UN racisim conference lacks credibility

Washington Times:

The U.N. 2001 anti-racism conference in Durban, South Africa, provoked a walkout by the United States and Israel, with both nations saying it had been overtaken by anti-Semitism and some in Congress claiming it had cemented the world body's shame in the eyes of America.

The mandate for a Durban II conference early next year now worries organizers and diplomats at the United Nations, who fear the event will be a reprise.

Canada plans to boycott the event, and the United States and Israel have one foot out the door. Even the 27-nation European Union, which made it through the last conference, said it is worried.

"We did contemplate not participating," said a French diplomat, whose country presides over the European Union the second half of this year.

"But we will go and fight for the agenda and the resolution that will be passed," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak for attribution.

Concern stems not only from the 2001 event, which concluded days before the Sept. 11 attacks, but also because a Libyan diplomat now chairs the U.N. Human Rights Council, which will play a prominent role in the conference.

The White House said it will not participate in pre-conference planning and will leave it to the next administration to decide whether to attend.

Delegates from 20 countries will meet in Geneva later this month to establish the dates and location of the second World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

...

Prominent Jewish leaders have urged the Bush administration to withdraw funding and boycott the conference, while 27 Republican senators recently issued a letter condemning the 2001 event as "nothing more than platform for rogue nations to make anti-Semitic declarations ... under the guise of 'human rights.' Durban II promises to be just as much of a sham as the first conference."

They certainly have reason for concern. The leaders of this conference wouldn't know a human right if it slapped them in the face while they were torturing someone. Some of the primary sponsors are Islamic religious bigots who long for genocide against those who disagree with their weird religious beliefs. As hard as it may be, this conference will only further lower respect for the UN.