Rev. Jessie Jackson must be regretting the day he agreed to set foot in Durban, South Africa to lobby for the U.S. and Israeli position at the U.N. Third World Conference on Racism. Besides the official governmental delegates, the conference was attended by over 10,000 participants representing 3,900 international non-governmental groups (NGOs) and was also hosted by the United Nation. His attendance was one of the gravest mistakes in his political career. He has lost what little remained of his credibility in front of the whole world. Now, Rev. Jackson stands naked in the sunshine. He has uncovered what he had worked hard for many years to cover. Of course, no one should be blamed but Rev. Jackson himself.

Rev. Jackson had the opportunity to go to Durban as a champion of the cause of the oppressed, dispossesed and down treaden. His position as a descendent of slaves in the belly of the beast, the only super power which is behind the new world disorder, in addition to the gifts and skills bestowed on him, make him an effective spokesman. He could have been a shining star among the masses converging from every corner on the globe, demanding, among other things, an end to descrimination, racism, bigotry and exploitation. On the contrary, Rev. Jackson went on a mission designed to appease the Zionists who control the American media, and to serve the imperialistic interests of the United States government which continues its refusal to face up to its responsibility for slavery of Blacks and virtual extermination of American natives. His sponsers had the power, if they chose, to get him in deep trouble, much worse and more damaging than the recent revelation of his extra-marital activities. He is not willing to stand and fight against evil and for the good of humanity!

Rev. Jackson, a preacher who rose to the top as a national and international figure only after gaining the overwhelming support of the disenfranchised, marginalized and forgotten minorities, almost won the presidential nomination of the Democratic Party in 1984. Unfortunately, however, he has later abandoned the principles he called for after realizing that the cause, which he attempted to champion, is long and difficult. The civil rights leader has chosen an easier and more comfortable life style. Today, Rev. Jackson stands with the most hated and despised two governments on earth, his 'friends' and benefactors, Israel and the United States.

In his desperate attempt to regain his stature as an international leader and to satisfy his ego, and to give the impression that the mission he had been sent to Durban for was accomplished, Rev. Jackson must have felt an urgent need to twist the facts almost 180 degrees. The piece of paper that he held up to the press after meeting with Arafat did not carry the ailing PLO leader's signature as he originally claimed. The Palestinian statement that Rev. Jackson extracted from the Palestinian Authority did not contain any new concessions as he bragged in front of the TV cameras. It merely reflected the Palestinian Authority's formal position, which, to the great disappointment of the overwhelming majority of developing nations, particularly the Palestinians, has been already diluted to gain Washington's acceptance. Out of respect to the Black community, who as a victim of racism, is greatly sympathetic to the Palestinian struggle, the Palestinian delegate chose not to embarrass Rev. Jackson. Realizing the true role he came to play and his need for self-grandeur and credit, Rev. Jackson was politely described as "over zealous".

Despite the pressure, threats and blackmail exercised by the United States and Israel, the United Nations NGO conference made a historical and courageous declaration by calling things by their right and proper names. Israel was found to be guilty, "a racist apartheid state", which is colonial and commits racist crimes. Human Rights Watch and Jewish NGOs were the only organizations that walked out in protest. However, in spite of the rampage of terror, murder and destruction being carried out daily against the mostly unarmed and captive Palestinians by the Israeli army, Moshe Katsav, the President of the Jewish settler state, the only country in the world that targets civilians with F-15 and F-16 bombers, was quoted saying "Israel follows higher moral standards than the rest of the world". Shimon Peres, who, as Israel's Prime Minister, a few years back, ordered the Qana massacre in Lebanon in which over 100 elderly men, women and children who took refuge in a U.N. compound were murdered, said, "The Durban conference is a farce." The Rev. Jesse Jackson, attending as a member of the Black Leadership Forum, described the tone of the conference "inflammatory" that we must fight and change.

The NGO declaration also accused Israel of committing ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian People and condemned it for the "inhumanity in denying food and water to the Palestinians, the victimization of women and children, and the discrimination of Palestinians in Israel".

Article 161 of the NGO paper supported the Palestinian's right of return home. The paper will become one of the documents of the United Nations governmental Conference Against Racism.

Article 168 stressed "the condemnation of those states supporting, aiding and abetting the Israeli apartheid state, and its perpetration for racist crimes against humanity including ethnic cleansing, and acts of genocide".

Rev. Jackson received a second blow from the National African Congress that held to their gun and insisted not to change a single word in their platform to please anyone. The ANC issued a statement, which warned that the world cannot ignore the plight of the Palestinian people, and that "No international conference against racism can avoid discussing the racist practices of the Israeli state against the Palestinians."

After regaining consciousness, Rev. Jackson, as usual, started to work on a damage control as a face-saving measure. He distanced himself a little from his American and Israeli sponsers who, to his greates disappointment, pulled out and left him stranded after their failure to hijack and derail the conference. The United States and Israel boycotted the two previous U.N. racism conferences - in 1978 and 1983. Hoping to be seen and heard, Rev. Jackson, an intelligent politician, remained and sang together with over 10,000 participant chorus, who were unanimously calling for an apology and reparations for the descendents of victims of slavery.

It is true that the enemy is vicious; that the defense of justice requires a lot of courage, enormous sacrifices and immense pain, and, as we have seen through the years, may end even in murder! Malcom X and Dr. Marthin Luther King are only a couple examples. Rev. Jackson has the energy, talent and experience. Leadership is a heavy burden a few men and women can shoulder. It requires much more than chanting, "We shall overcome! We shall overcome, someday". One must be willing to pay the price. Rev. Jackson had done it before. Surely he understands

* Ali Baghdadi is a Chicago writer who has lived in the United States for more than 30 years. Chicago is the homebase of Jesse Jackson.

Mid-East Realities

www.middleeast.org

Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2001/9/384.htm