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UN Rights Official in Blackface is ‘Racist & Offensive’

UN Rights Official in Blackface is ‘Racist & Offensive’ – UN Watch


Geneva, December 1, 2017 – The non-governmental human rights group UN Watch today called on UN chief Antonio Guterres and human rights commissioner Zeid to take action over the latest offensive actions by UNHRC expert Alfred de Zayas. Letter below.
________
UN Watch Letter to UN Secretary-General
and High Commissioner for Human Rights
Click here for PDF

1 December 2017
Re: Blackface Photo Posted by UN Human Rights Official
Dear Secretary General and High Commissioner,
We have received disturbing information alleging that UN Human Rights Council official Alfred de Zayas has posted on his blog a photo of himself in blackface, which he termed “in colonial identity.”
Given that your own United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent has determined that the practice of blackface perpetuates a negative stereotype and derogatory image of Africans and people of African descent, who consider that this practice is rooted in unacceptable, colonial attitudes that they find racist and offensive— with elements linked to enslavement—we urge you to (a) investigate the allegation, and, if proven true, condemn Mr. de Zayas’ actions; (b) demand that the photo be removed immediately from his website, and that he apologize to people of African Descent.
Excellencies, this latest racial allegation underscores grave concerns we have raised repeatedly over Mr. de Zayas’ revisionist history of World War II which has made him a hero to Holocaust deniers, and over his support for oppressive regimes such as Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela, where he is now on an official UN visit—orchestrated by the Maduro regime, but supported by your funds and officials—which he is using to post propaganda photos of well-stocked stores, when in fact millions are hungry. Mr. de Zayas discredits the United Nations. We urge you to call on him to go—immediately.
Yours sincerely,
Hillel C. Neuer
Executive Director

https://www.unwatch.org/un-rights-official-blackface-racist-offensive-un-watch/

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