H. Res. 212

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

July 30, 2001.

Whereas since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights in 1948, the international community has

taken significant steps to eradicate racism, xenophobia,

sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of

discrimination;

Whereas national and international measures to combat discrimination and promote equality, justice, and dignity for

all individuals have proven inadequate;

Whereas the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance (‘‘WCAR’’), to be held in Durban, South Africa, from August 31 through September 7, 2001, aims to

create a new world vision for the fight against racism and

other forms of intolerance in the twenty-first century,

urge participants to adopt anti-discrimination policies

and practices, and establish a mechanism for monitoring

future progress toward a discrimination-free world;

Whereas the causes and manifestations of contemporary racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery,

and other forms of discrimination are many and increasingly complex and subtle;
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Whereas all states and societies that have sponsored, encouraged, or tolerated slavery, including states involved in the

transatlantic slave trade, the Indian Ocean slave trade, or

the trans-Saharan slave trade, benefited economically

while inflicting extreme pain, suffering, and humiliation

on millions of African people;

Whereas victims of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination have

suffered and continue to suffer from the deprivation of

their fundamental rights and opportunities;

Whereas to varying degrees, states, societies, and individuals

have adopted the notion that racial, cultural, religious,

and social diversity can enrich a country and its citizens;

Whereas participants of the WCAR currently plan to discuss

remedies, redress, and other mechanisms to provide recourse at national, regional, and international levels for

victims of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination;

Whereas the achievement of full and effective equality between peoples requires that states, civic groups, and individuals cooperate to address the real difficulties in attaining societies free of discrimination;

Whereas some preparatory materials for the WCAR take positions on current political crises which, if adopted in the

final WCAR Declaration and Program of Action, could

exacerbate existing tensions;

Whereas the attempt by some to use the WCAR as a platform to resuscitate the divisive and discredited notion

equating Zionism with racism, a notion that was overwhelmingly rejected when United Nations Resolution
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3379 (1975) was rescinded in 1991, would undermine the

goals and objectives of the conference; and

Whereas the United States encourages respect for an individual’s human rights and fundamental freedoms without

distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language,

religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, or other status: Now, therefore, be

it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) encourages all participants in the United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance

(‘‘WCAR’’) to seize this singular opportunity to tackle

the scourges of racism, xenophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, slavery, and other forms of discrimination

which have divided people and wreaked immeasurable

suffering on the disempowered;

(2) recognizes that since racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance exist to some

extent in every region and country around the world, efforts to address these prejudices should occur within a

global framework and without reference to specific regions, countries, or present-day conflicts;

(3) exhorts the participants to utilize the WCAR to

mitigate, rather than aggravate, racial, ethnic, and regional tensions;
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(4) urges the WCAR to focus on concrete steps that

may be taken to address gross human rights violations

that were motivated by racially and ethnically based animus and on devising strategies to help eradicate such intolerance; and

(5) commends the efforts of the Government of the

Republic of South Africa in hosting the WCAR.

Attest:

Clerk.