Compromise on Palestine, slavery reached at Durban

DURBAN, SEPT. 8. The World Conference against Racism (WCAR) adopted a declaration on Saturday recognising the injustice of slavery and colonialism and the ``plight'' of Palestinians, after nine days of contentious debate and brinkmanship that repeatedly threatened to unravel the gathering.

Compromises on both issues were reached only on Saturday morning, a day after the WCAR had been scheduled to end. Even as they accepted the compromise, Arab States registered their reservations that the conference would not directly condemn Israel for its treatment of Palestinians. After the conference declaration and programme of action were adopted, Australia and Canada said they were unhappy with final documents' language on the West Asia conflict.

Earlier in the day, the South African Foreign Minister, Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, told the conference she understood there was agreement reached on the two issues, and the Islamic States issued a statement confirming that. But several Muslim countries then objected to efforts to delete additional text that many delegates felt indirectly referred to Palestinians, including a paragraph that said, ``Foreign occupation... is among the forms and sources of racial discrimination.''

`A crime against humanity'

The WCAR acknowledged that slavery was a crime against humanity and ``always should have been so.'' It also expressed an apology in the form of acknowledgment for the wrongs of slavery and colonialism and offered a package of economic assistance to Africa. ``We are happy we found a solution,'' Mr. Hans Winkler, an Austrian delegate, said.

It remained unclear what the new language would mean for European fears of potential lawsuits seeking reparations, though several European delegates said on condition of anonymity that their fears had been addressed. ``It's certainly an issue that warrants further exploration,'' said Mr. Wade Henderson, a lawyer and executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, a U.S. organisation.

Negotiators from the European Union and African nations reached the agreement on reparations and the ``crime against humanity'' language about 4 a.m. local time, said South Africa's Minister of Public Service, Ms. Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi. They had reached an agreement on Friday to a compromise calling on those responsible for slavery to find ways to restore the dignity of victims.

A copy of the compromise text said, ``Slavery and the slave trade are a crime against humanity and always should have been so. The world conference, aware of the moral obligation on the part of all concerned States, calls on these States to take appropriate and effective measures to halt and reverse the lasting consequences of those practices.''

Reparations, which were not directly linked to the slave trade in the document, would take the form of debt relief, opening of markets and poverty-eradication efforts. ``Africa had a rendezvous with history,'' said Ms. Amina Mohamed, the Kenyan mediator in the talks. ``We have an agreement on a document that is far from satisfactory, is terribly imperfect, but that provides a basis to build on, and I think, for the first time, the dignity of the black man has been recognised.''

Arab States unhappy

The deal on West Asia was based on a South African compromise accepted on Thursday by the E.U., but initially rejected by Arab States. The proposal recognised the Holocaust and condemned anti- Semitism and Islamophobia and also expressed concern ``about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation.'' It did not specifically criticise Israel or mention Zionism.

The Arab States had called for the WCAR to condemn Israeli practices as racist. The E.U. had refused to allow it to take sides in the conflict. While the documents are not legally binding, countries promise to abide by the pledges.

Islamic States said they had accepted the compromise, but still had serious reservations with its failure to address the Palestinian issue. ``Despite the fact that the text expresses concern about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation, it failed to condemn the discriminatory policies and practices of Israel,'' said a statement by the Organisation of Islamic Conference.

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