ATLANTAN REFLECTS ON AHAMDINEJAD SPEECH AT UN CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM
Participant part of 18 member AJC Young Professional Delegation to Conference

Geneva, Switzerland – Harris Konter, 27, of Atlanta, is participating in an Eighteen member delegation, sponsored by UN Watch and American Jewish Committee (AJC), to observe the Durban Review Conference in Geneva Switzerland April 20-24.

Harris attended the speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the conference, at which delegates from the European Union walked out during his speech. 

Mr. Konter had the following to say about the experience:

      Through a lapse in security three of us from UN Watch/AJC made it into the general assembly room. Only 1 person per NGO was supposed to be allowed in. The room was hot and contained an air of excitement and anticipation.

      Ahmadinejad got up and began to speak when two demonstrators, wearing multi colored clown wigs threw sponge balls at him. One demonstrator was seated directly in front.

      Ahmadinejad began his speech talking about the middle ages when scientist and philosophers were imprisoned and killed. He said this lead to slavery and a dark period of history lead by occupation followed. He said that the winners of WWI and WWII forced their views on others through oppression. He said after WWII they set up a racist state...that statement triggered a huge walk out of delegates including the Palestinian delegate.

      He used the word "Genocide" in regards to Israel, Palestine, and Gaza. At which point people in the gallery start shouting in protest. Ahmadinejad laughed as they were escorted out.

      He said the US attack on Iraq was due to US arrogance and to the benefit of arms companies. He said the attack was planned by the Zionists.

      Ahmadinejad continued: “The global economic downturn, was this caused by Africa...no...by Asia...no...it was caused by the US and it spread to Europe.” He continued “the word Zionism personifies racism that falsely refers to a religion." He said "Eradicate Zionism." He said that boycotting the session supports racism. He said that the current management of the world is at the end of the road.

      Ahmadinejad’s final two points were: “we can improve the existing world situation but only if all countries participate. It is necessary to acknowledge the mistakes of the existing world powers, change the UN Security Council and change the world monetary system…to build a new world."

      Most of the remaining crowd gave a standing ovation.

      Personally, the three of us had to sit separately due to space. We felt surrounded by anti-Israel groups. The African delegates and NGO’s in attendance clearly supported him. The room was hot and my hands kept sweating. Alishia who was in our group felt faint and said she wasn't prepared for what we encountered. I overheard two African NGO members saying that they were glad the truth came out and that people were just ignorant and didn't want to hear it.

      Following the speech we met with a Palestinian representative and asked him why his delegate walked out. He told us "We found the text was not convenient." When we asked him to expound on that he said that they thought it was not balanced and all countries should be examined as well as "the origins of racism." An EUJS (European Union of Jewish Students) member who was with us said that the room he was in didn't have a translation and the Palestinian representative said "Better for you, nothing to hear."

Mr. Konter will continue to provide daily first-hand accounts from the Conference in Geneva. 

AJC is proud of Australia, Canada, Germany, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, the United States among others for boycotting the conference. The boycott shows that these countries will not accept the unjustified singling out of any country, and will not allow democratic values to be trampled upon in service of a particular political agenda.

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