VOMC welcomes US nonparticipation in Durban 2

The Voice of the Martyrs welcomes news that the United States will join Canada in not participating in the upcoming U.N. conference on racism in April.  Last week, the State Department sent two representatives to Geneva where the final document was being negotiated that is to be issued by conference participants at the end of the conference.  According to the Canwest News Service, the U.S. State Department described talks over a conference "outcome document'' as going from "bad to worse.''

"The current text of the draft outcome document is not salvageable,'' said Robert Wood, a State Department spokesman.

U.S. officials signalled that the document being prepared for signature by attending governments appears to be worse than the one that emerged in 2001.

Proposals for drafts show there are assaults on free speech under the guise of defending religions from defamation; new reparation demands for slavery; a singling out of Israel for special criticism among all other nations; and attempts to counter Western efforts to combat terrorism.

Even when UN documents are not legally binding, countries are expected to follow their guidelines if they sign them.

It is hoped that this decision will cause other Western democracies to seriously reconsider their participation in this charade of a human right conference.