Durban II PrepCom - The Undeniable Agenda (II)

UN Human Rights Council, Geneva
April 23, 2008

Themes:
- Redefining antisemitism
- Defeating democratic rights, including freedom of expression
- Gearing up for another attack on "racist" Israel



Speaker: Algeria
We have noted the implementation of an anti-Semite policy directed against the Arabs in particular and extended by association to all Muslims.

Speaker: Pakistan:
The most serious form of racism, is the democratic legitimization of racism and xenophobia. The OIC [Organization of Islamic Conference] is concerned that these trends have actually led to the defamation of religions, particularly Islam. When it is expressed in the form of defamation of religion, it takes cover behind the freedom of expression and opinion. And when it is expressed in the form of profiling, it takes the cover of the war against terrorism."

Speaker: Algeria
One of the goals of the United Nations Charter is the elimination of all forms of discrimination, particularly those that are the result of policies of aggression or domination of peoples or confiscation through occupation of the right to self-determination. It is for this purpose that the international community adopted the Durban Declaration and Program of Action as a roadmap. [...] The people still continue to suffer from enormous violations resulting from colonization aggravated by racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. This is the case concerning the conflict in the Middle East and Africa and in other regions of the world which continue to suffer from the afflictions caused by foreign occupation particularly concerning settlements. Such political socio-economic and cultural and structures, which have spawned racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances must be opposed wherever or whenever they occur.

Durban II PrepCom - The Undeniable Agenda (I)

UN Human Rights Council, Geneva
April 22, 2008

Themes:
- A step backwards for human rights
- Gearing up for another assault on Israel and the United States
- Redefining antisemitism



Speaker: Algeria
Excerpt: "Antisemitism targets the Arabs who [are] also Semites and by extension the whole Muslim community ... Anti-Arabism is also anti-Semitism."

Speaker: Syrian Arab Republic
Excerpt: "Attacks were escalated against religions particularly Islam. We would like to include also the implications of colonial occupation -- and occupation that has the boldness to say this is only to defend oneself. [...] The Review Conference put a blind eye on the large scale systematic violations of human rights, here once against I would say on ... racial grounds this would mean that the Review Conference would be stripped of every substantive content. It would become only a procedural ritual. What goes on right now are crimes that are perpetrated in the name of democracy. Whoever kills those innocent people are countries that advocate democracy and this also gives her a free hand to perpetrate massacres."

Other speakers: Egypt, Sri Lanka, Doudou Diène (UN Special Rapporteur)