A U.N. conference against racism is in danger of being derailed by
arguments over the term Holocaust and disputes over reparations for slavery and colonialism,
Amnesty International said Wednesday.


In a report released Wednesday, the human rights group detailed U.S. federal and state justice
systems, which it said are ''riddled with racial discrimination,'' and called on the Bush
administration to resolve disputes that have marred preparations for the racism conference.


In meetings ahead of the conference, member states have argued over whether Holocaust
should refer specifically to Nazi atrocities against the Jews, or genocide in general, Amnesty's
international program director Claudio Cordone said Wednesday.


Preparations for the Aug. 31 opening of the World Conference Against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance have also been bogged down by disputes
over how to deal with the legacy of the slave trade and colonialism, he said.