Durban Review Summary: July 31, 2008
Provisional Agenda of the African Regional Preparatory Meeting Released
July 15, 2008, United Nations Secretary-General
According to this document, the African Regional Preparatory Meeting for the Durban Review Conference, to be held in Abuja, Nigeria on August 24-26, 2008, will address the “implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action by all stakeholders at the national, regional and international levels, including assessing contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, through an inclusive, transparent and collaborative process and identify concrete measures and initiatives for combating and eliminating all manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in order to foster the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.” It remains to be seen whether the Meeting will achieve these laudable goals and prevent the manipulation of its agenda by certain African governments.
“DURBAN’S DESCENDANTS (Part I): Ford Foundation still funding anti-Israel groups”
July 23, 2008, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Michael J. Jordan
Despite the Ford Foundation’s commitment to curtailing its funding to NGOs that promoted the demonization of Israel at the World Conference against Racism, issuing a set of guidelines that grant recipients are expected to sign, the Ford Foundation continues to fund such groups. “Ford today is funding several organizations that engage in the ‘Durban strategy’ — a two-pronged tactic launched at the ‘01 conference to paint Israel as a ‘racist, apartheid’ state and isolate the Jewish nation through boycotts, divestment and sanctions.” The suspicion remains that the Ford Foundation may provide funds to extremist, politicized NGOs for participation in the Durban Review Conference.
“Appeal ‘Boycott Durban 2!’ Against the Durban Review Conference of the United Nations!”
July 29, 2008, Europe News
In response to French philosopher, Pascal Bruckner’s, call on European governments to boycott the Durban Review Conference, a petition has been launched and is now seeking signatories. “We, the undersigned - journalists, writers, scientists and artists - join Bruckner’s appeal. We call the states of the European Union, and especially Germany, to boycott the “Durban 2″ conference and to push forward a comprehensive reform of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council. Everyone who also wants to sign the following petition is sincerely invited. Please send an e-mail with your full name, your profession and your town to boycottdurban2@yahoo.de. Afterwards your signature will be published on this website.” By signing this petition, already supported by 214 individuals, the citizens of Europe may influence their governments to take a responsible stance with regard to the Durban Review Conference.
”Morally bankrupt multilateralism”
July 30, 2008, The Australian, Janet Albrechtsen
In this article, Albrechtsen demonstrates through the example of Durban I that multilateralism, though it appears valuable, may not always produce positive results. She warns that the Durban Review Conference “looks set to become a multilateral platform aimed at suppressing free speech in the name of preventing Islamaphobia.” She calls on world leaders to reconsider their participation in the conference. “The US will have a new president in the lead-up to Durban II. If it is Barack Obama, he faces the same dilemma that confronts our Prime Minister. Both pitch themselves as a new generation of modern social democrats committed to multilateralism. If they are realists, they will reject Durban II as oppressive multilateralism. Being part of Durban II will give legitimacy to an agenda that looks destined to attack basic democratic freedoms.”
