by Eric Ture Muhammad
Staff Writer

ATLANTA (FinalCall.com)�Not since the Pan-African Conference of Manchester, England in 1945, some have said, has there been such a concentrated debate on challenges facing Blacks in Africa, the United States, Caribbean and Diaspora. The State of the Black World Conference held, Nov. 28-Dec. 2, at the Georgia International Convention Center sought to bring Black issues to the forefront as the world is preoccupied with war and terrorism.

The conference theme, "Creating Our 21st Century," allowed delegates from several countries to debate issues of health, war, economics, terrorism, religion, slavery, politics, imprisonment, law, communications, and family. Their next assignment is to network strategies and solutions through a proposed Institute of the Black World.

The goals of the institute are to become a facilitative network that prints publications and does research, with a website and a communications network that allows people to link together and see who is doing what, said convenor Ron Daniels.

The aims of the confab were simple to define but not as easy to accomplish. They were:

� To identify the critical issues facing Blacks

� Provide training to enhance the collective capacity to engage perceived threats to Black liberation

� Provide special attention to Black youth.

Other goals include bridging gaps and healing "the painful and harmful divisions between the various peoples of African descent within the African/Black family. Groups such as African Americans, Africans on the continent, Africans from the Caribbean and Afro-Latinos," said Mr. Daniels.

In 25 sessions, two dinners and hallway conversations, participants were able to talk with one another on common issues.

Though not well publicized among Atlanta locals, delegates arrived from practically every state. Delegations came from England, France, Canada, Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

Africa and South America were represented via several organizations and religious groups. They included the Organization of Africans in the Americas (OAA), The Durban 400 and the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N�COBRA). The OAA announced "The First Summit for Youth of African Descent in the Americas," to be held, March 9-24, 2002 in Mar Del Plata, Argentina. The Durban 400, organized by the December 12th Movement and the National Black United Front, announced an August 2002 march on Washington, D.C. called "The Million Mass Demonstration to Demand Reparations."

Organizers said Blacks must create a 21st century rather than have one imposed on them�especially since the Sept. 11 assault on America.

"(W.E.B.) DuBois� prophesy that the color-line would be the principal problem of the 20th century would appear to be relevant in the 21st century as well," Mr. Daniels said.

"The Black world is in extreme danger now and that danger is going to grow to the extent that the Black world allows it," commented Dr. David Graham Du Bois, president of the W.E. B. Du Bois Foundation, Inc., and son of W.E.B. and Shirley Graham DuBois. He argues the "war against terrorism" is a western war on the developing world to continue domination and exploitation.

"Our lack of unity is our most serious weakness. Our inability to work together toward the defense of the Black and brown communities directly in this country, and the Black world in general" has to be overcome, Dr. DuBois said.

"We all understand and we all feel the pain of what happened on Sept. 11," said Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), during a town hall meeting. "We are not immune to sympathy, pain and sorrow. We know what terrorism is all about. We have the experiences and the basis for providing leadership now and we must say, �we not only sympathize with the victims of 9-11 ... but at the same time we are doing this, we must not continue down the same road that we are continuing down," she warned.

Bombing Afghanistan and watching the poorest of poor people fight each other and die brings no joy, Rep. Waters said.

She warned of dangers inherent in a rash of anti-terrorism legislation passed and executive orders signed. The danger is that these laws can be imposed on anybody, said the outspoken lawmaker.

Since Sept. 11 activists admit issues such as the election 2000 fiasco, Cincinnati riots, welfare reform, HIV/AIDS prevention, capital punishment and youth incarceration have dropped off of radar screens. Still, they said, calls for justice at home should not be silenced by war abroad.

In national politics, it has been said that the left and progressive forces have disappeared. They have not disappeared, "instead our voices have been muted," said Dr. Julienne Malveaux.

Even with Sept. 11, the U.S. has ignored the plight of the people at the bottom and Blacks, in particular, who were severely traumatized by the terrorist attack, she said.

"There is nothing coming out of contemporary policy that suggests there is any effort to bring any kind of economic transformation to those who have been hit both by the recession and the aftermath of 9-11," added the economist.

"My only purpose for living is to speak truth and to see our people liberated," said Min. Ava Muhammad, quoting a message from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to the gathering. "But we can�t be free if we are restricted by fear and terror," she said.

Min. Ava said the Nation of Islam minister was unable to attend due to health constraints. She urged conference goers to keep working for justice and unity, despite opposition.

"One day history will be kind to you and I, to Bro. Ron, for calling this conference and standing up," said Min. Ava.

The diversity of the gathering was seen at every level. Keynote presenters included Min. Ava; Rev. Al Sharpton; Pam Africa of MOVE and the movement to free Mumia Abu Jamal; Malika Sanders of The 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement; Martin Luther King III of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Dr. Leonard Dunston, president emeritus of the National Association of Black Social Workers and Dr. Ramona Edelin, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation executive director.

Participants included the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Tavis Smiley and entertainer Chris Tucker.

Abasi Shamari Baruti, of Lincoln College in Missouri, hopes the conference Youth Caucus becomes solid. "We want to create a national organization of youth. Secondly, I hope that as this thing gels together, that the elders will pass down the torch and let us run with it," said the 24-year-old.

Youth offered fresh ideas for reaching their peers, observed Nation of Islam Youth Representative, Min. Ashahed M. Muhammad. A major focus of youth leaders will be getting young people to understand the need for reparations and how it is tied to larger struggles for justice.

The State of the Black World conference fits into a 170-year tradition of organizing strategies, said Dr. Conrad Worrill, of the National Black United Front.

From early anti-slavery meetings to the Garvey Movement conventions of the 1920s, the National Negro Congress meetings in the late 1930s and �40s, Saviour�s Day conventions under the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Black Power conferences of the 1960s�to right into Atlanta, 31 years ago, at the Congress of African People�Blacks have had important gatherings, he said.

At this conference, there was a tremendous youth outpouring connected with veteran activists, organizers and scholars for an inter-generational connection, Mr. Worrill said.

Leslie Voltaire, a Haitian government minister, came to the conference to promote Haiti�s bicentennial in 2004. "The American revolution was made by slave owners. The French revolution was made by slave owners, but the Haitian revolution was made by the slaves themselves. This is why Thomas Jefferson silenced it, Napoleon silenced it, the whole establishment silenced it and we want to break the silence," he explained.

The Haiti leader told The Final Call the conference was mainly focused on American Blacks and greater participation from African and Caribbean nations was needed.

But, he added, there is a Black World that supports Black America�s freedom struggle.

Min. Akbar Muhammad, Nation of Islam international representative, said an important subject for the conference to consider is the land question in Africa.

With Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe giving land to his people, the trend is contagious, Min. Akbar said. He explained that land disputes exist in many African nations, such as Botswana, Namibia, Kenya and South Africa.

The political situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also important, and the eastern conflict is fueled by America�s support of Uganda and Rwanda, he said. The Congo is one of three strategic countries in Africa engaged in conflict, the others are Nigeria and the Sudan, Min. Akbar explained.

Dr. Imari Obadele, of the Provisional Government of the Republic of New Afrika, answered questions on the possibility of an independent state. Mr. Obadele painfully noted as well, that Blacks have yet to get a firm grip on reoccurring issues in the world and how issues offer a terrific struggle.

"Our coming together here in Atlanta is an important milestone in the Reparations Movement," said City College of New York Dr. Leonard Jeffries. "All of the various groups dealing with reparations, many of them are here, N�COBRA, Black United Front and a whole host of other organizations are here to form unity around the question and to develop a Black agenda and the instruments to carry that agenda out."

The conference closed with plans for compiling a skills bank for young leaders and a follow-up meeting in Haiti in 2004. The site for 2003 session is still to be determined, organizers said.

"I am hoping that the conference will inspire action," said radio deejay Tom Joyner, who spoke at a plenary session. "It�s one thing to talk about what the problems are and it�s another thing to do something about the problems. This is the first step, to talk about it, and after that I hope we can be proactive and get some things done," he said.