I wish to thank the Special Rapporteur for his valuable work against racism, and to address two areas of his report.

Dr. Diene, in Addendum 1 you mention Libya's treatment of ethnic and religious minorities. In Addenda 3 and 4, you envision a multicultural society based on two principles: respect for historical truth and non-discrimination against minorities.

As a victim of Libyan discrimination, I agree: only with historical truth can we build a better future.

Today I celebrate my heritage by wearing my traditional ethnic dress. I also mourn the destruction of my culture.

One million Jews lived in the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf region at the turn of the century. Today, less than five thousand remain.

Their plight has been ignored by the international community.

Their story is my story.

In 1948, there were thirty-six thousand Jews living in Libya. Today, there are none. During the 1967 Six Day War between Israel and her Arab neighbors, mobs took to the streets and shouted, "Edbah el Yehud!" — "Slaughter the Jews!"

They burned my father's warehouse and came to burn our home.

An honorable Muslim neighbor stopped them, and saved our lives.

One month later, the government ordered the expulsion of all Jews from Libya, where my family had lived for hundreds of years. They confiscated our homes and all our assets.

We were given this one-way travel document — never allowed to return.

My family was put on a bus to the airport. Suddenly, the bus stopped. The bus driver and conductor got off, and tried to burn the vehicle with us in it. We were rescued from certain death by two Christian friends.

Our trauma remains. Yet I come before this Council today bearing no hatred, but only these historical truths:

• Jews are an indigenous people of the Middle East, having lived in the region for over 2,500 years.
• Jews were victimized by decrees enacted by Arab regimes — as documented in this report by Justice for Jews from Arab Countries— which subjected them to arbitrary arrest, confiscation of property and expulsions.
• The UNHCR has twice ruled that Jews fleeing from Arab countries were 'bona fide' refugees, victims of the Arab-Israeli conflict.