The UN General Assembly recently allocated a budget for a follow-up to the 2001 World Conference Against Racism held in Durban, South Africa. Canadian NGOs, including the National Anti-Racism Council, which encompasses various ethnocultural communities, women's organizations and labour unions, have long supported a new conference. On the other hand, the government of Canada has resisted lending support to the Durban II initiative, scheduled for 2009. It is one of seven countries that voted against it in the General Assembly.

The truth about Durban I is that all human rights groups, including Canadian NGOs that supported it, were the losers. If Durban II is going to again bury all other racism issues under the debris of the Middle East conflict, then it's better to bury Durban itself.

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