The American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (AAJLJ), in conjunction with the Argentine Jewish Lawyers Association (AJLA), is exploring plans for a “Counter-Conference” to be held in New York at the same time that the actual “Durban II” is being held abroad.  All interested NGO’s, both Jewish and non-Jewish, and other like-minded organizations and individuals, are invited to participate in the planning, organization, and conduct of the “Durban II Counter-Conference,” and to provide speakers for the Counter-Conference programs.

The Counter-Conference would address the real issues of racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, religious discrimination, and human rights violations, which the official “Durban II” proceedings will, predictably, ignore, distort, or treat inappropriately.

The Counter-Conference would be able to address such issues as: the ongoing genocide in Darfur (perpetrated against the black African Muslim population by Muslim Arabs from Sudan); current practices of slavery and trafficking; rampant anti-Semitism in the State-controlled media and governmental bodies of various Arab countries and Iran; violations of women’s rights in many Muslim countries and worldwide; human rights violations in such countries as Libya, Iran, and Sudan, and in Tibet, which the UN Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Council have failed or refused to deal with; and suppression of free speech rights by labeling the speakers or writers as “Islamophobic.”  We expect that many additional subjects will be suggested by the participating organizations.

The Counter-Conference would also respond directly to false or bigoted statements and resolutions that were being propagated in the contemporaneous proceedings at “Durban II.”  Because of the substantial time difference between the venue of “Durban II” and New York City, it should be possible on occasion for Counter-Conference participants to issue rejoinders on the afternoon or evening of the same day that “Durban II” outrages have occurred.

The Argentine Jewish lawyers hope to arrange a contemporaneous “Durban II Counter-Conference” in Buenos Aires, and if possible, in additional Latin American cities.  Some of the presentations made in the New York Counter-Conference could be transmitted by video to Buenos Aires, and vice versa.

All organizations interested in playing a leadership role, or a participatory role, in the proposed  “Durban II Counter-Conference” are requested to contact the AAJLJ, attention of Robert L. Weinberg, at the e-mail, regular mail, phone or fax number listed below.

Suggestions for Counter-Conference speakers are also invited.  Irwin Cotler, the former Attorney General of Canada, and Professor Alan Dershowitz of Harvard, have already agreed to speak.

Respectfully submitted for your consideration,
Robert L. Weinberg
Immediate Past President
American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists
2020 K Street, N.W., Seventh Floor
Washington, D. C.  20006

Email: bob.weinberg@aya.yale.edu
Phone: 703-534-3919
Fax:  703-241-7504

Note: Since the initial preparation and circulation of the above proposal, the dates and venue of “Durbin II” have been established as: April 20-24, 2009, at the UN Headquarters in Geneva.
 
      

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