United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, has condemned United States (US) President Donald Trump’s executive order banning entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries into the US.
“Discrimination on nationality alone is forbidden under human rights law,” the UN human rights chief warned in a Tweet published by the UN human rights office Twitter handle.
"Discrimination on nationality alone is forbidden under #humanrights law" – @UNHumanRights Chief #Zeid pic.twitter.com/EpYpEpyYrf
— UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) January 30, 2017
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There have been massive protests in the US following several executive orders President Trump has signed since assuming office, which have not gone down well with many. One of those protests involved one of former president Barack Obama’s daughters.
The executive order that has really get the world talking and many protesting is the order banning migrants, and the UN human rights chief has said “The US ban is… mean-spirited and wastes resources needed for proper counter-terrorism”.
It is yet to be known if the UN will be able to prevail over President Trump or what measures it will apply to reversing the order, but with regards to international organizations, UN agencies have jointly appealed to Washington to withdraw the Trump’s anti-refugee decision, reminding that “the needs of refugees and migrants worldwide have never been greater, and the US resettlement program is one of the most important in the world”.
In one of those appeals, Zeid said, “Today’s events in the world make many among us anxious, even fearful.
“We see human beings in pain; decent values under attack; messages of hatred and intolerance, divisive visions of the world, which drive increasing selfishness.
“In this toxic tide of hatred which is slowly rising in many societies, some of the deepest, most essential principles which safeguard peaceful societies risk being swept away.
“We need to stop this, and I believe we can”.
Meanwhile, adamant President Trump has explained why the immigration backlash does not bother him.
“Anger? There’s plenty of that right now. How can you have more?
“David, David – I mean, I know you’re a sophisticated guy. The world is a mess. The world is as angry as it gets.
“What, you think this is going to cause a little more anger? The world is an angry place,” Trump said in an interview with ABC’s David Muir.