cultural
and ideological interaction by those aware of the global nature of
racism, discrimination and its effects.
Many heartfelt stories were shared and ideas were put forth by
grassroots activists, and victims of racism and xenophobia.
During one such panel discussion titled "United Against Racism"
Berthe Kayitesi described how at the age of 15, her father was
killed with machetes. In addition, she described the loss of her
older siblings, many cousins and friends during the during the 1994
Rwandan Genocide. Now 15 years later, she is raising her voice against
ethnic conflict.
"We don’t choose where we are born," said Ms. Kayitesi. "What happened
to me could happen to you and someone else," she added.
Others spoke of the plight of migrant workers who are often exploited
by unscrupulous businessmen and individuals involved in illegal
activity. It is estimated that over 200 million people live in
locations other than their country of birth. Some spoke of poverty
and health challenges presented by various forms of racism while
others raised the issue of human trafficking of women and girls.
Many Non-Governmental Organizations, or advocacy groups, involved in
the 2001 Durban World Conference Against Racism felt their voices and
desires were ignored in Geneva an effort to appease critics–namely the
United States and Israel–in an attempt to coax them into participating
in the conference in Geneva.
After September 11, 2001 and the Bush administration’s legacy of
Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib, Islamophobia has crept into the lexicon
of human rights advocates. Ironically, Durban 2001 wrapped up just
4 days prior, and following the World Trade Center attacks, global
Xenophobia, led by the Bush administration reached levels of extremism.
The Durban Review Conference found a unanimous position from all of
the Arab nations and many African nations warning of the dangers of
Islamophobia, while at the same time, expressing deep concern for
the plight of the Palestinian people.
"The Durban outcome document (of 2001) highlighted the plight of
the Palestinian people under foreign occupation and called for the
realization of its inalienable right to self-determination," said
Fayza Aboulnaga, minister of International Cooperation of the Arab
Republic of Egypt. "Regretfully, we are no closer today to putting
an end to their suffering, or to the realization of this right than
the day the DDPA was endorsed," he added.
Gen. Prof. John Ukec Lueth Ukec, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Sudan to the Swiss Confederation and Permanent
Representative to the UN in Geneva, told The Final Call the Israelis
can’t continue to rule by force, because the international opinion
of the world favors a just solution.
"The Palestinians have been squeezed so much. All of the things
we are doing here at the conference become evident in Palestine,"
said Mr. Ukec. "Force is a limited thing. Human will is the most
powerful thing."
The Denmark-based International Dalit Solidarity Network works on
behalf of the Untouchables of India and across the globe. According
to IDSN, 260 million people in Asia and Africa suffer discrimination.
Armenia, a nation actively involved in the review process from the
beginning, has experienced with genocide and xenophobia. Though not
as well known as perhaps what happened to European Jews in WWII,
it is still etched in the collective memories of the Armenian people.
"Genocide is the extreme manifestation of racial discrimination,"
said Arman Kirakossian, deputy minister of Foreign Affairs for the
Republic of Armenia. "We highlight this issue as a nation which
suffered the first genocide of the 20th Century, with about 1.5
million lives lost and still evident consequences."
Despite attempts to place ethnic discrimination and racial
confrontation in the past, racial tension remains a serious global
issue.
Recent riots in France and the growing influence of European
nationalists are bringing tension boiling just below the surface to
the forefront. The recent election of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu along with his right-wing militant ultranationalist foreign
minister Avigdor Lieberman point to the possible escalation of conflict
in an area that has been gripped by tension for over 60 years.
In the U.S., following the election of Barack Obama to the presidency
of the United States, hate group researchers have shown an increase
in interest and membership of White supremacist organizations and
anti-immigrant violence has increased sharply.
The United Nations has always been involved, with varying levels
of success, in the fight to eliminate discrimination. Going back to
1965, the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination (ICERD) was adopted and then implemented four years
later. The establishment of the Committee on the Elimination of All
Forms Discrimination CERD followed to monitor its success, or failure.
The World Conference Against Racism was first proposed in 1997, and in
the same year, the UN General Assembly decided in resolution 52/111
to conduct the conference in 2001. The UN Commission on Human Rights
(UNCHR) acts as the preparatory committee. The chairperson of the
Durban Review Conference Preparatory Committee, Ms. Najat Al-Hajjaji
of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya was thanked by many UN representatives
for her efforts to bring the conference together.
Preparation includes intergovernmental meetings, regional planning
meetings, the establishment of a provisional agenda as well as
agreement on rules of procedure. The creation of draft declarations
and a program of action are part of the process. NGOs who desire
to participate in many parts of the globe have adopted the same
procedures.
The WCAR held in Durban, South Africa, in commemoration of the
dismantling of the most well-known apartheid state in history,
attracted 18,000 people, in total, including 4,000 NGO members
representing 170 different countries.
The U.S. and Israel both walked out of the 2001 conference after NGOs
challenged Israel on its treatment of the Palestinian people and
would not waver on the issue of declaring the trans-Atlantic slave
trade a crime against humanity.
Despite the U.S. and Israeli led boycott in 2009, a vast majority of
the UN member nations ratified the final 2009 Durban Review Conference
document.
Deputy Ambassador for Palestine to the United Nations Imad M. Zuhairi
said the fact that the conference ended with the nearly unanimous
adoption of a final outcome document that reaffirms the principles of
the 2001 DDPA "is a good thing." He said they were aware of the fact
that certain groups used the Palestinian question as a distraction
from the real issues at hand.
"We were aware of that since the first beginning that some were
using the issue of Palestine to sway the ongoing negotiations. We
showed Palestine as a part of the solution and not the problem,"
said Mr. Zuhairi.
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