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UN Racism Debate Produces Calls for Inquiry Into Floyd's Death

Lisa Schlein

   GENEVA - Participants in a debate Wednesday at the U.N. Human Rights
   Council on systemic racism have called for an independent investigation
   into the death of African American George Floyd in police custody in
   Minneapolis.

   The council meeting began with a moment of silence for all the victims
   of racial injustice.

   In opening the debate, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed
   said merely condemning expressions and acts of racism was not enough to
   alleviate generations of suffering resulting from racial injustice.

   Speaking by teleconference from New York, she said the debate was
   taking place as marches for racial justice and equality take place
   around the world.

   'Enough'

   Mohammed said the "most recent trigger" for the protests was the Floyd
   case, "but the violence spans history and borders alike, across the
   globe. Today, people are saying, loudly and movingly, 'Enough.' The
   United Nations has a duty to respond to the anguish that has been felt
   by so many for so long."

   In Geneva, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet
   deplored the death of Floyd and said it had come to symbolize the
   systemic racism that harms millions of people of African descent.

   "It has brought to a head the outrage of people who feel they are
   neither adequately served, nor adequately heard, by their governments,"
   Bachelet said. "It has brought to their feet millions of allies --
   people who are now beginning to acknowledge the realities of systemic
   discrimination suffered by others, and to join their demand that every
   person in their countries be treated with equality, fairness and
   respect."

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