ATLANTA - April 13 - Next week delegates from various countries and NGO'S will converge in Geneva, Switzerland at the Durban Review Conference, a follow up to the 2001 World Conference Against Racism. Now, the international spotlight is on the United States, which has not yet decided whether to participate in what many diplomats and activists consider the most important international framework to combat racial discrimination. Previously, the Obama Administration said it would boycott the summit based on draft resolutions, which criticized Israel and called for reparations for slavery. That language has since been deleted from the text.

"If the Obama Administration is willing to engage in dialogue with avowed enemies such as Iran then surely it should be willing to engage the international community in a dialogue on methods and principles to end racism and xenophobia," said Ajamu Baraka, Executive Director of the US Human Rights Network (USHRN).  Baraka noted that the meetings took on special urgency because, "as we all know, at time of global and economic crisis, we must make a special effort to protect the human rights of groups most vulnerable to racial discrimination and intolerance."

The Durban Review Conference is intended to assess and advance the implementation of the measures established by the Durban Declaration and Program of Action, which was adopted by the 2001 Conference.  It also seeks to promote the universal ratification and implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), an international treaty ratified by the U.S. in 1994, which carries the force of law in the United States.  The USHRN has been an advocate of demanding U.S. compliance with the Treaty and submitted a shadow report to the committee that monitors compliance with CERD by signatory states.  In March of 2007 the USHRN attended the committee hearing, where it critiqued Bush Administration officials for violating the terms of CERD.  Network officials, including Mr. Baraka, will be present in Geneva for the Durban Review Conference meetings.

Ajamu Baraka is now available for interview. For more information, please contact, Riptide Communications, Inc.