In the UK, the rights of people of African descent are neglected; these people are regularly subject to discrimination in all spheres of society.
These are not my personal views, but the conclusions reached by the relevant UN mechanisms. A report on the situation with people of African descent has been posted on the website of the UN Human Rights Council.
Below are just some excerpts from the document:
“The [UN] Working Group is deeply concerned about the human rights situation of people of African descent in the UK. Stark and unsustainable inequalities are underpinned by systemic racism, bias, racially disparate and discriminatory policing, and surveillance and control of people of African descent.” (Item 17)
“The criminal justice system in the UK is a site of racial disparity, institutional racism, and individual bias, including in policing, prosecutions, and the courts.” (Item 21)
“Parents, attorneys, and civil society report administrative processes governing school suspension and permanent exclusion are coercive, draconian, and an ongoing site of institutional racism.” (Item 34)
“At the university level, Black students and scholars reported inequitable admissions procedures. In Northern Ireland universities, Black students, staff, and researchers reported systemic racism, underrepresentation, inequality in funding and opportunity for advancement or promotion, erasure of intellectual contributions relating to people of African descent in Northern Ireland, and more.” (Item 38)
“Black women reported being ignored or disbelieved and navigating institutional racism throughout pregnancy and childbirth as a norm. Black babies are stillborn at twice the rate of white babies.” (Item 41)
Quoting every item would take too long, but along with education, justice and healthcare, institutional racism has also infiltrated the legal system, labour and employment practice, economy, and entertainment industry of Great Britain.
The document cites bone-chilling incidents. Item 26 tells about a British woman named Aisha Cleary, who was put in prison and placed in solitary confinement despite being pregnant; she gave birth but her newborn infant died.
In another case, Chris Kaba was shot dead by police officers driving an unmarked police car, who failed to inform anyone of the incident. Sean Rigg died after he was restrained by police officers for several minutes. Oladeji Omishore drowned in the Thames after police tased him on a bridge. (Item 20)
These are just a few cases of “English democracy.”
A truly misanthropic and arrogant island nation that has failed to condemn its own colonial ways, and ruled by a family known for its long-standing affinity for various chauvinist movements, including Nazism – this is the UK today.
