WASHINGTON: United Nations (UN) experts on racism emphasized the ongoing impact of slavery on the daily lives of Black people in the United States (US), calling for authorities at all levels to address this deeply entrenched issue.
The team of independent experts was formed in response to the death of a Black man, George Floyd, who was tortured and murdered by a white police officer in Minnesota in 2020.
During their 12-day visit, the UN experts held meetings with victims, civil society representatives, judiciary officials, police unions, and federal and local authorities in various cities including Washington, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, and New York.
Tracie Keesee, one of the team members, stated during a news conference that racial inequality in the US has persisted since the country’s inception and requires comprehensive reform and strong leadership at all levels.
UN experts highlight deep-rooted legacy of racial discrimination
She highlighted the deep-rooted legacy of racial discrimination in the daily lives of African descent communities, pointing out how encounters with law enforcement, from initial contact to arrest, detention, sentencing, and disenfranchisement, are permeated by racial discrimination.
The UN team’s interviews shed light on the exhaustion experienced by Black individuals in their daily lives, highlighting the additional stress faced by Black officers serving in law enforcement roles.
The team, officially known as the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Equality and Justice in the Context of Law Enforcement, will release a more comprehensive report in the future.
However, in their initial statement, the experts acknowledged various promising initiatives at the state level aimed at combating racial discrimination.
The statement also emphasized the urgency and moral responsibility to address the painful experiences of victims and support their calls for accountability.
The mechanism was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, one year after George Floyd’s murder, with the purpose of investigating allegations of racially motivated police violence worldwide.
