S. Africa for debate on Zionism at racism meet

DURBAN, AUG. 12. In the run-up to the international conference on racism later this month in Durban, the South African Education Minister, Mr. Kader Asmal, has argued for the inclusion of `Zionism' in its agenda on which the U.S. has threatened to boycott the meet.

``It is possible to state our concerns about events in the middle-east - concerns about expansionist violence, collective punishment of the innocent, illegal settlement policies, the destruction of property and the awfulness of terrorism, whatever its source,'' Mr. Asmal, who is of Indian origin, said while addressing a human rights conference in Cape Town.

The issue of `Zionism' has thrown a cloud over the racism conference with the U.S. threatening to boycott if the issue is included in the agenda for discussion at the conference. The Arab nations are equating Zionism with racism and want it to be discussed.

Addressing the South Africans, Mr. Asmal said, ``those who think that Zionism is inherently racist must reckon with the fact that some of the most courageous anti-apartheid whites in South Africa happen to have been Zionists as well''.

``On the other hand, none of these courageous anti- apartheid Zionists could condone the violence that is systematically carried out in the name of Zionism in parts of the world today,'' Mr. Asmal said

``We need to debate these matters rather than to arrest debate in favour of simplistic dogmas and slogans. That is the purpose that this upcoming conference should serve,'' he argued. On the African group's call for reparations for slavery, which is also causing controversy, Mr. Asmal said this ``cannot be brushed under the carpet''. ``It cannot be deemed inconvenient or merely impolitic and therefore forbidden in discussion.''

According to the South African Government, some agreement has been reached to tone down the African group's demands in order to appease the American Government.

``Nobody should be able to badger us into silence through threats of boycott and related silliness. At the same time, we need to proceed in the true deliberative fashion that marks the spirit of the United Nations at its best and our recognition of reality in 1994,'' he said.

The South African Government is making efforts to ensure that most issues are discussed without affecting the success of the conference. He said there could be little disagreement to support the call that slavery was a crime against humanity.

An acknowledgement of this would asset and give recognition to the descendants of more than 13 million slaves sundered from their homelands in Africa, Mr. Asmal said

``An acknowledgement of wrongs committed can help in the process of healing,'' he said. More than 12 000 delegates are expected to descend on Durban for the conference from the last week of August to September 7.

- PTI

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