Credit:  Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times  /  United Nations  Secretary-General António Guterres File photo

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS –  NEW YORK –  UN Secretary-General António Guterres Friday called for concerted global action to quash the “tsunami” of hate speech that has risen alongside the COVID-19 pandemic. A worrisome surge in anti-Chinese and racially-linked violence has accompanied the global spread of corona virus.  The UN chief warned against racial scapegoating.

 “COVID-19 does not care who we are, where we live, what we believe or about any other distinction. We need every ounce of solidarity to tackle it together. Yet the pandemic continues to unleash a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering”.

-UN Secretary-General António Guterres   

Guterres called on political leaders to build and reinforce social cohesion, while educational institutions were urged to focus on digital literacy at a time when billions of young people are online, where extremists are also lurking.  Guterres listed examples of hate speech that have surfaced during the crisis, ranging from anti-foreigner sentiment, to antisemitic conspiracy theories and attacks against Muslims.  He said migrants and refugees also have been “vilified” as a source of the virus and subsequently denied access to treatment, while “contemptible memes” suggest that older persons are the most expendable in the pandemic. He said the media, and particularly social media companies, can also do more to flag and remove racist, misogynist and other harmful content.

“I call on civil society to strengthen outreach to vulnerable people, and religious actors 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.”  –  UN Secretary General.