Government snub UN conference of racism

The Coalition Government’s already tarnished reputation for not effectively addressing race inequality took another turn for the worse yesterday. Government officials announced it would be boycotting the UN General Assembly conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action on 22 September in New York.

It is what can only be described as a poor excuse for the Government citing it would not be attending the UN event because of some very unfortunate anti-Semitic language that marred the Durban Conference ten years ago. And whilst we utterly deplore anti-Semitic racism in all its forms, on that basis the Government would not do business or attend world conferences with many countries in the world including China and Russia, which just hosted the Prime Minister David Cameron.

The Runnymede Trust along with a caucus of Black NGOs, has written a letter highlighting their ‘disappointment’. In it, they point out that instead of a boycott, the Government could have taken the opportunity to highlight their disdain for those remarks made a decade ago and against anti-Semitism in general, whilst focusing on this important political space the UN Conference offers to globally tackle race discrimination.

Some have argued this boycott of the UN is the Government’s rebuke for receiving a damning report earlier this month on the UK’s record of not effectively tackling racism. The UN Committee highlighted no less than 31 areas which gave rise for their concern, including ‘Stop and Search’, and the Dale Farm eviction.

With Minister for Race, Andrew Stunell, who since his appointment has not made one major speech on tackling race inequality, and a Prime Minister who has set his store full square against multiculturalism, there are many who are beginning to suggest this Government cares little about tackling the demon that is racial discrimination.

Simon Woolley