Skip to main content

Those Behind Igbo Quit Notice Must Be Prosecuted – UN Experts


United Nations human rights experts have called for the prosecution of those behind the ultimatum issued to the Igbo to leave the north by October 1,Thecble reports.

On June 6, some northern youth groups led by Arewa Consultative Forum asked the Igbo to leave the region within three months. The groups also threatened to take over the property of the Igbo in the north.

But they withdrew the ultimatum last Thursday; a few days after President Muhammadu Buhari declared that Nigerians were free to live anywhere in the country.

The experts, Mutuma Ruteere, special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Fernand de Varennes, special rapporteur on minority issues, and Anastasia Crickley, chairperson of the committee on the elimination of racial discrimination, described the ultimatum as a “grave concern”.

They also deplored a hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on social media targeting the Igbo.

According to a statement issued by the experts, the Hausa-language audio message urges northern Nigerians to destroy the property of Igbo people and kill anyone who refuses to leave by 1 October, the same date given in the ultimatum.

“We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence,” they said.

“The government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.”
The human rights experts said though some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, other officials still needed to follow suit.

“We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators,” the experts said.

“We call on the government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”
The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished.

“This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message,” they added
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stevie Wonder throws 'swaggy 16th birthday' party for his son, buys him a Mercedes

R&B icon Stevie Wonder, whose son Kailand turned 16 on Saturday had a 'swaggy birthday' ceremony for his son at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles. The famous singer lit up the house with his rendition of his famous “Happy Birthday” song before his son's favourite rapper, Travis Scott performed at the bash. Stevie who divorced Kailand’s mother in 2015 after 14 years of marriage, presented him with a brand new $150,000 Mercedes Benz SUV. The birthday party was attended by Kailand’s mom Kai Milla Morris, Kailand’s 12-year-old brother Mandla Kadjay Carl Stevland Morris,  Celebrity kids on the guest list included Toni Braxton‘s son Diezel, 14, and rocker Travis Barker‘s kids, son Landon, 13, and daughter Alabama Luella Barker, 11. Kailand's mother Morris also distributed mock weed candy called “Koko Nuggz,” a THC-free gourmet chocolate shaped like cannabis buds as give away to the guests in the building. More photos below..
Post a Comment
Read more

Amber Rose is photo'd out wearing a pink onesie that generated controversy with fans saying she looks like a thot

Amber Rose was photographed leaving a dermatologist center in Beverly Hills just hours before the VMAs and she was dressed in a pink onesie that hugged her curves in an unflattering way. The outfit was so snug, it outlined every curve and dip on her body. Her ample cleavage was also on display. She later took to Instagram to share a video of herself getting injected in the face with botox. Fans called her out for the video, saying she doesn't need all that at her age. The photo of her leaving the clinic also received criticisms. Some said she looks like a thot. Others said she looks way older than 33 and even compared her to 44-year-old Gabrielle Union, saying she looks older than the actress who is 11 years her senior. See the photo below.
Post a Comment
Read more

iPhone 8 Launch Set for September 12 as Apple Sends Press Invites

Your wait for the next iPhone is almost over. Apple on Thursday sent out media invitations for its next major event on September 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater at its new campus in Cupertino. The company is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 8, among other products, at the much anticipated event, ten years after the original iPhone was launched. At the event, the Cupertino-headquartered company is expected to announce as many as three iPhone models, including a high-end iPhone 8. The company is also expected to announce an upgrade to its Apple TV media streaming device, bringing support for 4K and HDR technologies. The new iPhone models are expected to not feature the traditional Touch ID fingerprint scanner, and instead house 3D sensors to enable facial recognition feature. Apple made the fingerprint scanner popular on smartphones, so it will be interesting to see how the company attempts to set the next trend for authentication on phones. According to earlier reports, the iPh...
Post a Comment
Read more