Shambles and fury in Durban

摘要

The meeting was supposed to be far too important to foul up. Racism, as every delegate intoned, is a modern scourge. Xenophobia is evident all over the world. For eight days in the South African port of Dur-' ban, the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance was meant to highlight the problem and persuade more governments to outlaw discrimination. An apology for slavery in the past might be forthcoming. And if minority groups— camera-courting pygmies and Amerindians who strutted by with feathers in their hair—could bolster their profile and influence, so much the better.