Every Human Being Should Enjoy Equal Human Rights: S. African PresidentEvery human being should enjoy human rights as equally as others, South African President Thabo Mbeki said in Durban on Friday."I am certain we are determined to speak with one voice to assert that no culture, language or tradition of any people is inferior, deserving of being despised, mocked and destroyed, " Mbeki said while addressing the opening ceremony of the third World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR) at the International Convention Center. "We want to make the point firmly that all peoples and all nations are mutually and each equally entitled to their identity and their national pride," he stressed. The president pointed out that unlike slavery and colonialism in the past, racism under the current circumstance of economic globalization is mainly caused by poverty, which deprives the human dignity of all those forced to beg, steal and even prostitute. Gripped by poverty, all the people living under the extreme poverty line are forced to behave towards others as though some are inferior and others superior, simply in order to get something to eat, Mbeki said, warning that if the poor peoples' lives can not be improved, tomorrow will be even worse than today. He underscored that poverty, the product of human society instead of an act of nature, will not be alleviated until all the governments and civil societies in the world unite together to fight and vanquish underdevelopment. Referring to the WCAR, Mbeki said: "The conference must convey a message of hope to the peoples of the world that, together, we are resolved to work hard for peace everywhere on our universe, so that the doors open everywhere for the fullest and all-round development in conditions of freedom, safety and security." About 14,000 delegates worldwide were present at the opening ceremony, including U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and presidents Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria, Joso Krizanovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pedro Verona Rodrigues Pires of Cape Verde, Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo, Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Paul Kagame of Rwanda. During the eight-day conference, participants are expected to produce a declaration that recognizes the damage caused by past expressions of racism and reflects a new global awareness of modern forms of racism and xenophobia. A strong practical program of action will also be adopted at the end of the conference. The first and second WCAR were held in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1978 and 1983 respectively. |
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