MEDIA REACTION U. N. RACE CONFERENCE; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 002595

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, INR/R/MR,
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION U. N. RACE CONFERENCE; HARARE



1. LENGTHY EDITORIALS IN TWO GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED
NEWSPAPERS FOCUS ON THE U. N. CONFERENCE ON RACISM,
XENOPHOBIA AND INTOLERANCE TAKING PLACE IN DURBAN,
SOUTH AFRICA. EDITORIAL EXCERPTS FOLLOW:


2. UNDER HEADLINE "RESOLVE EVILS OF RACISM AT U. N.
TALKS," THE SEPTEMBER 4 EDITION OF THE DAILY "HERALD"
COMMENTS:

"THE U. N. CONFERENCE ON RACISM HAS LED. . .TO MUCH
HEAT AND SOME REGRETTABLE ACTIONS, INCLUDING
YESTERDAY'S WITHDRAWAL BY THE U. S. AND ISRAEL. THE
TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE RAISED THE GREATEST EMOTIONS ARE
THE SLAVE TRADE FROM AFRICA THAT ENDED LAST CENTURY
AND THE ACTIONS OF ISRAEL IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN
TERRITORIES. . .THERE ARE TWO ASPECTS THAT NEED TO BE
ADDRESSED. THE FIRST IS THE FORMAL APOLOGY FROM THOSE
COUNTRIES THAT PRACTICED THE TRADE. . .THE SECOND
ASPECT IS TRYING TO PUT RIGHT SOME OF THE LINGERING
EFFECTS OF THE TRADE. WHETHER THESE EFFORTS ARE
CALLED 'REPARATIONS' OR WHETHER THEY ARE CALLED 'EXTRA
DEVELOPMENT AID' IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN A REALISTIC
EFFORT TO END THE UNDERDEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA. THE
GENERAL FEELING THAT ISRAEL IS PRACTICING A FORM OF
APARTHEID IN PALESTINE HAS TO BE HONESTLY
ADDRESSED. . .ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON
RACE, RELIGION, CULTURE, NATIONALITY AND THE LIKE ARE
EVIL. ALL MUST BE CONDEMNED. . .SURELY THE MOST VITAL
PART OF THE U. N. CONFERENCE IS FACING DOWN HORRORS
THAT HAVE DONE SO MUCH HARM TO PEOPLE, BOTH TO THE
VICTIMS AND, MORALLY, TO THE VICTIMIZERS. AND SURELY
SUCCESS AT THE CONFERENCE IS TO RECOGNIZE THE EVILS OF
RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA IN ALL THEIR FORMS, AND TO
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RESOLVE THAT SUCH HORRORS AND SUCH EVILS CAN NEVER
AGAIN BE TOLERATED. . . ."


3. UNDER HEADLINE "U. S. ATTITUDE SMACKS OF DIPLOMATIC
ARROGANCE," THE SEPTEMBER 2 EDITION OF THE WEEKLY
"SUNDAY MAIL" COMMENTS:

"NOT SO LONG AGO, AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE, GENERAL
COLLIN (SIC) POWELL WAS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA,
PONTIFICATING ABOUT DEMOCRACY, TRANSPARENCY AND MANY
OTHER 'FREEDOMS.' HE WAS FETED IN SOME QUARTERS WHERE
WHAT HE SAID WAS TAKEN AS A FITTING LECTURE TO
AFRICA'S 'WAYWARD LEADERS.' WE, AMONG OTHERS,
DISMISSED HIM AS AN 'UNCLE TOM. . .' NOW HE HAS
FAILED TO SHOW UP IN DURBAN FOR THE WORLD CONFERENCE
ON RACISM, XENOPHOBIA AND INTOLERANCE. THIS WAS
CONFIRMATION THAT NEITHER POWELL NOR THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT IS FIT TO GIVE AFRICA ANY LECTURE ON
DEMOCRACY AND TOLERANCE, WHEN THEY CANNOT TOLERATE
DIVERGENT VIEWS. IN FUTURE DEALINGS WITH DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES IN GENERAL AND AFRICA IN PARTICULAR, THE
UNITED STATES AND SPECIFICALLY POWELL, WILL FACE A
SERIOUS CREDIBILITY CRISIS. IT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS
THAT THEY PREACH THINGS THAT THEY DO NOT PRACTICE
THEMSELVES. THE CREDIBILITY CRISIS WILL ALSO EXTEND
TO U. N. SECRETARY GENERAL, KOFFI ANNAN. ALREADY
DELEGATES TO THE CONFERENCE ARE QUESTIONING IF THEIR
RESOLUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY THE U. N. GIVEN
THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT PANDERS TO AMERICAN FOREIGN
POLICY AND
INTERESTS. . .THE DEMONSTRATIONS GOING ON IN DURBAN
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ARE ALSO A SHARP INDICTMENT ON THE FOREIGN POLICIES OF
THE U. S. AND ITS ALLIES. WE NOW WONDER HOW THE U. S.
PLANS TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY AND
COLONIALISM WHEN IT SENDS A JUNIOR DELEGATION THAT IS
ONLY MATCHED BY THAT OF ISRAEL. THE ISSUE OF ZIONISM
BEING EQUATED TO RACISM, WHICH HAS CAUSED SUCH A
FURORE, IS AN ISSUE THAT WILL FOR LONG CONTINUE TO BE
DEBATED AT VARIOUS FORUMS, WITH OR WITHOUT THE CONSENT
OF THE UNITED STATES. WE DO NOT SEE WHY IT SHOULD NOT
REMAIN ON THE AGENDA IN DURBAN. IT IS DEBATABLE. .
.BUT THE FACT THAT THE U. S. CAN DECREE WHAT THE WORLD
SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT DISCUSS IS REALLY THE HEIGHT OF
DIPLOMATIC ARROGANCE. . . ."
ROTH

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