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Another anniversary of less
notoriety is being celebrated in New York City. About a decade ago,
tens of thousands from around the globe converged on Durban, South
African for the World Conference Against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. That’s a
mouthful but we were faced with a mountain of important work. We
made history at the Durban conference but the news of our work was
stopped cold.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Why? The WCAR Conference ended on September 8. The terrorist attack on the World Trade Center went down on September 11, 2001.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Many of us had arrived stateside prior to the attack, full of excitement and optimism about the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). The DDPA was a 62-page report that included a
“color: black;”>series of principles and proposals for fighting racism.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Many U.S. conference participants were stuck overseas because all flights were cancelled. Days of fear turned into weeks, then months of confusion for those in this country. The U.S. mainstream media had already ignored the international conference but after 9/11, DDPA suffocated. Momentum was lost.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>The United Nations-sponsored conference focused on the question of slavery and Palestinian liberation in the sharpest terms ever for non-governmental organizations and governments. This
“color: black;”>was due in no small part to the agitation and organizing of advocates from throughout the African Diaspora. Thousands of grassroots activ ists engaged in debates, street demonstrations and intense lobbying to pressure the official delegations.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>One of the controversial issues in the Durban program was slavery. It affirmed that “slavery and the slave trade are a crime against humanity …that the transatlantic slave trade are among the major sources and manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenopho bia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African de scent, Asians and people of Asian descent and indigenous peoples were victims of these acts and continue to be victims of their consequences.” This was powerful stuff because opponents feared this would open the floodgates for reparation demands.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>One of the most important global conferences on race in contemporary times was boycotted by the U.S. government. George H.W. Bush, then president, refused to send a delegation until he felt the wrath of the Congressional Black Caucus. However, when the language about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict didn’t suit its fancy, the delegation walked out of the proceedings. Such bad behavior on the international stage by the U.S. but certain not unexpected!
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>The United States government is continuing that bad behavior. The United Nations General Assembly is marking the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). The U.S. intends to boycott Durban III. They rightfully anticipate that just as reparations for slavery and Palestinian liberation were flashpoints a decade ago, those issues will emerge once again for international discussion.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>At a time when a black president heads the country, the discussion about race and its damaging manifestations should be flowing from all quarters. Once again, it looks like it will be left up to the justice-seeking folks to make it happen.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>For more information on the Durban + 10 Coalition meeting in New York City and Durban III, visit www.durban10coalition.com.
