PROPOSAL FOR A PERMANENT
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENDANT CAUCUS
"TRUTH THOUGH
CRUSHED TO THE EARTH WILL TRULY RISE AGAIN."
"POWER CONCEDES
NOTHING WITHOUT A DEMAND."
INTRODUCTION
OVER THE COURSE OF THE
PREPARATIONS FOR THE WORLD CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM, AN AFRICANS AND AFRICAN
DESCENDANT CAUCUS WAS FORMED WHICH OPERATED TO GIVE ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP
TO OUR DEMANDS THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL DOCUMENT INCORPORATE RECOGNITION OF THE
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND A COMMITMENT TO REPARATIONS. THIS NGO CAUCUS WORKED
INDEPENDENTLY AND IN TANDEM WITH THE AFRICA GROUP OF STATES AND THOSE
SUPPORTIVE MEMBER NATIONS OF GRULAT.
AT THE HISTORIC UN WORLD
CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM HELD AUGUST 31ST ––SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2001 IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, A MAJOR STEP
FORWARD WAS ACHIEVED WHEN NATIONS OF THE WORLD ADOPTED A DECLARATION AND
PROGRAMME OF ACTION WHICH STATED, "WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SLAVERY AND THE
SLAVE TRADE, INCLUDING THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE, WERE APPALLING TRAGEDIES
IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THEIR ABHORRENT BARBARISM BUT
ALSO IN THE TERMS OF THEIR MAGNITUDE, ORGANIZED NATURE AND ESPECIALLY THEIR
NEGATION OF THE ESSENCE OF THE VICTIMS AND FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SLAVERY AND
THE SLAVE TRADE ARE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE BEEN SO,
ESPECIALLY THE TRANS ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE AND ARE AMONG THE MAJOR SOURCES AND
MANIFESTATIONS OF RACISM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, XENOPHOBIA AND RELATED
INTOLERANCE, AND THAT AFRICANS AND PEOPLES OF AFRICAN DESCENT, ASIANS AND
PEOPLES OF ASIAN DESCENT AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WERE VICTIMS OF THESE ACTS AND
CONTINUE TO BE VICTIMS OF THEIR CONSEQUENCES."
THE
AFRICANS AND AFRICAN
DESCENDANTS CAME
PREAMBLE
AT THE DAWN OF THE 21ST CENTURY, THE DEFINING DEMAND FOR AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS IS FOR REPARATIONS, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. ALL OVER THE WORLD AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS ARE ADDING OUR VOICES TO THOSE OF OUR ANCESTORS IN DEMANDING THAT THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR HERITAGE AND CONFRONT, ACKNOWLEDGE AND REDRESS THE CONTINUING LEGACY FROM THE BARBARISM AND INHUMANITY OF THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE, SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM, PERENNIAL "CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY." THESE ODIOUS AND PREMEDITATED CRIMES, WHICH HAVE BEEN UNEQUALED IN HISTORY, HAVE LED TO THE EXPLOITATION OF AFRICAN NATIONS FOR CENTURIES LEAVING THEM ECONOMICALLY CRIPPLED AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR PEOPLE BOTH ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AND IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA IN POVERTY, UNDEREDUCATED, ECONOMICALLY, PHYSICALLY, PSYCHICALLY, POLITICALLY AND CULTURALLY SUBORDINATED, SUBJECTED TO INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM, VULNERABLE TO THE INTERSECTIONS OF RACE AND GENDER, AND OVERLY-CRIMINALIZED, WHILE BEING BOMBARDED WITH HATE CRIMES, VIOLENCE AND JUSTIFICATIONS, DISSEMBLING, UNTRUTHS AND DENIALS BASED ON DOCTRINES OF WESTERN AND WHITE SUPREMACY.
THE LEGACY OF THE SLAVE TRADE, SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM HAS RESULTED IN ANTI-BLACK RACISM AND THE CONTINUING AND ON-GOING OPPRESSION OF AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS. AFRICAN PEOPLE REMAIN SCATTERED ACROSS THE CONTINENTS OF THE WORLD, OFTEN UNAWARE OF OUR TRUE HISTORY, DIVIDED AMONG OURSELVES BY GENDER, LANGUAGE, CULTURE, CLASS, COLOR, PHENOTYPE, SELF-HATRED, EURO-CENTRISM, EGOTISM, OPPORTUNISM LEADING TO INDIVIDUAL AGGRANDIZEMENT, LEADERSHIP FAILURES AND GREED, OPPORTUNISTIC APOLOGISTS FOR THE OPPRESSORS, AND CONFLICT ARISING FROM ARTIFICIALLY IMPOSED BORDERS. WHEREAS, THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS LEGACY OF RACISM DENY THE TRUE HISTORY OF THESE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, BELITTLE THE ARTIFICIALLY ADVANTAGED AND ELEVATED POSITION THEY HOLD IN SOCIETY AND AMONG GOVERNMENTS FROM THESE CRIMES, WRAP THEMSELVES IN EMBLEMS OF ENTITLEMENT, SUPPORTIVE RACIAL MYTHOLOGIES AND UNTRUTHS, DISPUTE THE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE CRIMES AND THE CURRENT SUBJUGATED CONDITION OF AFRICAN PEOPLES WORLDWIDE AND DENY ANY OBLIGATION TO THE AFRICAN, INDIGENOUS AND ASIAN POPULATIONS WHICH THEY HAVE EXPLOITED. THIS LEGACY OF RACISM CAN ONLY BE ERADICATED FOR THE GOOD OF HUMANITY BY THE VIGILANT AND FORCEFUL ADVOCACY OF AFRICAN PEOPLE AND THEIR ALLIES.
YET THERE IS A LEGACY OF POWER AND HOPE WHICH COMPELS US DERIVED FROM THE CREATIVE AFRICAN GENIUS MANIFEST FROM THE TIME OF IMHOTEP TO THE PRESENT WHICH HAS SUSTAINED AND NURTURED OUR PEOPLE. FROM THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ANCIENT HERITAGE, AFRICAN PEOPLES HAVE GARNERED STRENGTH, INSPIRATION AND PRIDE. THIS CREATIVE AFRICAN GENIUS HAS BEEN IRREPRESSIBLE, RE-EMERGING IN THE MIDST OF ABJECT OPPRESSION TO PROVIDE VISIONARY LEADERSHIP WHILE ENRICHING THE CULTURES, TECHNOLOGIES AND SCIENCES OF THE WORLD. THIS AFRICAN GENIUS HAS RECLAIMED OUR HISTORY WHILE PROMOTING AN INDEPENDENT CONTEMPORARY VISION OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.
FROM THE VANTAGE OF MORAL
AND LEGAL RIGHT, AFRICAN PEOPLE ENVISION A WORLD IN WHICH THOSE NATIONS AND
ENTITIES UNJUSTLY ENRICHED BY THEIR POLICIES, PRACTICES, LAWS AND ACTIONS IN
THE PAST WILL BE COMPELLED TO RETURN TO AFRICAN PEOPLE THE SUM OF THE WEALTH
EXTRACTED FROM THE ENSLAVEMENT OF OUR ANCESTORS, THE PHYSICAL TOIL OF OUR
LABOR, THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF THE BODIES OF OUR WOMEN, THE RAPE OF OUR LAND
AND MINERAL RESOURCES, THE SEGREGATION AND THE GENOCIDE OF OUR PEOPLE AND
RESTORE OUR PEOPLE FROM PHYSICAL, MORAL, CULTURAL, PSYCHIC, SPIRITUAL,
ECONOMICAL, POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL DESTRUCTION THAT WE HAVE SUFFERED DURING
THESE CENTURIES OF OPPRESSION, EXPLOITATION AND NEGATION OF OUR HUMANITY. REPARATIONS IS MORE THAN A MONETARY PAYMENT WHETHER OF A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OR OF A PITTANCE AS RECENTLY GIVEN BY
TRANSFORMATION OF ALL SYSTEMS OF WEALTH AND VALUES WHICH UNDER GIRD SOCIETIES, NATIONS AND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG WORLD GOVERNMENTS. AFTER CENTURIES OF STRUGGLE, IT IS CLEAR THAT AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS NEED NOT ONLY STRONG LEGAL MECHANISMS AND TARGETED BENEFICIAL SOCIAL PROGRAMMING FOR TRUE EQUALITY BUT ALSO COMPREHENSIVE REPARATIONS WHICH WILL ADDRESS THE TOTALITY OF THE CONTINUING INJURY TO AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS FROM THE BARBARIC AND OPPRESSIVE PAST.
AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF REPARATIONS IS FUNCTIONAL EQUALITY WHICH MEANS NOT ONLY TRUE OPERATIONAL EQUALITY, THROUGH WELL ENFORCED AND EQUAL LEGAL MECHANISMS, BUT ALSO THE FULL ENJOYMENT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE THROUGH THE REMOVAL OF THE ECONOMIC, EDUCATIONAL, GENDER, AND HEALTH INEQUALITIES, AND THE PSYCHIC DAMAGE THAT AFFECTS BOTH AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS THROUGH ATTITUDES, POLICIES, ACTIONS AND INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES BASED ON STIGMAS, ANTI-BLACK RACISM, ROLE-SHACKLING AND OTHER DEROGATORY IMAGES AND STEREOTYPES. TRUTH TELLING IS A FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT FOR CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH REPARATIONS CAN BE APPROPRIATELY ADDRESSED. A CRUCIAL ELEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE REPARATIONS IS THE RETURN OF OUR ANCESTRAL AND INDIGENOUS LANDS FOR THE CONTROL, OPERATION AND BENEFIT OF AFRICAN PEOPLE. INDEED, TRUE EQUALITY DEMANDS TOTAL ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT WHICH CAN ONLY BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE RESTITUTION BY THE NATIONS AND ENTITIES OF THE VAST WEALTH STOLEN FROM US AND THE WEALTH DENIED US EACH AND EVERY DAY THROUGH THE OPERATION OF RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. WE SEEK NOT FAVORS BUT THE RETURN OF THAT OWED TO US. THROUGH REPARATIONS IN ITS BROADEST CONTEXT AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN NATIONS WOULD ACQUIRE WEALTH AND A STRONGER POSITION OF INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD COMMUNITY AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS WOULD BE JUSTLY COMPENSATED AND RESTORED TO POSITIONS OF DIGNITY AND TRUE EQUALITY.
IN OUR STRUGGLE FOR REPARATIONS, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY, AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS REAFFIRM THE TEN POINTS OF UNITY ADOPTED BY THE CAUCUS AT THE SECOND PREP-COM FOR THE WCAR.
FURTHER, AFRICAN PEOPLES RECOGNIZE THAT OUR MOVEMENT FOR REPARATIONS, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY IS NOT TAKING PLACE IN A VACUUM AS OTHER RELATED MOVEMENTS, MANY INTEGRAL TO OUR VISION OF A RESTRUCTURED WORLD COMMUNITY, ARE ALSO ASSERTING THE NEED FOR GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE ECONOMIC ARENA TO COMBAT GLOBALIZATION, FOR REDRESS OF HARM TO RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES, FOR SELF-DETERMINATION, FOR LAND RESTORATION, FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, FOR CULTURAL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS. WE ENDORSE THESE STRUGGLES FOR ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS, FOR COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL REMEDIES, FOR FREEDOM FROM OCCUPATION OF LANDS, FOR FREEDOM FROM SEGREGATION, FOR RETURN OF HOMELANDS, FOR GENDER EQUALITY, FOR FREEDOM FROM INDIVIDUAL OR STATE SPONSORED RACIAL VIOLENCE AND HATRED, AND MANY OTHER JUST AND CRITICAL DEMANDS. WE AFFIRM THESE RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN THE INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. WE JOIN IN THE STRUGGLE OF THESE INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENTS FOR A NEW AND JUST WORLD.
AS THIS WAVE OF AFRICAN AWARENESS AND RESISTANCE ARISES, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO GALVANIZE ITS ENERGIES, PROMOTE ITS VISION AND ALLOW FOR THE GREATEST POSSIBLE INTERNATIONAL UNITY AND MOBILIZATION WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT THIS THRUST FOR JUSTICE MUST BE DRIVEN BY DYNAMIC, GROWING, GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS. THE NEED FOR AN ORGANIZED VOICE TO REPRESENT US AT THE UNITED NATIONS AND IN OTHER INTERNATIONAL FORA TO PROMOTE OUR POSITIVE AGENDA IS PREDICATED ON THE RECOGNITION THAT THOSE WHO OWE REPARATIONS TO AFRICAN PEOPLES WILL FIGHT ALL EFFORTS TO JUSTLY COMPENSATE OUR PEOPLE. INSTEAD THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY UPON EXISTING PREJUDICES AND BIASED SELF-INTERESTED PERCEPTIONS AND SEEK TO THRIVE UPON ANY APPARENT WEAKNESS AND ACTIVELY FOSTER WEAKNESSES SUCH AS DISORGANIZATION, IGNORANCE, MIS-COMMUNICATIONS, ABSENCE, POOR REPRESENTATION, DISUNITY AND VOICELESSNESS. THIS NEW PERMANENT ORGANIZATION WILL DEFEAT THESE EFFORTS BY DRAWING UPON THE BOLD HERITAGE OF OUR ANCESTORS AND OUR AFRICAN AWARENESS TO STRENGTHEN OUR POSITION AND ADVANCE OUR CAUSE.
THE INTERIM STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS CAUCUS PROPOSES THAT THE INITIAL STRUCTURE OF A PERMANENT ORGANIZATION FOR AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS BE EVOLUTIONARY AND FLEXIBLE BASED ON THE RECOGNITION THAT THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS, PARTICULARITIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH OF AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS VARY GREATLY FROM REGION TO REGION, WITHIN REGIONS AND NATION TO NATION. A PRIMARY PRINCIPLE OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL PROPOSAL IS RESPECT AND CENTRALITY OF VOICE FOR LOCAL GRASSROOTS AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENDANT ORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE FIGHT FOR REPARATIONS, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. WE ARE ALSO COGNIZANT THAT THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION WILL RELY SUBSTANTIALLY ON VOLUNTEER EFFORTS OF THE MEMBERSHIP EVEN SHOULD STAFFING BECOME AVAILABLE. ALL ASPECTS OF A FULL ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE ARE NOT INCLUDED HEREIN AS THIS PROPOSAL RECOGNIZES THAT THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE PERMANENT STRUCTURE SHOULD MAKE MANY FORMATIVE DECISIONS WITH GUIDANCE AND ADVICE FROM THE GENERAL BODY. NEVERTHELESS, WE HAVE STRUCTURED THIS ORGANIZATION IN A MANNER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LESSONS LEARNED OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF OUR EXISTENCE AS AN AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENDANT CAUCUS REGARDING REPRESENTATIVE AND SHARED LEADERSHIP, BROAD DECISION-MAKING, REGIONAL AND DIVERSE REPRESENTATION, GENDER EQUALITY, YOUTH LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATIONS WHICH USE ALL FORMS OF TECHNOLOGY AND OPERATIONS FORMED TO SUPPORT AGENDA ADVOCACY. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OVER THE YEARS AS OUR STRUGGLE ADVANCES THAT THIS ADAPTABLE STRUCTURE WILL GIVE STRENGTH TO OUR MOVEMENT.
STRUCTURE
1. THE NAME OF THE
ORGANIZATION SHALL BE [OPEN TO PROPOSALS]
2. THERE SHALL BE
CONSTITUTED AN ASSEMBLY OF AFRICAN PEOPLES WHICH WILL BE THE GOVERNING BODY OF
THE ORGANIZATION. THIS ASSEMBLY SHALL OPERATE PRIMARILY AS AN
2. THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE
ASSEMBLY SHALL BE COMPOSED OF GRASSROOTS AND NATIONAL AFRICAN AND AFRICAN
DESCENDANT ORGANIZATIONS WHO SUPPORT THE PURPOSES OF THIS ENTITY. ALL
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS SHALL BE ALLOCATED VOTES AS FOLLOWS:
LOCAL AND REGIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS 1 VOTE
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 2
VOTES
THE ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERS
WILL MEET BY REGION AND AS AN ASSEMBLY OF THE WHOLE.
3. THE MEMBERSHIP SHALL
INCLUDE A SUPPORTERS CATEGORY COMPOSED OF INDIVIDUAL AFRICAN AND AFRICAN
DESCENDANT MEMBERS. THESE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS SHALL NOT EXERCISE VOTING POWER
WITHIN THE ASSEMBLY BUT SHALL ELECT 10 REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVE ON THE ASSEMBLY
WITH FULL VOTING POWERS.
4. THE ASSEMBLY SHALL BE
AUTHORIZED TO APPOINT ELDERS, AS A COUNCIL OF ELDERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
CUSTOMARY PRACTICE IN PRE-COLONIAL
5. THERE SHALL BE
CONSTITUTED AN INTERNATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE WHICH SHALL EXERCISE THE FULL
AUTHORITY OF THE ASSEMBLY WHEN IT IS NOT IN SESSION. THE INTERNATIONAL STEERING
COMMITTEE SHALL BE COMPOSED OF ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVE 3 YEAR TERMS
FROM EACH DESIGNATED REGION. THE DESIGNATED REGIONS AND NUMBER OF
REPRESENTATIVES SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS:
A. AFRICA––12 REPRESENTATIVES–ORGANIZED BY
SUB-REGIONS BASED ON THOSE OF THE ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR
B. EUROPE––3 REPRESENTATIVES
C.
D.
E. SOUTH
F.
G.
IN ADDITION, THERE SHALL BE
ELECTED AT LARGE BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 7 YOUTH REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVE AS
MEMBERS OF THE ISC.
6. THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS
SHALL BE ELECTED BY THE ASSEMBLY TO SERVE 3 YEAR TERMS AS MEMBERS OF THE ISC.
THERE
SHALL BE 7 INTERNATIONAL CO-CONVENERS WITH GENDER BALANCE TO BE NOMINATED BY
THE REGIONS AND ELECTED BY THE ASSEMBLY WHO WILL BE ENTRUSTED WITH THE
AUTHORITY TO CONVENE THE ASSEMBLY AND THE ISC AND SERVE AS SPOKESPERSONS FOR
THE ORGANIZATION. QUARTERLY THE CO-CONVENERS WILL PUBLISH AND WIDELY
DISSEMINATE A REPORT OF ACTIVITIES TO THE ASSEMBLY.
THERE
SHALL BE 1 TREASURER WHOSE DUTIES WILL BE TO OVERSEE THE FINANCES OF THE ORGANIZATION,
SERVE AS CONVENER OF THE BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, SERVE
THERE
SHALL BE 2 ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARIES WHO SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INSURING
THAT THE RECORDS OF THE ORGANIZATION ARE KEPT AND PERFORMING SUCH OTHER
FUNCTIONS AS MAY BE DESIGNATED, AND SHALL SERVE AS CONVENERS OF THE
ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
THERE
SHALL BE 2 TRANSLATION SECRETARIES TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARIES
TO INSURE TRANSLATION IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL MEETINGS DOCUMENTS AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS.
THERE
SHALL BE 3 LEGAL COUNSELS TO INSURE THAT LEGAL ADVICE IS PROVIDED TO THE ISC
AND THE ASSEMBLY, AND SHALL SERVE AS CONVENERS OF THE LEGAL COMMITTEE.
THERE
SHALL BE 3 COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVES TO INSURE EFFECTIVE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
COMMUNICATIONS, AND SHALL SERVE AS CONVENERS OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC
RELATIONS AND EDUCATION COMMITTEES.
7. SHOULD ANY OFFICER FAIL
TO PERFORM HIS OR HER DUTIES, THE ISC SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO REMOVE SUCH
OFFICER AND APPOINT AN ACTING PERSON UNTIL THE NEXT SCHEDULED ELECTION.
8. SHOULD ANY OFFICER
ENGAGE IN MALFEASANCE OR MISFEASANCE THE ISC SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO REMOVE SUCH
OFFICER AND APPOINT AN ACTING PERSON UNTIL THE NEXT SCHEDULED ELECTION.
9. IN ADDITION TO THE
INTERNATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE, THE STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE ORGANIZATION
WHICH SHALL BE OPEN TO VOLUNTEERS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP
OF THE ASSEMBLY SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS:
A. BUDGET AND FINANCE
COMMITTEE
B. DEVELOPMENT AND
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
C. ADMINISTRATION AND
OPERATIONS
D. COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
E. LEGAL COMMITTEE
F. UNITED NATIONS
MONITORING COMMITTEE
G. REPARATIONS ADVOCACY
COMMITTEE
H. GENDER COMMITTEE
H. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
COMMITTEE
I. POLICY COMMITTEE
12. THE CO-CONVENERS SHALL
DESIGNATE SUCH OTHER MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAMMATIC COMMITTEES AND COMMITTEE
CO-CONVENERS AS MAY BE REQUIRED. THESE COMMITTEES AND CO-CONVENERS SHALL
REQUIRE APPROVAL BY THE ISC.
13. COMMITTEE CONVENERS AND
CO-CONVENERS SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO APPOINT EXPERT ADVISORS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE
COMMITTEES. LIKEWISE COMMITTEE CONVENERS SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO REMOVE
NON-FUNCTIONING OR DISRUPTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEES.
14. GIVEN THE VAST
GEOGRAPHICAL REACH OF THE ORGANIZATION, ALL EFFORTS SHALL BE INSTITUTED TO
UTILIZE ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGIES FOR MEETINGS AND COMMUNICATIONS INCLUDING
E-MAIL, CHAT ROOMS, VIRTUAL CONFERENCING, CONFERENCE CALLS, TELECONFERENCING
AND ETC.
15. THE PROGRAM OF THE
ORGANIZATION SHALL BE BASED ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTIVITIES TO FULFILL THE
OBJECTIVES OF THE 10 POINTS OF UNITY DEVELOPED BY THE AFRICAN AND AFRICAN
DESCENDANT CAUCUS WHICH ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. WE CALL FOR THE RECOGNITION THAT THE
SLAVE TRADE, SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM ARE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.
2. WE CALL FOR THE
RECOGNITION OF REPARATIONS FOR AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS AS ESSENTIAL TO
ENDING THE INEQUALITY DERIVED FROM THE SLAVE TRADE, SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM.
3. WE CALL FOR THE
RECOGNITION OF THE ECONOMIC BASIS OF RACISM THAT IS A CONTINUATION OF THE
ECONOMIC BASIS OF THE SLAVE TRADE, SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM.
4. WE CALL FOR THE ADOPTION
OF NATIONAL PUBLIC POLICIES THAT CORRECT INSTITUTIONALIZED FORMS OF RACISM WITH
EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.
5. WE CALL FOR THE ADOPTION
OF CULTURE-SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT POLICES.
6. WE CALL FOR THE ADOPTION
OF MECHANISMS TO COMBAT THE INTERCONNECTION OF RACE AND POVERTY AND THE
EXACERBATING EFFECT THAT GLOBALIZATION (GOVERNMENTAL AND PRIVATE SECTOR) HAS ON
THIS INTERCONNECTION.
7. WE CALL FOR ADOPTION OF
MECHANISM TO COMBAT RACISM IN THE CRIMINAL PUNISHMENT AND PENAL SYSTEM.
8. WE CALL FOR ADOPTION OF
POLICIES SPECIFIC TO AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENDANT WOMEN THAT RECOGNIZE AND
ADDRESS THE INTERSECTION OF RACE AND GENDER.
9. WE CALL FOR ADOPTION OF
POLICES THAT RECOGNIZE AND ADDRESSES THE INTERSECTION OF RACE AND SEXUAL
ORIENTATION.
10. WE CALL FOR REFORM OF
THE LEGAL SYSTEM. THIS REFORM SHOULD INCLUDE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MECHANISMS FOR DISMANTLING
RACISM SUCH AS IDENTIFICATION AND FUNDING OF A U.N. BODY TO MONITOR
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WCAR PROGRAM OF ACTION AS IT RELATE TO AFRICANS AND
AFRICAN DESCENDANTS.
IN ADDITION, WE ASSERT THE
FOLLOWING PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES BASED ON THE
1. WE CALL FOR THE
IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE
2. WE MUST DEVELOP TRAINING
FOR AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DESCENDANT PEOPLE IN THE FUNCTIONING OF THE UNITED
NATIONS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL BODIES AND HOW TO IMPACT THEIR DECISION-MAKING.
3. WE MUST PROMOTE
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH BY AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS OF ISSUES AFFECTING
OUR PEOPLE AND RECOMMENDED POLICIES.
4. WE WILL DISSEMINATE AT
INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL AND LOCAL GATHERINGS OF AFRICANS AND AFRICAN
DESCENDANTS THE WORK OF THE AADC.
5. WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE
NEED FOR EDUCATION RELATED TO THE INTERCONNECTION OF THE EFFECT OF THE TRANS
ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE, SLAVERY AND COLONIALISM, THE ECONOMIC BASIS OF THESE FORMS OF RACISM AND THE CONTINUING
MANIFESTATIONS ON ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE AND THE NEED FOR REPARATIONS
INTERNATIONALLY, REGIONALLY AND LOCALLY FOR THE VICTIMS
LASTLY, WE ACKNOWLEDGE MANY OF THE PRIOR
DECLARATIONS AND CONFERENCES OF AFRICANS AND AFRICAN DESCENDANTS INCLUDING THE