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FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2001

With the Bush administration still mum on whether it will send representatives to an upcoming international conference on racism, indigenous women throughout the Americas are making the journey to South Africa.

A delegation of the Indigenous Women’s Network leaves for the World Conference Against Racism today. The delgation includes board members Mililani Trask, a Native Hawaiian activist, and Priscilla Settee, Cree from Canada. Staff members will also travel.

Aboriginal activists from Canada are also planning to attend. Kukdookaa Terri Brown, President of National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC), Ethel Birkett-LaValley, Aboriginal Vice-President for the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), and Darlene Ritchie, executive Director of At¬lohsa Native Family Healing Services will attend.

Among the issues the women hope to highilght are health care, access to traditional lands, environmental justice and sovereignty.

Civil rights leaders on Thursday urged the Bush administration to attend. The State Department is expected to decide soon on whether to send representatives.

The conference takes place in Durbin, South Africa, from August 31 to September 9.

Get the Story:
Administration urged to join racism meeting (AP 8/24)

Relevant Links:
Human Rights Issues, State Department - http://www.state.gov/g/drl/hr
World Conference Against Racism, UN - http://www.un.org/WCAR

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