Reply #23: While the document may have not been stridently anti Israeli the speeches given

[grantcart]

by some were.

The reality is that UN Anti-Racism Conference has been hijacked by parties who want to use it for purposes that have nothing to do with racism.

The UN is not a unified body answerable to the General Secretary. Each organization has its own board and its own leadership and there is very little coordination between them. Just because something carries a UN label doesn't mean that it will meet the same standards as the other agencies, and I state this having worked as an international civil servant and strongly support the UN system.

It would be interesting to compare Israeli's treatment of Sudan Jews (Black Jews) that recently migrated to Israel and other countries, especially Middle Eastern ones, with their treatment of minority groups.

It is particularly galling to have the conference, which is aimed at increasing human rights, taken over at the podium by Ahmadinejad. Iran has executed hundreds of Bahai followers and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights states that persecution has increased under Ahmadinejad;


According to a US panel, attacks on Bahá'ís in Iran have increased since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became president.<90> The United Nations Commission on Human Rights revealed an October 2005 confidential letter from Command Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Iran to identify Bahá'ís and to monitor their activities.<91> Due to these actions, the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights stated on March 20, 2006, that she "also expresses concern that the information gained as a result of such monitoring will be used as a basis for the increased persecution of, and discrimination against, members of the Bahá'í faith, in violation of international standards… The Special Rapporteur is concerned that this latest development indicates that the situation with regard to religious minorities in Iran is, in fact, deteriorating."<91> On May 14, 2008, members of an informal body known as the Friends that oversaw the needs of the Bahá'í community in Iran were arrested and taken to Evin prison.<90><92> On 17 February 2009 IRNA news agency reported about this case that "next week, an indictment will be issued and will be discussed in court"<93>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahai


And finally just because an action is supported by the right wing does not mean that it isn't also supported by the left and the middle. By the same token a defense of Israel against bogus charges of racism does not acquit it of other charges in its conflict with the Palestinians.

It would have been more interesting if Zunes had written on how the Anti Racism Commission could be restored to its original intent rather than taken over by those whose hands carry the blood of persecution.