They call for reparations for descendants of slaves, and specific recognition of the rights of the Dalits in South Asia, Travelers Sinti and Roma in Europe, the descendants of the diasporic Asians, people with disabilities, and victim of environmental racism -- which often means creating or dumping of pollution in the areas with minority population.

It also calls for specific protection for indigenous peoples everywhere in the world, migrant workers, victims of HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities, Africans and African descendants, and gays and lesbians.

In the more controversial sections it both affirms "the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and independence and freedom," and supports "the existence of the State of Israel, the assertion of the right to self determination of the Jewish people and the attempts through the state of Israel, to preserve their cultural and religious identity."

However, the same package of documents, also declares "Israel as a racist, apartheid state in which Israel's brand of apartheid as a crime against humanity has been characterized by separation and segregation, dispossession, restricted land access, denationalization, 'Bantustanization' and inhumane acts."

Although the document does not equate Zionism with racism, as some NGO delegations had suggested, the working group agreed on language that said Israel was perpetrating "a new form of apartheid."

The United Nations itself did not escape criticism in the documents that were to be turned over to the governmental delegates meeting at the International Conference Center (ICC).

The preamble says the NGO group recognized "that the structure of the Security Council perpetuates economic and social injustice and racism" and called upon the United Nations to "restructure the Security council to address the imbalance in voting powers that has resulted in the perpetuating of racism for decades"

The group suggested a change of the format gives five permanent members permanent veto power.

The package also claims that "the global economic institutions such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Organizations are dominated by theG7countries and that they perpetuate economic and social injustices in the developing nations."

The text called upon "the United Nations to urgently review and address the structural imbalances and inequalities in such institutions, in order to ensure equal access of opportunity and equality between developed and developing nations." "Globalization," it said, " is not in fact about globalization, but about Americanization and Europeanization. It is economically oriented racism and casteism."

The language of the final document was whittled down from, then added to, preparation documents from some 7,000 persons representing several hundred non-governmental organizations from more than 150 countries.

After the early morning meeting broke up Saturday, the English language text was turned over to clerical and language volunteers, who began translating it into Spanish and French and making several thousand copies.

Although an NGO plenary was organized for 9 AM the text was not ready in any language, and the meeting had to be postponed. After open discussion on the final draft, organizers scheduled close by caucuses of "theme" groups, and another plenary for final approval.

The document also said:

• that rich nations owe their wealth to "those they enslaved, colonized and occupied," and "should recognize their obligation to provide these victims just and equitable reparations."
• "reparations programs must be comprehensive enough in addressing all areas of concern including economic, educational, health and land ownership and possession as well as the racially biased systems of administration of justice that brutalize Africans and people of African descent.
• "Anti-Semitism is one of the oldest, most pernicious and prevalent forms of racism which still exists and is even increasing in many areas of the world."
• "Education is critically important in combating and preventing prejudice as well as the protection of individual human rights..."
• nations should end discrimination based on "factors such as race, class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age disability citizenship, national identity geo-political context, health, including HIV/AIDS status and any other status..."
• "Indigenous peoples continue to suffer the loss of their territories and resources, the destruction of their cultures, and violence directed at their peoples."