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ADC – June 13, 2004 ADC decries erosion of civil rights AMP Report The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC) says that the Patriot Act and related regulations adopted in the post September 11 era pose a serious challenge and curtailment of civil rights and drastically undermine the foundation of American democracy. This came in resolutions the ADC passed at its 21st annual convention held in Arlington, Virginia from 10th to 13th June, 2004. The ADC condemned terrorism and all forms of violence against innocent civilians regardless of the source of such violence and added that effective eradication of terrorism requires a comprehensive approach including dealing with the political motivations and root causes of terrorism. The ADC resolutions pointed out that the U.S. should assume its leadership role in the world through the promotion of the values that are reflected in our Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights; and the ADC would like our great nation to be perceived in the world as a credible champion of the international rule of law. The ADC said that the invasion of Iraq and its continuous occupation has caused and continue to cause irreparable damage to the U.S. and Iraq in addition to further compromising the U.S. stand in the Arab world and beyond. The ADC called for an end to the occupation of Iraq, the full restoration of the Iraqi sovereignty and a free internationally supervised election of a democratic government for the Iraqi people. On the Middle East, the ADC said that any peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict should include ending the occupation of all Arab lands, ending all forms of collective punishment and destruction of Palestinian livelihood, the creation of an independent Palestinian state and the upholding of the right of return based oninternational law as reflected in the U.N. charter, human rights conventions and treaties and relevant United Nations resolutions. The ADC said it would like to see in the Arab world governments that are accountable to and reflect the aspirations and interests of their people The ADC urged Arab governments and all other political and social movements to spare no efforts in establishing laws and institutions that are the foundations of participatory democracy. Text of Resolutions: The Arab American community and its supporters gathered at the 21st Annual Convention of the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC), the nation's largest Arab-American membership organization, held in Arlington, Virginia, from the 10th to the 13th of June, 2004. At the Convention, the ADC Board of Directors adopted and committed the organization to the Following resolutions: 1. Whereas the October 11, 1985, terrorist attack on the ADC West Coast office and assassination of its Regional Director Alex Odeh has yet to see any of the perpetrators arrested or facing justice; be it resolved that ADC will continue to press this case until the guilty parties are arrested and brought to trial. 2. Whereas ADC is primarily a grassroots organization, dedicated to protecting the civil rights and liberties of people of Arab descent, and promoting their interests and concerns; and whereas the Patriot Act and related regulations adopted in the post September 11 era pose a serious challenge and curtailment of civil rights and liberties; and whereas the ADC membership strongly believes that the erosion of civil rights and liberties drastically undermines the foundation of American democracy; be it resolved that ADC will intensify its struggle and seek every opportunity to strengthen existing alliances and forge new ones with all others who share its commitment to the promotion and protection of civil rights and make extensive efforts toward repealing harmful provisions of the Patriot Act. 3. Whereas increasing the size and effectiveness of ADC is central to meeting the challenges the Arab-American community faces; and whereas ADC is strongly committed to the democratic principles, the ideals of inclusion and the benefits of diversity views; be it resolved that ADC will continue to pursue ambitions of growth by developing new chapters and offices and expanding existing ones, improving fundraising and the holding of membership drives; be it further resolved that ADC will continue to improve communication, transparency and accountability which are vital to the institutional growth of a grassroots organization. 4. Whereas ADC is committed to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East; and whereas any peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict should include ending the occupation of all Arab lands, ending all forms of collective punishment and destruction of Palestinian livelihood, the creation of an independent Palestinian state and the upholding of the right of return based on international law as reflected in the U.N. charter, human rights conventions and treaties and relevant United Nations resolutions; be it resolved that ADC will continue to advocate the right of the Palestinian people to equality, freedom and self-determination in an independent, viable and fully sovereign state. 5. Whereas ADC believes in the respect of independence and territorial integrity of all countries; and whereas the invasion of Iraq and its continuous occupation has caused and continue to cause irreparable damage to the U.S. and Iraq in addition to further compromising the U.S. stand in the Arab world and beyond; be it resolved that ADC calls for an end to the occupation of Iraq, the full restoration of the Iraqi sovereignty and a free internationally supervised election of a democratic government for the Iraqi people. 6. Whereas ADC condemns terrorism and all forms of violence against innocent civilians regardless of the source of such violence; and whereas it believes that effective eradication of terrorism requires a comprehensive approach including dealing with the political motivations and root causes of terrorism; and whereas ADC strongly believes that injustice breads insecurity and that effective fighting of terrorism requires the elimination of the underlying causes of injustice; be it resolved that ADC will urge our government to take a more comprehensive approach to fighting terrorism which would include seeking to eliminate the underlying causes of terrorism. 7. Whereas ADC believes that the U.S. should assume its leadership role in the world through the promotion of the values that are reflected in our Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights; and whereas ADC would like our great nation to be perceived in the world as a credible champion of the international rule of law; be it resolved that ADC calls on our government to uphold the international rule of law in its relations with other states and seek objectivity and evenhandedness as a general principle, especially as regards the Arab-Israeli conflict. 8. Whereas ADC rejects the notion of cultural or religious clash between the U.S. and the Arab and Islamic worlds; and whereas the Arab-American community can and should play a special role to facilitate exchange of concerns and education of both sides; and whereas ADC favors constructive engagement to the language of unhelpful sanctions and boycotts; be it resolved that ADC is committed to doing anything in its power to build bridges, improve understanding, and strengthen relations between the United States and the Arab world including the establishment of a think tank dedicated to such objectives. 9. Whereas ADC believes that in a democracy citizens should take an active part in the political life of their nations; and whereas ADC aims at the empowerment and mobilization of the Arab-American community which it believes has a great potential that has not been effectively mobilized; and whereas it believes in a coordinated effort both at national and local levels to achieve such effectiveness; be it resolved that ADC will do its utmost to organize and mobilize the Arab-American community, its friends and supporters, and will strongly encourage Arab-Americans to run for office, and to join ADC's efforts in engaging in voter registration drives, and contribute to and volunteer for political campaigns at local, state and federal levels. 10. Whereas ADC strongly believes that all persons, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin or religious affiliation should enjoy fundamental rights and basic freedoms; and whereas ADC believes that democracy and the rule of law are the best safeguards for the protection of such civil rights and freedoms; and whereas ADC would like to see in the Arab world governments that are accountable to and reflect the aspirations and interests of their people; be it resolved that ADC urges Arab governments and all other political and social movements to spare no efforts in establishing laws and institutions that are the foundations of participatory democracy. |