Thursday, 23 April 2009: Disgrace!

So today is my last day here at the Durban Review Conference. L'Hebdo (Swiss Newspaper) has described our work here at this conference 'the revenge of the Jewish people' for the disgrace of the Durban 1 Conference in 2001.

This conference is not a victory, this conference is a disgrace. Growing up and being a politics student I have always had a rosy view of the UN, the peace keepers of the world, the people who care for everyone in the world. What I have witnessed is quite the opposite. I have witnessed the UN host and give a platform to a clown, I have witnessed a small number of states actually condemning what he said, I have witnessed Iran be allowed the last speech of the day yesterday so that they could officially respond to the European countries walking out of the Plenary room as a statement that we will not allow Iran, and what a surprise... Iran used this opportunity to criticize Israel.

The UN have been releasing statements condemning the Jewish student groups, an example is this one from Rupert Colville.

"Two particular NGOs (non-governmental organizations)" have been disruptive, said Colville, noting the Union of Jewish Student in France and the European Union of Jewish Students.

The United Nations would prefer to give a platform to a holocaust denying, homophobic, sexist, and ultimately racist man rather than Jewish students whose most 'violent' protest at the conference has been wearing a clown wig and throwing a red nose at the Iranian president. I applaud the French Union of Jewish Student for doing this; I must admit that the EUJS were not part of this protest. As I speak right now the UN are holding a press conference on the actions of the Jewish students, it is a disgrace. Keep following, another update coming in a few hours.
    

Tuesday, 21 April 2009: Call on the UK Government to Withdraw

The controversy over Ahmadnejad speaking at the UN Durban Review Conference is now all over the news worldwide. The protest from the conference floor of several delegations walking out was nothing short of admirable and a true reflection of what the conference should be representative of.

The speech that the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave yesterday was appalling. It crossed all of the UK red lines as well as many other countries, and we are proud that the UK delegation were among the first to walk out as he began to speak. As the day and the evening progressed, other countries began to pull out of the conference altogether as further protest of the farce that has become the Durban Review Conference.

We now have a responsibility to hold our British delegation accountable for continuing their participation in a conference that is clearly here not to stand up against racism and intolerance worldwide, but bear witness to it happening on its own doorstep and do nothing. Furthermore they continue to be part of a conference with a chairperson and many other delegations that remained silent during the tirade of a racist.

We call as students in Geneva witnessing this injustice and the disgrace that the conference has descended in to for the British government to withdraw their delegation from the Durban Review Conference.

Monday, 20 April 2009: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has just arrived

I just witnessed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrive at the UN Conference against racism, I even came within 10 feet of the man. He is due to give the main address of the afternoon, this man, a man who advocates holocaust denial, a man who has vowed the destruction of the state of Israel, a man who claims that Iran has no homosexuals, this man is giving the main address at a UN conference for human rights and against racism this afternoon.

At my university in Leeds, we have a diverse bunch of people; however the UN is a far more diverse institution, an institution that prides itself on being the global protector of human rights. At Leeds met, I am proud to say we would not allow such a man to speak, we would give all students in Leeds the respect and dignity to not have to attend a university that devalues the basic human rights and breeds hatred.

Many countries and NGOs have already vowed to walk out during his address in recognition of his abhorrent views; however I would urge anyone and everyone at this conference to avoid listening and giving a platform to this bigot.

This is probably not enough, this conference does not need more European states to pull out, as the conference is already a de-legitimised body for giving such a platform to this man.

Monday, 20 April 2009: So Far...

A quick summary of the happenings so far in Geneva.

I arrived yesterday morning, after leaving Stanmore at 5am to get to Stansted airport. After arriving in Geneva and getting lost at least twice, we finally made it to our hostel and started planning with the rest of the global Jewish student taskforce. We were briefed on the happenings and what to expect in the next few days.

This conference has been blighted by the sheer lack of respect shown by the OIC and organisers of the conference towards the subject of racism. I fully support the decision of many brave nations such as the USA, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, and Australia to boycott this conference.

The organisers (Libya & Iran) and OIC are attempting to use this forum against racism for their own purpose and protect their own governments against Human rights laws.

Actions such as stoning women for being accused of adultery, killing homosexuals, allowing girls as young as 9 to be prosecuted, discrimination towards Jews, Bahai, Christians are just a small example of human rights abuses that Iran specifically has committed. And Iran are vice chair of this conference for human rights and against racism.

Adam Langleben is currently a student at Leeds Metropolitan University studying International Relations and Peace Studies. He spent his gap year volunteering and studying in Israel with Netzer Olami, the worldwide Reform Jewish Zionist youth movement and is actively involved with RSY-Netzer.