Racism Conference News from RHC-03 Sept 2001 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit Radio Havana Cuba - News Update - 03 September 2001 . *DURBAN: CUBA WARNS OF GLOBALIZATION OF APARTHEID; US DELEGATION WALKS OUT *ARAFAT WILLING TO MEET WITH PERES; CONFERENCE CONDEMNS ISRAELI APARTHEID *Viewpoint: GLOBALIZED SOLIDARITY CONFRONTS GLOBALIZATION OF APARTHEID . *DURBAN: CUBA WARNS OF GLOBALIZATION OF APARTHEID; US DELEGATION WALKS OUT Durban, September 3 (RHC)--Leaders from most of the African and Caribbean countries represented in the United Nations Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, have expressed their support for the sentiments of Cuban president Fidel Castro during the gathering. Juan Antonio Fernandez, who is director of Multilateral Affairs for the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commented to the press that Fidel Castro's speech on Saturday had a profound effect on many delegates who punctuated his words with constant rounds of applause. The speech began with the words: "Racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia are not naturally instinctive reactions of human beings but rather a social, cultural and political phenomenon born directly of wars, military conquests, slavery and the individual or collective exploitation of the weakest by the most powerful in the history of human societies." The president touched on the majority of the objectives of the conference agenda, from slavery compensation to the Israel/Palestine conflict, about which the Cuban leader said that past and present UN resolutions would have to be respected as well as the independence of the Palestine nation. He also offered concrete solutions for these problems -- something that observers said was unusual in international gatherings of this sort. The standing ovation at the end of his speech lasted almost a minute. Juan Antonio Fernandez said that the obstructionist actions of a group of industrialized nations, most notably the US, were the biggest obstacle to consensus in Durban. He added that by first refusing to send anyone and then sending a low-level delegation which Monday walked out of the conference in protest over discussion of Tel Aviv's treatment of Palestinians, the US was attempting to diminish the importance of the conference in the eyes of the world. "However," asked the Cuban diplomat, "if Cuba has managed to live without bowing to Washington, why can't the rest of the planet?" Fidel Castro also spoke at a special meeting in solidarity with Cuba organized by the African National Congress, which Havana supported throughout its struggle against apartheid. He said that there was no better place in the world than South Africa to be the venue for the World Conference Against Racism, because it was there that the epic battle against apartheid took place. In reference to the US effectively boycotting the conference, the Cuban leader asked what kind of morality Washington has that it would attempt to sabotage a world gathering on racism. He reminded those present of the US support of apartheid, its attempt to destroy the independence of Angola and support of South Africa's occupation of Namibia. He added that the looting of Africa by the richest nations of the world continues, and that the current situation could be likened to a globalization of apartheid. The Cuban president pledged his country's continued support for the people of South Africa and exhorted the African nation to maintain the unity of the people that destroyed apartheid. Afterwards, he briefly met with a group of Cuban medical students; some 440 medical personnel are providing health care services in South Africa. Prior to leaving the country, the Cuban president made a point of visiting his old friend former South African president Nelson Mandela, who was unable to attend the conference due to health reasons. In statements to the press Mandela said that it was a great moment to be with Fidel because, he said, what Fidel has done for us is difficult to describe in words. "During the struggle against apartheid," Mandela added, "Fidel did not hesitate in giving us help, and now that we are free, we have many Cuban medical doctors working here, helping us in rural areas, where there are practically no physicians." *ARAFAT WILLING TO MEET WITH PERES; CONFERENCE CONDEMNS ISRAELI APARTHEID Havana, September 3 (RHC)--Palestine National Authority leader Yasser Arafat said Monday that he is willing to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres but, he added, he was uncertain what the results would be. In Amman, Jordan to meet with King Abdullah, Arafat said that he did not reject any initiative coming from Europe, the United States or Russia because peace was his principal goal. The most important thing is that we meet, he added. The Israeli daily Haaretz said Monday that Peres and Arafat are likely to meet this Friday in Italy, under the unofficial auspices of the European Union. Their primary focus will be on negotiating a cease-fire. In his meeting in Jordan, the Palestinian leader insisted that the current Intifada would continue in the face of the selective assassinations of Palestinian leaders by Israeli hit squads. Arafat, who is shuttling between Arab nations in the region, visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday and received promises of material and political support. He will continue to Cairo on Tuesday to meet with President Hosni Mubarak. Meanwhile, Israeli helicopters attacked and destroyed an office of the Palestinian Intelligence and Security Service close to the West Bank city of Hebron. It was not known how many people died in the attack. And in Durban, where the low-level Israeli delegation to the World Conference Against Racism has followed the US example and walked out of the gathering, Tel Aviv has been condemned by the vast majority of nations represented as a "racist state that practices apartheid" on the people of Palestine. *Viewpoint: GLOBALIZED SOLIDARITY CONFRONTS GLOBALIZATION OF APARTHEID The fact that the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia was held in South Africa prompted many international delegates and observers to recall that not long ago, the appalling apartheid regime existed in that African territory. The Durban forum, organized by the United Nations, also served to confirm that although in today's world the South African case no longer exists as the worst and cruelest system on the planet, there are prevailing tendencies towards what Fidel Castro calls a pernicious globalization of apartheid. Now in the 21st century, the Zionist regime of Israel -- which counts on Washington's unconditional support -- has created 64 militarized areas, or Bantustans, which are home to over 1.2 million Palestinians living under conditions worse than those existing in South Africa during the worst abuses of the apartheid era. Simple and straightforward genocide is what ultra-right Israeli representatives seek against the Palestinian people, the worst being that they and their compatriots were victims of long, historic persecution, discrimination and injustice. In Durban, Cuban president Fidel Castro raised his voice to condemn racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, which constitute a social, cultural and political phenomenon which, he said, is not a natural instinct inherent in human beings. Racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia stem from wars, military conquests and individual or collective exploitation of the weak by the strong over the course of history in human society. The victims of this age-old savagery are the 4.5 billion people living in the Third World today. We live in an infinitely richer world, and at the same time the poorest world ever -- a world that sees 500 Mexicans die every year at the US border -- a number that is far higher than those who died during the 29 years of the existence of the Berlin Wall. We live in an increasingly unequal and excluding world where commercial advertising costs billions of dollars every year, while in Sub-Saharan Africa, life expectancy reaches only 30 years and the infant mortality rate has shot up to 200 for every 1000 live births. Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro, who joined in the struggle that wiped out apartheid in South Africa and guaranteed independence for Angola and freedom for Namibia, are again struggling together, this time against racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia. "It is a great moment for me," said Mandela, who was visited by the Cuban president. "What the Cuban leader did for us is not easy to describe in words. First in the struggle against apartheid, and now when we are free, we have many Cuban doctors working here, in rural areas where there are practically no doctors." Those who for years criticized Cuba's presence in Africa, while they operated as direct allies of the apartheid regime, are the same ones who tried to boycott the Durban World Conference and who encourage and practice the globalization of racism in today's world. However, they have to face and will continue to be cofronted by those who practice and encourage the globalization of solidarity. (c) 2001 Radio Habana Cuba, NY Transfer News. All rights reserved. ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytaf-09.04.01-00:31:50-14330