Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08USUNNEWYORK962
2008-10-22 19:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
USUN New York
Cable title:  

UN TO COMMEMORATE BICENTENNIAL OF END OF SLAVE

Tags:  PREL KTIP AORC 
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VZCZCXYZ0021
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0962 2961911
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 221911Z OCT 08
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5157
UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000962 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR IO, G/TIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KTIP AORC
SUBJECT: UN TO COMMEMORATE BICENTENNIAL OF END OF SLAVE
TRADE

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000962

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR IO, G/TIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KTIP AORC
SUBJECT: UN TO COMMEMORATE BICENTENNIAL OF END OF SLAVE
TRADE


1. In plenary session on October 20, The UN General Assembly
(UNGA) received the Secretary-General's report on the
Follow-up to the Commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of
the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (A/63/213),
and passed a resolution on a Permanent Memorial to and
Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic
Slave Trade (A/63/L.5). UNGA President Miguel d'Escoto
Brockmann gave the keynote; "We must identify modern forms of
slavery and combat them and eradicate them from the planet."
Subsequent interventions focused more on inherited grievances
than on taking action against modern slavery. UNGA heard
from representatives of Guyana, Kenya, Jamaica, Cuba,
Morocco, Ghana, the United States, Russia, the Bahamas and
India.


2. Building a Memorial: D'Escoto noted that March 25 is now
the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of
Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, marking the end of
the slave trade in the British Empire in 1807. On behalf of
the Caribbean states, Guyanese CDA George Talbot reiterated
calls for construction a monument at the New York UN
Headquarters and invited Member States to contribute to the
Permanent Memorial Fund. Delegations expressed support.
Jamaica chairs the ad-hoc monument committee and thanked the
following countries for their donations and pledges: Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Denmark,
Indonesia, Haiti, Luxembourg, Mozambique, Namibia, the
Netherlands, Portugal, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Surinam, Syria, Turkey,
and the UK. The Jamaican PermRep emphasized that all
expenses are to be covered by these voluntary contributions.


3. Discussing some of the still-existing consequences of the
slave trade, d'Escoto listed "neocolonialism, systems of
discrimination, economic inequalities, and the demands of
multilateral organizations to hand over reserves and natural
resources in payment for interest on an immoral external
debt." D'Escoto calls for "material, moral and ethical
compensation." The Cuban representative called for
descendants of slaves and indigenous peoples to "receive the
reparation and the compensation they deserve, as an
outstanding measure of historical justice." No other
delegations jumped on this rhetorical bandwagon.


4. Moroccan Deputy PermRep Hamid Chabar encouraged cultural
dialogue. The U.S. Mission cited the civil war and the 13th
Amendment to end the "despicable practice" and focused
remarks on continuing these efforts by combating contemporary
slavery, i.e. trafficking in persons. Remarks are available
at the Mission's web site, www.usunnewyork.usmission.gov.


5. Co-sponsors included the United States, Jamaica and the
Bahamas. At the end of the debate, UNGA VP Siles (acting for
d'Escoto) announced additional co-sponsors, including
Belgium, Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Croatia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Greece, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Micronesia,
Monaco, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Samoa, Serbia,
Slovenia, Thailand, Macedonia, Turkey, United States, and
Uruguay. At the end of the debate, the Cape Verdean
representative insisted that all African states should be
co-sponsors. Silas affirmed that the record will reflect the
Cape Verdean remarks. The resolution passed by consensus
with no contrary opinions expressed.
Khalilzad