04 September 2001
The South African Communist Party (SACP) condemns the governments of the United States of America and Israeli for their decision to withdraw from the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) held in Durban this week. This withdrawal is consistent with earlier US threats to boycott the conference because they did not agree with the discussion of Zionism as racism and compensation for victims of slavery and colonialism.
This withdrawal clearly illustrates that the imperialist US government is by design not committed to combat and defeat racism in its own backyard and internationally. By its very nature, just like slavery and colonialism, imperialism thrives on racism, xenophobia and other forms of related intolerances. And thus the withdrawal of the US government from the WCAR. And thus its failure to defeat racism against African Americans, Hispanics and immigrants in the USA itself. And thus its support for apartheid Israeli and its collaboration with apartheid South Africa. For the US government to take a stance against racism and condemn apartheid Israel, it means it must denounce its imperialist policies. As an imperialist power, the US government cannot deprive itself of the key weapon of racism to dominate the world.
The withdrawal of Israel from the conference is akin to what apartheid South Africa did in rejecting world opinion against apartheid and seeking to oppose sanctions against apartheid. Israeli remains an apartheid state which subjugates Palestinians and threatens peace in the entire Middle East on behalf of its US imperialist masters.
The SACP calls on all democrats throughout the world to step up the fight and struggle against racism, imperialism and Israeli apartheid and subjugation of Palestine. The SACP calls on all delegates to the WCAR to continue with their work despite the withdrawal of the US and Israeli. This is not a US conference but a UN conference.
CONTACT
Mazibuko Kanyiso Jara (surname Jara)
Tel: 011 339 3621
Fax: 011 339 4244
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org