Support a Permanent U.N. Forum for African Descendants

Dear Judge Navi Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:

We, the undersigned residents of member states of the United Nations, want to thank you for your leadership in moving forward the Durban Review Conference this past April in Geneva, Switzerland. We also appreciate your efforts to help reaffirm the Durban Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA), despite the inexcusable absences and objections of several member states.

On the other hand, we were very disappointed that you chose not to fully support or address the establishment of a Permanent Forum for African Descendants (in the spirit of the positive creation of a Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples, recently). Setting up and adequately funding this Permanent Forum is critical in making the DDPA, and other U.N. processes, a reality for the billions of people who suffer the ongoing affects of racism, enslavement, colonialism, racial discrimination, torture, genocide, apartheid, xenophobia and other crimes against humanity. In moving forward towards, hopefully, the Durban + 10 Year Review Conference (in 2010 or 2011), we want to work closely with you to correct this major shortcoming.

Thank you in advance, Judge Pillay, for your positive consideration and actions.