United $tates, Israel withdraw from U.N. World Conference Against Racism Conflicts between oppressor and oppressed nations dominate meetings in Durban, South Africa Delegations from the united $tates and Israel walked out of the United Nations' World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) in early September over issues MIM considers "no-brainers": The Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and reparations for slavery and colonial exploitation. The walkouts sparked widespread indignation at Amerika's arrogant and hypocritical attempt to avoid criticism for its own crimes and those of its allies. "How could [the united $tates] come here when the First Nation people of the U.S. continue to suffer oppression?" asked Gayle Zapeda, a representative of a First Nations NGO. "The U.S. is not here because it is afraid it must acknowledge its criminal actions, the genocide of my people." Regarding Israel, the united $tates and Israel tried to focus debate on proposed language to the effect that Zionism is racism, in order to cover up the objective facts of Israel's treatment of Palestinians -- such as its policy of selective assassination, bulldozing of Palestinian homes and police stations, etc. Many of the WCAR delegates were in fact more interested in resolutions against these specific policies than any "Zionism is racism" statement. The subjective motivations of the oppressor are of secondary importance. For example, MIM has no evidence that Colin Powell is a racist, in the sense that he believes this or that so-called race to be inherently superior to others. That did not stop him from becoming Amerika's number one war pig. Analogously, whether "Zionism is racism" or not, Israeli oppression of Palestinians is a fact, and must be stopped. Regarding reparations, they should be paid. Amerika and the European capitalist powers owe their wealth and high level of development to slavery and colonization. As Marx said, capitalism springs into being covered in filth and blood. Parts of Africa and Asia have yet to recover from the staggering blows of slavery and conquest -- to say nothing of contemporary neo-colonialism. The system of imperialism, condemns so many to an early death -- one in four children die before their fifth birthday in Afghanistan, 5,000 infants die every month in Iraq -- while a handful in the rich nations controls most of the world's resources. It is this system which poisons the relations between peoples. Reparations are a necessarily part of dismantling imperialism and building world peace. What form reparations should take is an important discussion -- does Colin Powell cutting a check to some puppet thug count, or should the people of the oppressed nations themselves control them collectively -- but the Amerikan and European delegates to WCAR couldn't even admit in principle that reparations are due.(1) Buildup to Durban The united $tates had threatened to boycott the conference for months. This is not surprising, considering the united $tates boycotted the first two U.N. conferences on racism, in 1978 and 1983. In both cases the united $tates objected to "singling out" Israel and South Africa for condemnation. This time the united $tates complained of language referring to Israel as an "apartheid" and "fascist" state. A Youth Summit and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Forum met before the official conference. The two events drew 7,000 delegates from over 166 NGOs. Both supported declarations calling for called for an end to "ongoing Israeli perpetration of racist crimes, including war crimes, acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing.". Both demanded reparations for trans-Atlantic slavery and colonialism, which they labeled crimes against humynity. The NGO declaration was refused by UN Human Rights Commissioner, Mary Robinson. Israel's oppression of the Palestinians was clearly the most contentious issue at the pre-conference events. Day after day, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli supporters clashed, often having to be separated by police. On one occasion young pro-Palestinian supporters stood chanting "Free Palestine, Free Palestine!" while Israeli youth sang "Give Peace a Chance" and attempted to hand out flowers. Palestinian supporter, Hafez Abo Seada el Sayed responded, "They want to give us flowers here when they are sending guided missiles to Palestine."(2) It is a sad fact that some participants in the NGO Forum circulated anti-Semitic cartoons and Holocaust denial books. The inability or unwillingness to distinguish between the state of Israel and Jewish people illustrates the danger of reactionary nationalist influence in the anti- imperialist movement, and the need for truly revolutionary, internationalist leadership. On the other hand, anti-Zionist group, Neturei Karta (NK), marched with signs like "Authentic Rabbis Have Always Opposed Zionism and the State of Israel". And when Rabbi Yisreol Dovid Weiss, from NK, met with Jamal al-Durra, whose 12 year old son was shot dead by Israeli security forces and told him "We apologize for the murder of your son by the Zionist state of Israel".(3) Uri Davis, another anti-Zionist Jew also attended the conference and spoke out against the crimes of Israel. Reparations and Africa African rulers agreed that slavery and colonialism be categorized as crimes against humanity, but were split on the issue of reparations. Some of them, like Angola and Namibia, wanted direct financial compensation. Senator Francis Garlawolu of Liberia added, "I believe that reparations should also cover the depletion of our natural resources by imperialists. They must pay sufficient damages... for natural resources unjustly exploited and depleted."(3) Senator Garlawolu also claimed the united $tates is scaring investors away from Liberia because Liberia refused to take orders from Washington. "This has seriously undermined our young democracy. How can people say that America supports democracy-maybe democracy in that context means submission to the will of America or mortgaging the sovereignty of one's country to them."(3) Other African states, like South Africa and Nigeria, wanted debt cancellation, increased investment and access to Western markets. The emphasis on foreign investment and access to Western markets shows South Africa's commitment to neoliberal "reform" and IMF restructuring. This amounts to a sellout of the Freedom Charter, which explicitly called for the nationalization of the economy. While the united $ates used reparations as another excuse to walk away from the conference, the European Union said it would like to provide "development aid" instead of reparations. This amounts to loans and grants controlled by European imperialists, given to puppets for the continued exploitation of the continent. The European nations also resisted apologizing for slavery and colonialism or calling them crimes against humanity, claiming these could both have legal implications. One European diplomat stated, "We cannot apologize as this has judicial implications... We do accept that the colonial period led to a lot of suffering and we regret that. But that was another time in history." Instead of apology, they offered "profound regret" at these "appalling tragedies in the history of humanity" as if they were natural disasters buried in the past, beyond their control. Another legalistic argument made by the imperialists was that the concept of crimes against humanity "was a post World War II concept that could not be applied retroactively."(4) Being the paragons of virtue that they are, however, the imperialists did agree they had a "moral obligation" to take "appropriate measures" (which they will no doubt decide and then impose) to reverse the consequences of colonialism and slavery.(4) Notice that nothing is said about neo- colonialism and imperialism. The fact that the imperialists are willing to take moral responsibility but not legal responsibility should tell anyone with a pulse how much that obligation is worth: Shit. The shamelessness of the parasitic nations was there for all to see in Durban. A conference on racism in the heart of neocolonial Africa Holding WCAR in South Africa was meant to acknowledge the length that nation had come in dealing with its legacy of apartheid. Imperialists love the myth that "South Africans" achieved "racial reconciliation" without violence. That myth is wrong on both counts. The struggle against apartheid was not entirely non-violent, nor has "racial reconciliation" been achieved. Whites still control the country's wealth. The South African constitution firmly protects the rights of private property and the government is doing much more to protect that right than the other rights "guaranteed" by the constitution, including decent housing, employment, a life of dignity for the masses. While the defeat of apartheid is a great achievement that the Azanian masses sacrificed heavily to achieve, many leaders of that movement have sold those masses out, with tragic consequences. While their leaders and a small Black middle class prosper, the masses continue to face widespread poverty and discrimination. Blacks make up over 75% of the population, whites 14%, "coloreds" 9% and Asians 2%. As of 2000, whites own over 90% of the nation's capital and Black controlled companies account for only 1.7% of companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. 43% of Blacks are functionally illiterate. By 2010 almost 25% of the population will be HIV infected.(5) Unemployment for Blacks is over 35% and 0ver 60% of Black families live in poverty. The poverty rate for white families is 2.7%.(6) The ruling African National Congress (ANC) is attempting to deal with all of this by cozying up to the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and U.$. and British foreign investment. The deadly record of this path is too well known for the ANC leadership to claim ignorance. As in other places, the resulting economic restructuring is diverting scarce resources away from basic necessities, land, health and educational reform. According to Andile Mngxitana, from the National Land Committee, "Seven years after the dawn of democracy, little has changed. The legacy of colonialism is still with us... The wealth of white people in this country was accumulated on the backs of Black people. It is in fact an unjust loot and the government needs to intervene to reverse this legacy. In this context, the NLC believes that WCAR will be just a talk shop if the issues of economic imbalances are not addressed."(7) The ANC leadership's attempt to align itself with the imperialist nations has made it unable to address the problems of the masses. It is also alienating South Africa from former allies. Many people in the Arab world are understandably upset with South Africa's lukewarm support for the Palestinian uprising. Many Arab nations and organizations gave unqualified support to the ANC during the anti-apartheid struggle, providing arms, training and political support while the united $tates was busy trying to brand the ANC terrorists. And now the ANC is allying with the united $tates and even selling arms to Israel.(8) While the UN is busy pointing to South Africa as a model of peaceful racial reconciliation, Blacks, "coloreds" (mixed Black and white) and Asians (primarily Indians) continue to face racial discrimination and violence. Violence by white settlers is especially a problem in the northern part of the country, an Afrikaner (Dutch descendants) stronghold and site of white paramilitary activity. Just last month a Black farmworker was shot and killed by a group of white men. At a fair in Pretoria, a white settler called over 18 small Black schoolchildren and poured a corrosive on their hands, causing skin burns, while cursing at them.(8) In a clear sign of how "criminal justice" is developing here, last year Lorraine Nesane, a 15 year old Black girl, was accused of shoplifting, stripped and painted white from head to toe. Nesane filed a complaint with the police. The white shop manager who ordered her stripped and painted went free while the Black employee told to carry out the orders was charged and found guilty.(12). More generally, the government has recently declared squatting illegal, as homeless and landless South Africans have begun to copy the widespread land invasions in neighboring Zimbabwe.(10) But there is widespread recognition in South Africa that the plans of the ANC leadership and their Western patrons will not deliver the goods to the people. Dissatisfaction with the ANC is growing. "Leftist parties such as the Azanian People's Organization (Azapo) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) have always maintained that the destruction of apartheid was just the first step towards total economic and political emancipation."(7) While the UN holds conferences, MIM encourages the South African masses and their organizations to take up Maoism, take over the state, smash the influence of neo-colonialism, and build self-reliant socialism. ITAL This article was edited for space. The complete article will be available online at MIM's website. END Notes: 1. For a comparison of a neo-colonial and revolutionary approach to reparations, see MIM's review of the African People's Socialist Party in MIM Theory 8. 2. The Star (South Africa), 30 Aug 2001. 3. The Star (South Africa), 2 Sep 2001 4. Ranjeni Munusamy and Mondli Makhanya, "A Tale of Smoke & Mirrors from Durban," Sunday Times, 9 Sep 2001. 5. The Star (South Africa), 27 Aug 2001 6. Christian Science Monitor http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2001/07/12/p1s4.h tm. 7. Missing, sorry. 8. The Star (South Africa), 7 Sep 2001. 9. The Star (South Africa), 10 Sep 2001. 10. MIM Notes 215, 15 August 2000.