FW: Please Sign Open Letter to Obama on the Durban Review Conference by March 27th at 4pm EST
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.29/2024 - Release Date: 3/26/2009 7:12 AM
Dear NNIRR members, partners & allies,
We look forward to talking to you all on our monthly conference call later today. In the meantime, we urge you to consider signing onto this open letter that is being circulated to pressure the Obama administration to participate in the Durban Review Conference, which is a followup to the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) that many of you participated in in
To add your personal or organizational sign-on to the letter, send an email to Ejim Dike (edike@urbanjustice.org) at the Urban Justice Institute, who drafted the letter and is coordinating its release etc. (see below.) Thank you.
International Migrant Rights & Global Justice Program Director
National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (NNIRR)
fax: +01-510-465-1885
From: Ejim Dike
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 8:08 AM
Subject: Please Sign Open Letter to Obama on the
Dear All,
I hope that you and/or your organization will sign onto the attached Open Letter to President Obama urging him to participate in the Durban Review Conference and its remaining preparatory meetings. Thank you if you have already indicated that you will be signing the letter.
Many of you signed onto a letter to Secretary Clinton in February urging the
The Obama Administration’s reasons for deciding to not to engage were that it had “strong reservations about the current outcome document, as it singles out Israel for criticism, calls for unacceptable restrictions on freedom of expression in the guise of preventing “defamation of religion” and calls for payment of reparations for slavery.” (The outcome document is the negotiated document with commitments made by governmental conference participants that is produced at the end of most UN conferences.) Subsequently, the outcome document for the conference was revised and cut from 45 pages to a 17-page document. The new document has addressed all the objections of the government and still, as of yesterday morning, the Obama Administration had not yet changed its mind.
The new outcome document has been weakened and many of us are not happy with it. We are trying to pressure the Obama Administration to not only participate in the Durban Review Conference, but to drop some of its objections. I hope that you will read and sign the attached open letter.
If you or your organization wishes to sign the letter, please send me an email (edike@urbanjustice.org) stating your name and organizational affiliation, or your organizational name as it should be listed. We have extended the deadline for sign onto the Open Letter to President Obama until tomorrow, Friday, March 27th at 4pm (EST). The signature list is still in formation and we may be rearranging signatories to draw some attention to particular individuals. We will be publishing the letter in the press and blogs over the weekend. After that, the letter will take the form of a petition online and on Facebook.
Thanks as always,
--Ejim
Open Letter to President Barack Obama
Why the
Dear President Barack Obama,
We, the undersigned individuals and organizations dedicated to fighting racial injustice and promoting human rights domestically and globally received your recent decision to boycott the Durban Review Conference with profound disappointment. Recognizing that your stated objections to the conference have been addressed, we are confident that your Administration will be reversing its decision in time to participate in the conference and its remaining preparatory meetings scheduled to take place in April.
Refusing to Discuss Racism on a Global Platform is Inconsistent with a Policy of Engagement with the International Community
As you know, the Durban Review Conference is one of the most important international platforms for discussing the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances. Given the brutal history of slavery and Jim Crow in the
The
The Durban Review process has offered a sophisticated and comprehensive framework for advancing racial equality including concrete guidelines for addressing the link between poverty, racism, sexism, and multiple forms of discrimination; advancing migrant rights; addressing youth violence; providing access to quality education, health care, and adequate housing; and advancing transparent governance in the fight for racial equality. We expect your Administration will not only engage in the process but will also work to ensure that the final outcome offers the strongest and most comprehensive platform for eliminating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances. This is critical for progress in the domestic and global fight for racial and economic justice.
Specific Objections Raised do not Warrant a Boycott
We are concerned by the reasons put forth by your Administration for its refusal to engage in the conference. Notwithstanding that changes have been made to accommodate your Administration’s specific objections, we do not believe the objections warrant a decision to boycott the conference. As we mentioned before, you recently demonstrated your Administration’s willingness to engage in dialogue with governments that you do not always agree with such as the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we applaud that decision. Why would your Administration pursue a different policy now that it is time to discuss how to fight and eliminate racism for people in the
The
We are troubled that your Administration pushed for the withdrawal of language related to reparations, reference to the transatlantic slave trade as a crime against humanity, and the overall weakening of the efforts related to people of African Descent. We recall your own speech on March 18, 2008 that we need to “remind ourselves that so many of the disparities that exist in the African-American community today can be directly traced to inequalities passed on from an earlier generation that suffered under the brutal legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.” We urge you to consider the bill H.R. 40 reintroduced by Representative Conyers in January calling for the establishment of a commission to examine the institution of slavery and current forms of racial discrimination, as well as to make recommendations to the Congress on appropriate remedies. We believe it will help illuminate the importance of discussing these issues both in the
The
It is regrettable that your Administration made its current decision on whether to participate in the Durban Review Conference based on one meeting. One meeting is inadequate for meaningful engagement in the process especially since the process has been ongoing since 2006 not including the time and preparation put into the 2001 World Conference Against Racism (WCAR). The actions of your Administration leave the impression that you are willing to ignore an important opportunity to advance racial equality if it is politically expedient.
The Current Position of Non-Participation is worse than that of the Bush Administration
A boycott by your Administration would be the first time in recent history that the
A
The current decision by your Administration not only affects the
In closing, we are reminded again of a speech you made a year ago insisting that race is an issue that this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We applauded your thought-provoking speech then as it echoed basic American values of equality and fairness, and reminded us of the importance of engaging in mature and constructive dialogue on race. We urge you not to ignore this global discussion on race. This is an issue that is extremely important for making genuine progress in the
Organizational Signatures for Open Letter
1. Advocates for Environmental Human Rights
2. Black Workers for Justice -
3. BLACK Advisors
4. Center for Constitutional Rights
5. National Rail Maritime and Transport Union 0543
6. Cidadao Global
7. Coalition to Save
8. Croydon African
9. Equal Justice Society
10. Equality Now
11. Global Afrikan Congressuk
12. Human Rights Project at the Urban
13. Justice Now
14. Movement for Immigrant Rights
15. National Conference of Black Lawyers
16. National Lawyers Guild
17. National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights
18. Norbertines of the Priory of St. Moses the Black
19. NY Solidarity Coalition with Katrina & Rita Survivors and the Survivors Assembly
20. The Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute
21. United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of
22. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Individual Signatures (with organization affiliation for identification purposes only)
1. Ajamu Baraka, Executive Director, US Human Rights Network
2. Aleyamma Mathew, Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research and Action
3. Alice J. Palmer,
4. Amelia Parker, Program Coordinator, Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law,
5. Amy Agigian, Center for Women's Health and Human Rights,
6. André Degbeon, Founder, AFRO TV
7. Ann Fagan Ginger, the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute
8. Anthony Gifford, Barrister (
9. Asantewaa Gail Harris, Community Vision Council
10. Bill Fletcher, Jr., Executive Editor, BlackCommentator.com
11.
12. Charles Amjad-Ali, Ph.D., Th.D., The Martin Luther King, Jr., Professor of Justice and Christian Community, Director Islamic Studies Program, Luther Seminary
13. Clarence C. Gravlee, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology,
14. David Gespass, President-Elect of the National Lawyers Guild
15.
16. David Wildman, Executive Secretary, Human Rights & Racial Justice Mission, Contexts & Relationships, General Board of Global Ministries United
17.
18. Denise Williams, Ph.D., Negotiation, Conflict Resolution & Peacebuilding, California State University Dominguez Hills
19.
20. Donald H. Smith, Ph.D., Past President, the National Alliance of Black School Educators; Former chair, the Board for the Education of People of African Ancestry, the John Henrik Clarke House, New York City
21. Dowoti Désir, Founder of the DDPA Watch Group
22. Dr Martin C. Okeke, (PhD) Former President of the Organisation NIDOE-France, Vice President PanAFSTRAG-France
23. Dr. Corann Okorodudu, Professor of Psychology & Coordinator, Africana Studies
24. Dr. Gloria A. Caballero-Roca, Hispanic Studies,
25. Dr. Irma Loemban Tobing-Klein, President MDG Global Watch
26. Dr. Lady Dhyana Ziegler, Professor of Journalism,
27. Edith M. Jackson,
28. Edward L. Palmer,
29. Emira Woods, Foreign Policy In Focus/Institute for Policy Studies
30.
31. Eva Paterson, President, Equal Justice Society
32. Gary Orfield, Professor of Education, Law, Political Science and Urban Planning. Co-Director, Civil Rights Project/Proyecto Derechos Civiles,
33. Gerardo Renique, Associate Professor, Department of History, City College of the City University of New York
34. Gwendolyn Anderson, Member, NEA, WEAC and
35. Ignatious Muhammad, Member, Nation of Islam
36. Iwan Leeuwin, Chairperson, AAD Network in the
37.
38. James Rowan, Northeastern
39. Jeanne Mirer, Secretary General of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers
40. Jewel L. Crawford, MD, National Medical Association; Participant, UN World Conference Against Racism, 2001
41.
42. Kalin Williams, Malcom X Grassroots Movement
43. K-C Nat Turner, Assistant Professor, School of Education,
44. Kristine Suozzi, Ph.D., New Mexico Health Equity Working Group Coordinator
45. Laura Roskos, Ph.D., Co-President of
46. Loretta J. Ross, National Coordinator, SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective
47. Lucy Murphy, Convenor, Gray Panthers of Metropolitan
48. Marc Pilisuk, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, The
49. Martin Y. Iguchi, Ph.D.,
50.
51. Mavis G. Biekman, Board Member, African European Women's Movement Sophiedela,
52. Mr. Philip M. J. Baptiste, III, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc
53. Ms Diane King, Director, Seeking Joint Solution
54. Ms Dra Barryl A. Biekman, President of the African European Women’s Movement “Sophiedela”; Chair of the National Platform Dutch Slavery; Past President of the Pan African Strategic and Policy Group (Panafstrag Europe EU/NL; Board member of Tiye International
55. Nancy J. Bothne, Instructor,
56. Nancy Munger, Co-President of
57. Nina T. Harawa, MPH, PhD, Department of Research,
58. Nkem Dike, Northwestern University, IL
59. Nzingha Assata, Founding Member, The
60.
61. Professor Connie de la Vega,
62. Queen Quet, Founder, Gullah/Geechee Sea
63. Raj Patel, Affiliation. UC
64. Ramona Ortega, Executive Director, Cidadao Global
65. Rev. Jeremy Tobin, Board Member, US Human Rights Network and Executive Board, Movement for Immigrant Rights Alliance (MIRA)
66. Sam Anderson, Author, The Black Holocaust For Beginners. National Reparations Congress. Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence
67. Serfia Macnack,
68. Sharon Bator, Doctoral Student Southern University and
69. Shawna Howell, MPH, ASPH/CDC Health Disparities Fellow, Community Health and Program Services Branch, Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
70. Shelby F. Lewis, Professor Emeritus,
71. Shulamith Koenig, 2003 Recipient of the UN Human Rights Award
72. Sylvanna Falcon, Assistant Professor,
73. Tanisha Douglas, Malcom X Grassroots Movement
74. Thomas B. Hall Jr., Peace and Justice
75. Vernellia R. Randall, Professor of Law, University of
76. Wendy Lopez, Malcom X Grassroots Movement
Individual Signatures (with no organization affiliation)
77. Akosua Gyeaboa LCSW, MSW,
78. Angela Flynn,
79. Dorothy Stephens
80.
81. Ijeoma Dike-Young,
82. Jeanne Bergman, Ph.D.,
83. Judith L. Killen, Educator,
84.
85. Kwasigadyapay. F.R.Kotzebue, The
86.
87.
88. Ms. Lynda Wolfe Smith
89. Naomi Blake,
90. Pauline Park, transgender activist,
91. Terry Day, anti-racist activist,
92.
Ejim Dike
Human Rights Project
Urban
646.602.5628 (phone)
212.533.4598 (fax)
www.hrpujc.org
posted by Arnoldo Garcia | La carpa del FEO @ 1:12 PM
0 comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home