Holocaust Conference Gets Press

Today marks the start of a Holocaust affirming conference in Indonesia. I know, it's a surprise that the Islamic country is hosting such a thing, but it's true.

The event on the resort island of Bali -- attended by rabbis, Holocaust witnesses and Muslim leaders -- styled itself as an "anti-conference of Tehran", where a December 2006 meet cast doubt on the genocide of Jews during World War II, triggering worldwide condemnation.

Chairing the discreetly-organised conference is former Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid, known as Gus Dur, a moderate Islamic leader known to take courageous positions in Indonesia.

"Although I am a good friend of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, I have to say he is wrong," Gus Dur told the conference, referring to the Iranian president's dismissal of the Holocaust as a myth.

"He falsified history ... I believe the Holocaust happened."

What's sad about all this is that such a conference would be newsworthy at all. Generally conferences on history and world events don't garner media attention, but because this is a conference on the Holocaust, in a predominantly Muslim country of Indonesia, and they're affirming the Holocaust's existence, it is newsworthy. The Holocaust is part of history and the facts are present for all the world to see, and yet you have national leaders like Ahmadinejad who alternatively suggest the Holocaust didn't happen and that they want to finish the job.