March 2009

TransAfrica Forum is extremely disappointed by the recent decision of the Obama administration to decline participation in the April 20 – 24, 2009 Durban Review Conference, the follow-up to the 2001 World Conference on Racism.  The painful irony that the first African American president of the United States has declined to participate in an international dialogue to further the fight against racism, xenophobia, and intolerance is widely felt throughout African American and African Diaspora communities. 

“Last month Attorney General Holder called the U.S. a “nation of cowards” when it comes to discussing race.  The decision to boycott the Durban Review Conference not only underscores the difficulty that we have discussing race, but it also potentially undermines the solid progress made by groups and governments around the world that have worked hard to address racism and intolerance.  And, unfortunately, for many in the U.S. it raises questions about the racial lens through which this administration develops and implements policy,” notes Nicole Lee, Executive Director of TransAfrica Forum. 

In a series of phone conferences on Friday, February 27, with human rights, civil rights, and other constituencies, administration officials described the Durban review process as “problematic” and the draft outcome document as “severely flawed.” The administration’s specific concerns were outlined in a Department of State press statement released late on the 27th that highlighted language in sections of the conference’s draft outcome document.  The outcome document is being negotiated by member nations of the United Nations through a series of working group and preparatory meetings that began in 2006. Every member state of the United Nations is able to participate.  The language of specific concern for the administration includes the following:

1. Paragraph 53: “Acknowledges that a most disturbing phenomenon is the intellectual and ideological validation of Islamophobia…”

2. Paragraph 160: “Calls on States to develop, and where appropriate to incorporate, permissible limitations on the exercise of the right to freedom and of expression into national legislation;” [relating to the defamation of religion, which the U.S. identifies as a threat to freedom of speech and expression]

3. Paragraph 156: “Urges States that have not yet condemned, apologized and paid reparations for the grave and massive violations as well as the massive human suffering caused by slavery, the slave trade, the transatlantic slave trade, apartheid, colonialism and genocide, to do so at the earliest;

The full document, some 250 paragraphs addresses a wide variety of causes, effects, and remedies for racism, intolerance, and xenophobia.  Yet, the Obama administration has focused on a small amount of text, subordinating the concerns, historical and direct experiences, and analysis of the world’s most affected populations.  TransAfrica Forum finds the administration’s position inconsistent with President Obama’s campaign promises.

“President Barack Obama has the ability to provide unique leadership on this issue,” said Lee.  Lee further noted that “Afro-descendant organizations in Latin America consistently point to the 2001 World Conference against Racism and its outcome document, the Durban Declaration Programme of Action, as an important catalyst to increase the visibility of and support for their civil rights movements.”  In Latin America, the process has resulted in the creation of previously unavailable political space to discuss issues invisible and ignored.  The process has also allowed groups and networks to pursue their goals of equal rights and access.  Afro-descendants, particularly in Brazil and Colombia, have noted the global importance of grappling with the twenty-first century face of racism, the international affirmation of legal principles, and resulting empowerment of civil society groups and the related development global networks. 

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has encouraged all nations to “find common ground, we need to work together in good faith, with open minds and constructive thinking.” Specifically regarding the concern about text on the defamation of region she has encouraged nations to meet in a series of workshops designed to flesh out the concerns.  In a statement, Pillay commented that “While I understand the concerns behind the concept of defamation of religions, I believe that from a human rights perspective and in light of the Durban Review Conference, it should be addressed as an issue of incitement to religious hatred within the existing framework of international human rights law.”

For more than a decade TransAfrica Forum has been committed to telling America the story of slavery, as well as lobbying congressand various administrations regarding the case for Black reparations.  Many African Americans believe that remedial action by the government is required for the years of slavery, segregation, and systematic economic exploitation that continue today.  According to TransAfrica’s founder and former president, Randall Robinson, “The American government for hundred of years played a major role in deconstructing Africa and millions of its issue.  It abused them as beast of burden and released them uncompensated into a racial environment certain to hold them fast in perpetuity to the economic bottom of American society.  It is now the United States turn to atone.  To pay its debt.  To materially compensate slavery’s living victims.  And to commemorate in its public architecture those tortured souls who can no longer hear a simple apology.” (Los Angeles Times, February, 2000)

The decision is likely to encourage other countries to boycott the conference; March 6, Italy announced that it will not participate in the conference. 

Administration officials indicate that the decision should not be taken negatively, pointing out that it seeks affirmative commitments and that it will continue to support the international effort to combat racism.  And, that it will begin to send an observer to the United Nations Human Rights Council, a sharp reversal of Bush administration policy. In an effort to keep the door to negotiations open the administration will send a note taker to upcoming proceedings of the Durban Review Conference. The note taker will not sit behind the U.S. placard.  A third preparatory committee meeting is scheduled along with an intersessional open-ended intergovernmental working meeting.

The administration’s decision to re-engage the Human Rights Council is applauded; however, TransAfrica Forum urges the Obama administration to:

1. Reconsider its decision, participate in the preparatory meetings and send an official delegation.  The way to change the outcome document is not to sit on the sidelines, but rather to participate in a process of dialogue and exchange.

2. Ensure that the U.S. dues are paid in full, including financial support for the conference. The decision to decline participation should not result in defunding

Lastly, TransAfrica Forum applauds the Congressional Black Caucus for its support for the Durban Review Conference and for the decision of several of its members to engage the international community on these, “the world’s most persistent and threatening problems confronting the world.”

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