HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SAYS GREATEST TRIBUTE TO DONALD WOODS IS TO CONTINUE STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY AND DIGNITY

20 August 2001




High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson said today the untimely death of South African editor Donald Woods “deprives the world of a great freedom fighter and humanist”.

“We feel his death even more acutely because it has come on the eve of the World Conference against Racism, a process which seeks to enshrine the values Donald fought so valiantly for”, said Mrs. Robinson, who is the Secretary-General of the Durban Conference, which runs from 31 August to 7 September.

“Our thoughts are with Donald’s family in this time of pain and grief”, she said. “I believe the greatest tribute we could pay to Donald and all those who have dedicated their lives to the struggle for human dignity and equality is to make a real breakthrough against racism at Durban. This we can do if we address together the wrongs of the past, show a true spiriti of solidarity in addressing their effects and adopt a practical programme to counter contemporary forms of racism and discrimination”.



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