UN Conference on Racism reaches consensus on report.

Sunday September 9, 3:13 AM

Details of final racism declaration

DURBAN, South Africa, Sept 8 (AFP) -

The final declaration of the UN World Conference Against Racism, adopted Saturday in
Durban, South Africa, which is accompanied by a programme of action, includes the
following points:

- The continued and violent occurrence of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and
related intolerance and ... theories of superiority of certain races and cultures over others,
promoted and practised during the colonial era, continue to be propounded in one form or
another even today;

- We express our concern that, beyond the fact that racism is gaining ground,
contemporary forms and manifestations of racism and xenophobia are striving to regain
political, moral and even legal recognition in many ways, including through the platforms of
some political parties and organisations and the dissemination through modern
communication technologies of ideas based on the notion of racial superiority;

- (Combating xenophobia) requires urgent attention and prompt action by states;

- We ... express our determination to prevent and mitigate the negative effects of
globalisation;

- fully recognise the rights of indigenous peoples consistent with the principles of
sovereignty and territorial integrity of states ... ;

- We strongly condemn the fact that slavery and slavery-like practices still exist ... ;

- We note with concern and strongly condemn the manifestations and acts of racism, racial
discrimlination, xenophobia and related intolerance against migrants ... ;

- We recognise with deep concern the ongoing manifestations of racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including violence, against
Roma/Gypsies/Sinto/Travellers and recognise the need to develop effective policies and
implementation mechanisms for their full achievement of equality;

- We are convinced that racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance
reveal themselves in a differentiated manner for women and girls ... ;

- States have the duty to protect and promote the human rights and fundamental freedoms
of all victims, and ... they should apply a gender perspective, recognising the multiple forms
of discrimination which women can face ... ;

- We ... recognise with deep concern the existence in various parts of the world of religious
intolerance ... ;

- We condemn the persistence and resurgence of neo-nazism, neo-fascism and violent
nationalist ideologies based on racial or national prejudice, and state that these phenomena
can never be justified in any instance or in any circumstances;

- We acknowledge that slavery and the slave trade, including the transatlantic slave trade,
were appalling tragedies in the history of humanity ... and further acknowledge that slavery
and the slave trade are a crime against humanity and should always have been so ...

- The world conference recognises that colonialism has led to racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and related intolerance, and that Africans and people of African descent and
indigenous peoples were victims of colonialism and continue to be victims of its
consequences ... (the conference) recognises that apartheid and genocide in terms of
international law constitute crimes against humanity ...

- we are concerned about the plight of the Palestinian people under foreign occupation. We
recognise the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to the
establishment of an independent state and we recognise the right to security for all states in
the region, including Israel, and call upon all states to support the peace process and bring
it to an early conclusion;

- we recognise the right of refugees to return voluntarily to their homes and properties in
dignity and safety, and urge all states to facilitate such return.