COVID-19 pandemic unleashing 'tsunami of hate,' says UN chief
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Friday the coronavirus pandemic keeps unleashing "a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scaremongering" and appealed for "an all-out effort to end hate speech globally."
Antonio Guterres says anti-foreigner sentiment has surged online and in the streets
The Associated Press · Posted: May 08, 2020 10:25 AM ET | Last Updated: May 8, 2020
Migrants who were part of a group of 76 Guatemalans deported from the United States board a bus upon arriving at the air force base in Guatemala City on May 4. (Johan Ordonez/AFP/Getty Images)
The UN chief said "anti-foreigner sentiment has surged online and in the streets, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories have spread, and COVID-19-related anti-Muslim attacks have occurred."
Guterres said migrants and refugees "have been vilified as a source of the virus — and then denied access to medical treatment."
"With older persons among the most vulnerable, contemptible memes have emerged suggesting they are also the most expendable. And journalists, whistleblowers, health professionals, aid workers and human rights defenders are being targeted simply for doing their jobs."
Guterres called on political leaders to show solidarity with all people, and on educational institutions to focus on "digital literacy" at a time when "extremists are seeking to prey on captive and potentially despairing audiences."
Migrant farm labourers are checked in the company living quarters of Fresh Harvest before boarding a bus to head to work in King City, Calif., on April 28. (Brent Stirton/Getty Images)
He called on the media, especially social media, to "remove racist, misogynist and other harmful content," on civil society to strengthen their outreach to vulnerable people, and on religious figures to serve as "models of mutual respect."
"And I ask everyone, everywhere, to stand up against hate, treat each other with dignity and take every opportunity to spread kindness," Guterres said.
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The secretary general stressed that COVID-19 "does not care who we are, where we live, what we believe or about any other distinction."
His global appeal to address and counter COVID-19-related hate speech follows his April 23 message calling the coronarivus pandemic "a human crisis that is fast becoming a human rights crisis."
Guterres said the pandemic has seen "disproportionate effects on certain communities, the rise of hate speech, the targeting of vulnerable groups, and the risks of heavy-handed security responses undermining the health response."
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With "rising ethno-nationalism, populism, authoritarianism and a push back against human rights in some countries, the crisis can provide a pretext to adopt repressive measures for purposes unrelated to the pandemic," he warned.
In February, Guterres issued a call to action to countries, businesses and people to help renew and revive human rights across the globe, laying out a seven-point plan amid concerns about climate change, conflict and repression.
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