Credit / UN News/Daniel Dickinson  /  George Floyd, an African American, was killed after being restrained by police in the United States.

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK –  The UN Human Rights Commission will launch a report to address systemic racism against people of African descent by law enforcement agencies amid the  George Floyd death. The unarmed African-American’s death on 25 May was captured on video while a police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes in Minneapolis, sparking worldwide protest.  However, the UN HRC did not go far enough  and order the more serious  “commission of inquiry”   the council’s most intrusive form of scrutiny,  specifically against the United States.  There were reports of “pressure” by Washington to delete any specific reference to the U.S.    African countries initially presented a resolution that had more bite and mentioned the U.S. that called for an international investigation into police violence against people of African descent America.

George Floyd’s Brother Addressed UN Human Rights Council

Many expressed sympathy for the family of Mr. Floyd, whose brother also addressed Council members in Geneva, in a passionate pre-recorded video message in which he urged the United Nations to act.

Some delegates had called for an international probe to investigate killings of black people in America, and violence against demonstrators, others maintained that the issue impacted on all nations, and required a broader approach. In line with the final version of the resolution text, the High Commissioner should “prepare a report on systemic racism, violations of international human rights law against Africans and people of African descent by law enforcement agencies, especially those incidents that resulted in the death of George Floyd and other Africans and of people of African descent”.

Floyd delivered his message in the Council’s first Urgent Debate on racism, alleged police brutality and violence against protesters, who have marched by the million, after being sickened by the manner of George Floyd’s death, called by the African Group of nations.

“You watched my brother die.  That could have been me,” he said in an impassioned recording. “I am my brother’s keeper. You in the United Nations are your brothers’ and sisters’ keepers in America, and you have the power to help us get justice for my brother George Floyd.  I am asking you to help him.  I am asking you to help me. I am asking you to help us. Black people in America.” 

-Philonise Floyd,  brother  of  George Floyd 

In his address to Member States as coordinator of the African Group, Dieudonné W. Désiré Sougouri, Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso to the United Nations Office, declared the Urgent Debate “an historic step” in the combat against racism of which the Human Rights Council could be “proud”.

“The international outrage caused by the tragic events that led to the death of George Floyd underlined the urgency and importance for the Human Rights Council to raise its voice against injustice and police brutality which African people and people of African descent are faced with every day in many regions of the world,” he added.