RECENT THREATS BY THE UNITED STATES TO BOYCOTT CONFERENCE

DITSHWANELO - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights would like to officially state its position on the recent threats by the United States to boycott the upcoming World Conference Against Racism (WCAR), which is to be held from 29 August to 7 September 2001 in Durban, South Africa.

DITSHWANELO regrets that the United States has adopted such an uncompromising stance by refusing to discuss certain issues. Only through open discourse can racial discrimination, ethnic violence and other intolerances of the world be eliminated. The United States is sacrificing an opportunity to participate in an important international dialogue.

DITSHWANELO is also concerned to see the focus of the WCAR shift away from the problems of the present. The world should remember and learn from its past, but such reflection should be balanced against the urgent needs of contemporary concerns. DITSHWANELO hopes that the limited resources available for the WCAR will be effectively used to reduce the pain of all of those suffering today, regardless of whether their pain stems from discrimination in the past or the present. Moreover, DITSHWANELO believes that the healing process involves both compensation and forgiveness. Both sides in a conflict must voluntarily come together in order to restore dignity, autonomy and harmony.

DITSHWANELO prays that the divisiveness of the past will be overcome by an acknowledgement of the fundamental commonality and equality of all of humanity. Moreover, DITSHWANELO hopes that reason and the spirit of cooperation will prevail and that the United States will send an official delegation to the WCAR.

6 August 2001
Gaborone