GENEVA: The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday called for vigilance in the face of far-right political gains in Europe, citing narratives that dehumanize migrants and asylum seekers.
“We need to be very vigilant because especially history tells us, in particular in Europe, that the vilification of the other, that the denigration of the other, is a harbinger for what’s to come,” Volker Turk told reporters at a press conference in Geneva. “It’s an alarm bell we need to ring.”
Far-right parties made gains in the European Parliament last month and France is holding a run-off election this weekend where opponents of its far-right, anti-immigrant National Rally are seeking to block them from power.
As an Austrian, whose country became a hotbed of anti-Semitism in the 1930s and participated in the Holocaust after its annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938, Turk has previously cited a desire to prevent future atrocities as part of his inspiration to run for the top UN rights job.
Formerly a senior official at the UN refugee agency, Turk fought for years to boost their protections.
“In Europe we have unfortunately seen an increase in hate speech, an increase in discriminatory speech, and it’s important that political leaders are very clear that there should be zero tolerance for hate speech and for any attempt to denigrate others,” he said.
Turk blamed the rise of populist, extremist politics on the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, including rising living costs, that have “disenfranchised, disillusioned, a large segment of the population.
“The traditional political parties never are self-reflective about how they actually could do their job in order to respond to legitimate grievances that populations and constituencies have,” he added.
Turk, who is nearly half way through his four-year term as UN rights chief and whose job is to speak out against attacks on freedoms, said he had hoped to use his position to make an impact on global issues like climate change.
However, he said wars including those in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan had forced him into “crisis management” mode.
“We have seen the normalization of things that, frankly, were quite unthinkable, even a couple of years ago,” he said.
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UN rights chief warns about rise of far-right in Europe
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UN rights chief warns about rise of far-right in Europe
- Far-right parties made gains in the European Parliament last month
- “In Europe we have unfortunately seen an increase in hate speech, an increase in discriminatory speech,” Turk said
French forces use tear gas to clear protesters protecting condemned cows
LES BORDES SURE ARIZE: Veterinarians arrived at a French farm Friday under police escort to slaughter a herd of cows suffering from a potentially deadly disease, an AFP reporter said, after police used tear gas to clear away angry protesters trying to protect the animals.
Farmers have staged protests in several parts of France in recent days, accusing the authorities of not doing enough to support them.
Hundreds of agricultural workers have demonstrated for two days outside the farm in the southern area of Ariege near the Spanish border.
They set up a cordon around the farm after the authorities on Wednesday said that more than 200 Blonde d’Aquitaine cows at the farm had nodular dermatitis — widely known as lumpy skin disease — and would have to be euthanized.
Gendarmes used tear gas late Thursday to fight their way past dozens of farmers who stayed after nightfall to blockade the farm in the village of Les Bordes-sur-Arize, while protesters hurled stones, branches and other makeshift missiles as hay bales burnt in the background.
Four people were arrested, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
Several farmers and supporters had earlier chopped down trees and set up barricades to stop veterinary staff from entering to carry out the killing.
Regional prefect Herve Brabant said that the brothers who owned the farm had agreed to have the herd slaughtered in line with precautions against the disease.
But Pierre-Guillaume Mercadal, of the local Rural Confederation union leading the protest, said one brother had agreed and one was opposed.
“They are tearing this family apart,” he said.
- ‘In shock’ -
Marina Verge, 33, the daughter of one of the owners, on Wednesday told AFP that killing the cows amounted to destroying “almost 40 years” of their life’s work.
“They’re in shock, it’s unimaginable. They didn’t expect it,” she said.
“You don’t imagine finding yourself without livestock overnight.”
Other cases have also been detected in the region and some 3,000 of the 33,000 cattle in Ariege have already been vaccinated.
Lumpy skin disease, which cannot be passed to humans but can be fatal for cattle, first appeared in France in June. French authorities insist the outbreak is under control and that they are preparing a mass vaccination program.
The World Organization for Animal Health says that cases have also been reported in Italy this year.
According to the European Food Safety Authority, the disease is present in many African countries.
In 2012, it spread from the Middle East to Greece, Bulgaria and the Balkans. A vaccination program halted that epidemic.
Farmers have staged protests in several parts of France in recent days, accusing the authorities of not doing enough to support them.
Hundreds of agricultural workers have demonstrated for two days outside the farm in the southern area of Ariege near the Spanish border.
They set up a cordon around the farm after the authorities on Wednesday said that more than 200 Blonde d’Aquitaine cows at the farm had nodular dermatitis — widely known as lumpy skin disease — and would have to be euthanized.
Gendarmes used tear gas late Thursday to fight their way past dozens of farmers who stayed after nightfall to blockade the farm in the village of Les Bordes-sur-Arize, while protesters hurled stones, branches and other makeshift missiles as hay bales burnt in the background.
Four people were arrested, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
Several farmers and supporters had earlier chopped down trees and set up barricades to stop veterinary staff from entering to carry out the killing.
Regional prefect Herve Brabant said that the brothers who owned the farm had agreed to have the herd slaughtered in line with precautions against the disease.
But Pierre-Guillaume Mercadal, of the local Rural Confederation union leading the protest, said one brother had agreed and one was opposed.
“They are tearing this family apart,” he said.
- ‘In shock’ -
Marina Verge, 33, the daughter of one of the owners, on Wednesday told AFP that killing the cows amounted to destroying “almost 40 years” of their life’s work.
“They’re in shock, it’s unimaginable. They didn’t expect it,” she said.
“You don’t imagine finding yourself without livestock overnight.”
Other cases have also been detected in the region and some 3,000 of the 33,000 cattle in Ariege have already been vaccinated.
Lumpy skin disease, which cannot be passed to humans but can be fatal for cattle, first appeared in France in June. French authorities insist the outbreak is under control and that they are preparing a mass vaccination program.
The World Organization for Animal Health says that cases have also been reported in Italy this year.
According to the European Food Safety Authority, the disease is present in many African countries.
In 2012, it spread from the Middle East to Greece, Bulgaria and the Balkans. A vaccination program halted that epidemic.
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