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UN human rights chief calls for reparations over racism from Western powers

Saturday, 03 July 2021 2:21 AM [ Last Update: Saturday, 03 July 2021 2:21 AM ]

Ahmed Kaballo

Press TV, London

"Stop denying racism, start dismantling it''; those were the unequivocal comments by Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations human rights chief following a landmark report launched after the killing of George Floyd in the United States, which called on countries worldwide to do more to tackle the systemic racism against people of African descent.

The report found that police use of racial profiling and excessive force was systemic in much of North America, Europe, and Latin America.

It also concluded that racism was the biggest problem in countries steeped in the history of the transatlantic slave trade, which ultimately lay the foundations for much of the wealth they enjoy today.

The report highlighted the UK as one of 60 countries that need to do more to help bring an end to systemic racism. Notably, urging them to apologize to people of African descent and make amends through reparations. Yet, despite playing a leading role in the transatlantic slave trade so far the British state has shown an unwillingness to do either.

Michelle Bachelet acknowledged the pivotal role that the Black Lives Matter movement played in bringing this conservation to the forefront but accepted that now it's on states around the world to take concrete action and “make amends for centuries of violence and discrimination." But for countries like the United Kingdom just issuing an apology would be a start.

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