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COLIN POWELL SHOULD LEAD GOVERNMENT DELEGATION
(PEOPLE'S ORANIZATION FOR PROGRESS OPPOSES BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S BOYCOTT OF THE CONFERENCE.)
(Statement by Lawrence Hamm, chairman, People's Organization for Progress,at a press conference held in Trenton, New Jersey August 23, 2001.
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The United Nations World Conference on Racism is scheduled to begin in Durban, South Africa. the Bush administration has threatened to boycott the conference if reparations for slavery are place on the aganeda. The People's Organization for Progress (POP) demands that the Bush administration call off its planned boycott of the United nations World Conference on Racism( WCAR), and immediately cease all efforts to prevent reparations from being placed on the aganda and officially discussed.
Today,which marks the anniversary of the arrival of the first Aficans to Jamestown,Virginia in 1619 and the beginning of the slave trade in this country, the People's Organization for Progress reiterates its support for reparations and demands compensation for the decendants of Africans who were forced to work for nothing, robbed of the fruits of their labor, tortured, and murdered during the centuries that slavery existed in the United States.
Our government has supported and provided reparations to others peoples withen and outside of our borders. Now it is time to do justice for the decendants of those who were enslaved in America.
The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and slavery were crime against humanity. Slavery and reparations are germane to a discussion on racism because modern racism as we know it in this country arose and throve during slavery.Reparations for slavery is a valid issue that has significant and growing support. It is clearly pertinent to the discussuion on racism which will take place at the conference.
A full discussion of reparations including the payment of compensation and a formal apology for slavery should be on the conference agenda. This will make the discussion on racism much more meaningful. We are highly offended that the Bush administration would consider not attending.
More than 200 non-governmental delegates will be attending the conference. Among them will be a number of people from New Jersey including Nancy Shakir who is a memeber of the People's Organization for Progress, and Darlene McKnight who lives in this area. However, the United States should send an official government delegation led by Secretary of State Colin Powell to fully participate in all aspects of the conference.
This conference is a very important gathering on the issues of racism,discrimination,xenophobia,and intolerance.Racism is one of the most serious problems facing America today. The United States should not let the discussion of controversial issues,such as reparations,stand in the way of its participation in this conference. Our country should give its full support to this conference.
In this particular case, common sense dictates that it would be better to be present and influence the course of deliberations at the conference rather than be absent and have no impact whatsoever on the final outcome. our organization urges people to call the White House and urges President Bush not to boycott the conference.
In addition to attending the WCAR,at the federal level POP calls for the passage of the reparations bill sponsored by Congressman John Conyers which would establish a national commision on reparations,the establishment of a national monument and museum for the ancestors of African-Americans who suffered and died during slavery, and an official apology from the United States government for slavery.
Slavary and reparations are issues very relevant to New Jersey because slavery existed here. At the states level, minimally we call for support for Assemblyman Craig Stanley's reparations bill, a state monument for those who were enslaved in New Jersey, and an official government apology for slavery in this state.
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"If there is No Struggle, There is No Progress," Frederick Douglass