Miffed by the agonistic murder of 46-year old African-American, George Floyd, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Thursday condemned the killing of the American whose death in police custody on Monday was captured on video and has led to serious ongoing protests in Minneapolis.
In a statement by the international body, it said: “This is the latest in a long line of killings of unarmed African Americans by US police officers and members of the public,” Bachelet said.
“I am dismayed to have to add George Floyd’s name to that of Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Michael Brown and many other unarmed African Americans who have died over the years at the hands of the police — as well as people such as Ahmaud Arbery and Trayvon Martin who were killed by armed members of the public.”
“The US authorities must take serious action to stop such killings, and to ensure justice is done when they do occur. Procedures must change, prevention systems must be put in place, and above all police officers who resort to excessive use of force should be charged and convicted for the crimes committed.”
“I welcome the fact that the Federal authorities have announced that an investigation will be prioritized,” she said. “But in too many cases in the past, such investigations have led to killings being deemed justified on questionable grounds, or only being addressed by administrative measures.”
“The role that entrenched and pervasive racial discrimination plays in such deaths must also be fully examined, properly recognized and dealt with,” she added. While saying she understood the anger unleashed by Floyd’s killing, Bachelet urged people in Minneapolis and elsewhere to protest peacefully.
“Violence and destruction of property won’t solve the problem of police brutality and enshrined discrimination,” she said.
“I urge protestors to express their demands for justice peacefully, and I urge the police to take utmost care not enflame the current situation even more with any further use of excessive force.”
According to atqnews.com, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat had earlier condemned the murder of George Floyd by law enforcement officers, in the United States of America.
Recalling the historic Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU) Resolution on Racial Discrimination in the United States of America made by African Heads of State and Government, at the OAU’s First Assembly Meeting held in Cairo, Egypt from 17 to 24 July 1964, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission firmly reaffirms and reiterates the African Union’s rejection of the continuing discriminatory practices against Black citizens of the United States of America.
He further urges the authorities in the United States of America to intensify their efforts to ensure the total elimination of all forms of discrimination based on race or ethnic origin.
In a related development, dozens of Liberians have staged a peaceful protest at the United States embassy in Monrovia to show their concern and displeasure of the killing of a black man by police in Minneapolis.
According to gnnliberia,com, an online medium, the protesters called on the United States embassy in Monrovia to prevail on its government to speedily bring to justice the perpetrators involved in the murder of this innocent man, and further wondered as to why the blacks in the United States are always targeted by white police.
As the protests is said to be across the United States for the brutal death of George Floyd, Liberians themselves back home are also concerned and hoping that those involved will be brought to justice in order to serve as precedent for any would be perpetrators in the future.
