January 2024 — Page 2 of 14 — Human Rights & Charity

Gaza: ‘Simply not enough food’ to go around, warn UN humanitarians

“There is simply not enough food,” UNRWA tweeted on social platform X, formerly Twitter, with photographs from another city slightly further north, Deir-al-Balah, showing people queuing “in the rain and cold” for relief supplies.

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In its latest situation update, UN aid coordination office OCHA reported heavy fighting in Khan Younis close to two hospitals: Nasser – where many wounded patients have “no options for treatment amid ongoing heavy fighting and bombing”, citing Médecins Sans Frontières – and Al Amal – where the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported continuing bombardment of the immediate vicinity.

There were also reports of Palestinians fleeing south to Rafah “which is already overcrowded, despite the lack of safe passage”, OCHA said, as it noted no let-up in rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel.

Collusion probe

Amid extremely serious allegations that several staff colluded with Hamas during the 7 October attacks on Israel, UNRWA insisted that it would do “whatever possible” to continue helping Gazans, as the largest aid organization in the enclave.

A probe has already been launched by the UN’s highest investigative body – the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) – while on Sunday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres insisted that any UN employee involved “in acts of terror will be held accountable”.

Of 12 individuals allegedly implicated, nine were immediately identified and their contracts terminated with UNRWA. One staff member was confirmed dead and the identities of the remaining two are being clarified.

On 17 January a full, independent review of the agency was also announced by UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

At the same time, Mr. Guterres appealed to the countries that suspended funding to the UNRWA to reconsider their decisions, to at least ensure continuity of its vital humanitarian operations.

Famine looms

Echoing that call, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros said in a post on X on Sunday that cutting off funding to UNRWA “will only hurt the people of Gaza”.

They face the looming threat of famine, disease and displacement after nearly four months of Israeli bombardment, prompted by Hamas-led terror attacks that left some 1,200 dead and more than 250 people taken hostage.

More than two million people in Gaza depend on the UN agency for their survival but its humanitarian operation “is collapsing”, warned Mr. Lazzarini on X on Saturday.

UNRWA usually has 13,000 staff serving Palestinian communities in Gaza. Today some 3,000 continue to work in a war zone, tasked with running shelters for over one million people, providing food and healthcare to civilians in dire need since the start of the conflict.

To date, more than 26,420 people have been killed in Gaza since 7 October, said UN aid coordination wing OCHA, citing data from the enclave’s health ministry. Some 1,269 Israeli soldiers have also been killed in clashes, according to the Israeli military.

“The people of Gaza have been enduring unthinkable horrors and deprivation for months,” the UN’s top emergency humanitarian official Martin Griffiths said on Sunday on X. “Their needs have never been higher – and our humanitarian capacity to assist them has never been under such threat. We need to be at full stretch to give the people of Gaza a moment of hope.”

UN chief urges countries to reverse UNRWA funding suspension

In a statement on Sunday, the UN chief said that the Organization is promptly responding to the extremely serious allegations that several UNRWA personnel were involved in the 7 October terror attacks in southern Israel.

An investigation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative body in the UN system, was immediately activated.

“Any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution,” Mr. Guterres said.

“The Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation,” he added.

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UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini had previously announced on 17 January a full, independent review of the agency.

Out of the 12 individuals implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the UNRWA head. One is confirmed dead, and the identities of the remaining two are being clarified.

Vital humanitarian efforts at risk

Over two million civilians in the Gaza Strip depend on lifesaving aid provided by UNRWA. The Agency operates shelters for over one million people and has been providing food and healthcare since the start of the conflict.

However, its current funding is insufficient to meet all requirements to support them in February.

Acknowledging the concerns of the countries that halted funds and expressing his own horror at the accusations, Mr. Guterres strongly appealed to the governments that suspended contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations.

“The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences. But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized,” he said.

“The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.”

Lifesaving programmes in peril, UNRWA chief urges countries to reconsider funding suspension

It was “shocking” to see the suspension of funds in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner General, said in a statement.

“It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and political crises in the region.”

Mr. Lazzarini urged the countries that suspended their funding to re-consider their decisions before UNRWA is forced to suspend its humanitarian response.

“The lives of people in Gaza depend on this support and so does regional stability,” he said.

He also noted the immediate action UNRWA took by terminating the staffers’ contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation.

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Nine countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, have suspended funding to UNRWA following allegations that several Agency staff were involved in the 7 October terror attacks in southern Israel.

Investigation will establish the facts

Mr. Lazzarini said that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative body in the UN system, has already been seized of the matter.

“An investigation by OIOS into the heinous allegations will establish the facts,” he said.

“Moreover, as I announced on 17 January, an independent review by external experts will help UNRWA strengthen its framework for the strict adherence of all staff to the humanitarian principles,” he added.

Lives at stake

Mr. Lazzarini cited Friday’s ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that ordered Israel to take measures to enable humanitarian assistance for people in Gaza.

“The only way that this can be done is through cooperation with international partners, especially UNRWA as the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza,” he said.

Over two million people in the Gaza Strip depend on the Agency for their survival. UNRWA runs shelters for over one million people and has been providing food and healthcare to civilians in dire need since the start of the conflict.

Its programmes are all the more vital given the looming threat of famine in the war-battered enclave.

UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees. In addition to the Gaza Strip, the Agency operates in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

From The Field: Story of an aid worker trying to survive in Gaza

Many displaced people are living in tents in Tal Al-Sultan neighbourhood, in the southern Gaza Strip. — Tents for displaced people in southern Gaza

When war began on 7 October, life changed dramatically overnight for mother-of-four Hala, as it did for the more than two million Palestinians who live in the Gaza Strip. She kept a diary of her experiences and shared it with the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA).

It recounts her struggles to find safety in an abandoned apartment in the southern city of Rafah, her attempts to remain in contact with her family amid communications and electricity cuts, and the lack of food and sanitation.

You can read the diary entries, with photos of Hala and her family in Gaza, here.

Remembering Holocaust victims, Guterres urges a stand against division

Observing Saturday’s International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, he highlighted the millions of Jewish children, women and men, along with countless others, who suffered persecution and death during that dark period.

“We honour their memory. We stand with the survivors, their families and descendants. We pledge never to forget – nor let others forget the truth of what happened,” he said.

The International Day of Commemoration is marked annually on 27 January, the date on which the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration and extermination camp was liberated in 1945.

This year’s observance, on the theme ‘Recognizing the Extraordinary Courage of Victims and Survivors of the Holocaust’ pays tribute to the bravery of all those who stood up to the Nazis, despite the grave risks.

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‘We must remember’

Mr. Guterres underscored the ongoing relevance of the commemorative day in today’s world, where antisemitic hate is spreading rapidly, particularly online.

“But today of all days, we must remember,” he said, “that demonization of the other and disdain for diversity is a danger to everyone … and that bigotry against one group is bigotry against all.”

‘We must resolve’

Quoting the former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Sacks, the UN chief reminded the international community that “the hate that begins with Jews never ends with Jews.”

“So today – especially in the wake of the abhorrent 7 October terror attacks by Hamas — we must resolve to stand up against the forces of hate and division,” he said, calling for strongly condemning all forms of racism, hatred and prejudice.

Mr. Guterres emphasized the imperative to speak out against discrimination and intolerance, insisting on the defense of human rights and the dignity of every individual.

“Let us never lose sight of each other’s humanity, and never let down our guard,” he urged.

“To all who confront prejudice and persecution, let us clearly say: you are not alone. The United Nations stands with you.”

‘Our essential duty’

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) called for strengthening our commitment to sharing the memory of the victims of the Holocaust “to pass the torch on to future generations.”

“To honour the victims, but also to train future generations to identify and combat hate speech, this International Day reminds us of our essential duty to remember,” she said.

“May we remain vigilant,” she added, recalling the warning given by Hungarian writer and camp survivor Imre Kertész, that “Auschwitz was not an accident of history, there are many signs that its repetition is possible.”

UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Sisters Selma Tennenbaum Rossen and Edith Tennenbaum, survivors from Poland, address the UN Holocaust Memorial Ceremony, held in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims.

Commemorative events

Memorial ceremonies were held at UN offices worldwide, including the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the UN Office at Geneva, and the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

At the ceremony in New York on Friday, Holocaust survivors Christian Pfeil and sisters Edith Tennenbaum Shapiro and Selma Tennenbaum Rossen shared their stories, alongside a prayer by Cantor Daniel Singer, and performances by violinist Doori Na, singers Petra and Patrik Gelbart.

A video of the ceremony is available here.

INTERVIEW: Technology ‘supercharging illicit economies’ in Southeast Asia

UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Jeremy Douglas, explained to UN News how technology is changing the landscape of transnational organized crime in the region.

Jeremy Douglas: Transnational organized criminals are innovators, they have always used technology to do business. However, with the acceleration of technology, particularly cryptocurrencies, online gaming, marketplaces and recently AI, we’re seeing that they are quickly adopting and using these different technologies to create new business opportunities in the region.

We’ve seen this most particularly when it comes to money laundering, especially through casinos, some of which are fundamentally operating as banks for criminal transactions.

UNODC’s Jeremy Douglas (centre right) meets Shan hill tribe community leaders in a remote part of the Golden Triangle.

UN News: What technologies in particular are organized crime groups using?

Jeremy Douglas: They’re using a variety of cryptocurrencies in online businesses and marketplaces, both on the publicly accessible clear web and the dark web, to generate and mix money, and to move commodities. They’re using a range of social media apps to market goods and to operate different businesses, including the trafficking of drugs and precursors, and for human trafficking. At the core it’s all about profit, and these technologies allow them to generate and move large amounts of money and value very quickly.

UN News: How troubling is this development?

Jeremy Douglas: It’s troubling on many levels. The capacities of organized crime groups are often far ahead of the governments in the region, particularly of the less developed countries. And criminal groups are migrating operations to locations where they can capitalize on vulnerabilities. It’s going to be a long period of catch-up with the technology advancing and accelerating change in a whole range of transnational crimes.

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Police in northern Thailand work a road block as part of efforts to cut down on the trafficking of drugs.

UN News: How have these developments in technology changed these illicit businesses?

Jeremy Douglas: It depends on the illicit business, but, for example, we’ve seen online marketplaces that are fronts for trafficking in human beings; people being bought and sold online on Facebook, in Telegram groups and in the dark web.

It is most pronounced is in relation to the scam centres, often located alongside casinos, or obscure hotels or guarded buildings where people have been trafficked to work cyber-enabled scams and financial fraud. So, in this sense we are seeing a convergence of crimes.

Money laundering is also taking place in new ways which are accelerating the expansion of illicit businesses. For example, the trafficking of drugs with money moving through or being invested in casinos or reinvested into innovations in drug production or precursor chemical production.

Fundamentally, what we are seeing is the supercharging of illicit economies within the Mekong subregion of Southeast Asia.

UN News: How are criminal networks able to flourish with such impunity?

Jeremy Douglas: They are basing operations in parts of the region that are autonomous or semi-autonomous, often in border areas far from major capital cities, basically in places where the rule of law is incredibly weak or corruptible and where there is limited authority to step in and stop them; in some extreme cases to areas which are actually under the control of armed groups, for example, in northern Myanmar.

This is posing a distinct challenge for the governments of the region because how do you confront something that is in a place you don’t control?

UN News/Daniel Dickinson

Organized crime gangs are operating in the Golden Triangle where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos converge.

UN News: How are States adapting to the threat?

Jeremy Douglas: It really depends, as this is a region of vast diversity, with some of the highest capacity states in the world within proximity of some incredibly low-capacity states. Some are trying to protect themselves, others are not really adapting as they are under-resourced.

It is also so difficult to understand these crimes; the technologies needed to analyse and counter these crimes are also very sophisticated.

So, there’s a knowledge and technology gap on the State side that needs to be addressed and resourced quickly, while criminal networks are using technology to innovate and develop rapidly.

UN News: What measures can be taken to tackle this issue and how is UNODC involved?

Jeremy Douglas: First and foremost, UNODC is helping countries and authorities to understand these crimes. We’re carrying out analysis to inform our understanding, thinking and programming, while at the same time we are helping governments to understand the challenges that they face.

Our discussions with governments started as we were looking at addressing the drug trade and associated financial flows, but as criminal networks have matured and innovated we have been looking more at the convergence and evolution of crimes.

Part of our approach has been to bring countries to the table to talk about the issues to set the stage for responding, and we’ve recently agreed on a plan of action for the ASEAN region and China to address a range of aspects of criminality in an integrated way. At the same time, we’re talking with governments in Southeast Asia, one-on-one, about the situation and the needs and capacity gaps that they have.

It is extremely important to bring States together so they can agree quickly on the actions they and the region need to take, and how the capacity gaps can be addressed.

UN News: What could happen if the issue is not addressed?

Jeremy Douglas: If the absence of rule of law in the places where these businesses are operating is not addressed, then we’re going to see these criminal operations continue to grow, to metastasize. They will have greater global reach and an increased ability to defraud people or worse in other parts of the world.

As these criminal networks expand and become more sophisticated, they will also become very powerful and governments may lose control in some parts of the region, particularly where non-state armed groups are entrenched. This will impact the wider region and further afield.

We really need to ensure that this issue is addressed quickly, and in a holistic, strategic way.

UN world court calls for prevention of genocidal acts in Gaza

Reading out the order at the Peace Palace in The Hague – in response to allegations of genocide against Israel by South Africa, which Israel denies – ICJ President Joan Donoghue also called for the release of all remaining hostages taken from Israel during the Hamas-led attacks on Israeli communities in which some 1,200 people were massacred on 7 October.

There was no explicit call for an immediate halt to Israel’s full-scale military operation in the Strip, which is believed to have left more than 26,000 dead, according to Gaza health authorities.

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Highlighting that the ICJ was “acutely aware of the extent of the human tragedy unfolding in the region” since war erupted in Gaza, Judge Donoghue said that the court remained “deeply concerned about the continuing loss of life and human suffering”.

Call for compliance: UN chief

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted in a statement the measures pertaining to the Israeli military laid out in the provisional ruling and stressed that “decisions of the Court are binding” and trusts that all parties will duly comply with the order from the Court.

“In accordance with the Statute of the Court, the Secretary-General will promptly transmit the notice of the provisional measures ordered by the court to the Security Council,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.

South Africa’s case

In its case, which began earlier this month in The Hague, South Africa asked the court – a principal organ of the UN – to indicate provisional measures in order to “protect against further severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention”.

Among the measures South Africa asked for was the immediate suspension of military operations by Israel in the Strip and that its forces take “all reasonable measures” to prevent genocide.

South Africa also asked the world court to order Israel to prevent forced displacement, allow adequate food and water to reach civilians and ensure that evidence of any potential genocide is preserved.

Provisional measures are a type of temporary injunction ahead of a final decision on the dispute. It is likely to take years before a judgement is reached.

The measures are considered “mandatory for implementation”, but the Court has no means of enforcing them.

Israel argued in presenting its case that the war on Hamas was one purely of defence and “not against the Palestinian people”.

Lawyers for Israel said that provisional measures, if granted, would amount to “an attempt to deny Israel its ability to meet its obligations to the defence of its citizens, to the hostages and to over 110,000 displaced Israelis”.

You can read the ICJ order in full here and watch the full video of the judgement below.

Court order

Detailing the provisional measures that Israel should implement, the ICJ judge noted that both South Africa and Israel were States parties to Genocide Convention and therefore had agreed “to prevent and to punish the crime of genocide”.

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Quoting article 2 of the key international treaty signed in the aftermath of the Second World War, Judge Donoghue explained that genocide was defined as “acts committed with an intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”.

The two-million-strong Palestinian population did indeed constitute a distinct group in the court’s view, she said.

Turning to the article 3 of the Genocide Convention, which prohibits “conspiracy to commit genocide” and public incitement to commit genocide, the judge said that the ICJ had taken note of a number of statements made by senior Israeli officials.

These included comments by Yoav Galant, Defense Minister of Israel, who reportedly told troops on the border with the enclave that they were fighting “human animals” who were the “ISIS of Gaza”.

Influence of top UN officials

With Israel’s and South Africa’s legal teams looking on, Judge Donoghue noted the international community’s longstanding concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza which had formed part of its deliberations.

This included the UN Secretary-General’s written warning to the Security Council on 6 December 2023 in which he said that “nowhere is safe in Gaza amid constant bombarding by the Israeli Defense Forces” and that the situation was “fast-deteriorating into a catastrophe with potentially irreversible implications for Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region”.

Summaries on the dire situation in Gaza from UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Palestine relief agency chief Philippe Lazzarini were also quoted directly in the court’s decision.

Next steps

In addition to the provisional measures delivered on Friday, the UN’s top court also asked Israel to submit a report within a month “on all measures taken to give effect to this order”.

US: Türk voices regret over first ever execution by nitrogen suffocation

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“I deeply regret the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith in Alabama despite serious concerns that this novel and untested method of suffocation may amount to torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,” said Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR.

Convicted of murder in 1988, Mr. Smith, 58, had been sentenced to death in the state of Alabama. An attempt to carry out the execution in 2022, failed.

Last week, the Human Rights Council had called for Alabama to halt Mr. Smith’s execution and to refrain from taking steps towards any other executions using nitrogen asphyxiation.

On Thursday evening, nitrogen hypoxia gas was administered to Mr. Smith.

It took 22 minutes before he was formally declared dead, media reports said.

According to media and other witnesses in the execution chamber, the prisoner shook violently, writhing and convulsing on the gurney.

Prior to the execution, authorities in Alabama reportedly described the use of pure nitrogen gas as “perhaps the most humane method of execution ever devised”.

“The death penalty is inconsistent with the fundamental right to life,” said OHCHR Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Friday morning in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“We urge all States to put in place a moratorium on its use as a step towards universal abolition.”

World News in Brief: UNHCR chief on frontlines in Ukraine, 10 million displaced in Sudan, instability grows in Lebanon

Wrapping up a week-long visit to the country, he made a strong appeal for greater international humanitarian support.

“The fighting has escalated and the humanitarian situation in the country is dramatic and urgent. Millions have been forced to flee the war and Russian attacks, and they are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance,” he said.

“Under the strong leadership of the Government, the UN and partners – especially Ukrainian organizations – have been doing all that they can to help, but without much more international support and funding, Ukrainian civilians will continue to suffer.”

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has been helping those who are displaced and is stepping up assistance to those choosing to return to their areas of origin.

Together with the Government, it recently launched the Ukraine is Home platform, with important up-to-date information for refugees as well as for facilitating housing repairs and reconstruction.

Attack on humanitarians condemned

Also on Friday, the UN’s top relief official in Ukraine expressed “outrage” at an attack on a clearly marked humanitarian vehicle in eastern Ukraine.

The vehicle, belonging to Ukrainian aid organization, Mission Proliska, was struck in the war-torn city of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, as aid workers were distributing vital supplies to civilians.

One aid worker was injured.

“I was in Chasiv Yar just a few weeks ago, also delivering aid to civilians in this town completely devasted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” UN Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown said in a statement.

“I know first-hand that civilians there have exhausted their scarce resources to face this devastation and I saw how the work carried out by volunteers, humanitarian organizations and local authorities is truly contributing to their dignity.”

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Sudan: Dire plight of more than 10 million displaced by conflict

At least 10.7 million people have been uprooted by conflict in Sudan and most of them need help within the war-torn country, the UN migration agency said on Friday.

In a call to scale up the aid response to the world’s largest displacement crisis, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that needs were “overwhelming”, with “dire shortages of food, shelter, healthcare and sanitation”.

Armed clashes between Sudan’s two main rival militaries that began last April are responsible for displacing at least six million inside the country, on top of the three million who were already on the move, according to IOM.

The UN agency noted that the ongoing conflict continues to have a devastating impact on ordinary people, because critical infrastructure has been destroyed, including healthcare, schools, roads and utilities.

“As of today, one in every eight internally displaced persons in the world is in Sudan”, said Amy Pope, IOM Director General. “Their needs are overwhelming: dire shortages of food, shelter, healthcare, and sanitation, all combine to place them at heightened risk of disease, malnutrition, and violence.”

“Yet the humanitarian response so far is insufficient to meet the dire needs. We cannot turn our backs on the millions of people in need of support.”

IOM has reached nearly 1.2 million people in Sudan and neighbouring countries with lifesaving aid; a total of $168 million is needed this year for the agency’s Crisis Response Plan.

Lebanon: ‘Extreme uncertainty’ among displaced

In Lebanon, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator has highlighted the challenges facing those displaced by the ongoing hostilities in the country’s south on the frontier with Israel and those who, despite the risks, are staying.

“It is clear that all are facing immense challenges,” Imran Riza said, having recently returned from the region.

Since 8 October, over 86,000 have been displaced, with some 60,000 people remaining in border villages highly affected by exchanges of fire.

At least 25 civilians have reportedly been killed and significant damage inflicted upon health facilities, schools and agricultural lands, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“The ongoing destruction of agricultural land, coupled with insecurity and the inability to move safely due to the daily attacks, intensifies the despair among the communities,” Mr. Riza said.

He reiterated his call on all parties to comply with international humanitarian law, protect civilians, medical personnel and civilian infrastructure, and facilitate access for aid workers.

“What is needed most, however, is a de-escalation of tensions and an end to hostilities,” he said.

Stand up against hate, UN chief tells Holocaust commemoration

“All of us – leaders and citizens – have a responsibility to listen and to learn from survivors and victims by condemning these terrible crimes against humanity, striving to eradicate antisemitism and all forms of bigotry, hatred and intolerance and by finding a way forward to a shared, safe and inclusive future for all,” UN chief António Guterres said.

“This is particularly important in today’s dangerous and divided world and a few short months after Hamas’ horrific terror attacks, in which so many innocent Israeli civilians and citizens of other countries were killed,” he said.

Marking the annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, observed on 27 January, the ceremony focused on the theme of recognizing the extraordinary courage of victims and survivors.

‘Never let down our guard’

The world must resolve to “stand up against the forces of hate and division”, he continued.

The antisemitic hate that fuelled the Holocaust did not start with the Nazis nor did it end with their defeat, he said, but was preceded by thousands of years of discrimination, expulsion, exile and extermination.

“Today, we are witnessing hate spreading at alarming speed,” the UN chief said. “Online, it has moved from the margins to the mainstream.”

To combat hate, he urged all to speak out.

“Let us never be silent in the face of discrimination, and never tolerant of intolerance,” he said. “Let us speak out for human rights and the dignity of all. Let us never lose sight of each other’s humanity, and never let down our guard.”

‘You are not alone’

In addition to its Outreach Programme on the Holocaust, the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech sets out strategic guidance at national and global levels.

“To all who confront prejudice and persecution, let us clearly say: you are not alone,” Mr. Guterres said. “The United Nations stands with you.”

“Today, of all days, we must remember that demonization of the other and disdain for diversity is a danger to everyone, that no society is immune to intolerance and worse and that bigotry against one group is bigotry against all.”

Unsplash/Jean Carlo Emer

The former Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in southern Poland.

Survivors’ stories are powerful reminders for vigilance: PGA

Dennis Francis, President of the General Assembly, said, in a pre-recorded video message, that promoting remembrance and education regarding the Holocaust is essential to ensuring that the crime of genocide is never seen as either normal or justifiable in any circumstance and to working towards ensuring it is never repeated.

“Today, those who tragically perished and the survivors are the powerful force behind all we do at the United Nations to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to promote and defend human rights and to work relentlessly for a more just and peaceful world,” he said.

The stories of victims and survivors are the reminders of “our duty to counter hatred and intolerance” amid a surge in hate speech across the world alongside rising antisemitism and xenophobia.

“We cannot and must not be complacent,” he said. “Today and every day, we must recommit to say more than just ‘never again’. We must live our lives daily by this mantra. The Holocaust must forever be a warning to all of us to stay vigilant against widespread hatred, racism, prejudice and intolerance.”

UN Photo/Manuel Elías

Sisters Selma Tennenbaum Rossen and Edith Tennenbaum Shapiro, survivors from Poland, address the UN Holocaust Memorial Ceremony, held in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims.

‘Never again is now’: Israel

Israel’s Ambassador Gilad Erdan said the attack on Israel on 7 October by Hamas was “an attempted genocide”.

“We, the Jewish people, understand the meaning of genocide more than any other people,” he said. “We have been persecuted for millennia. Hitler seared the meaning of genocide into our DNA.”

But, on 7 October, Hamas “tore open that wound”, he said, patting a yellow star, a badge the Nazi regime forced Jewish people to wear, affixed to his lapel.

“On International Holocaust Remembrance Day…I stand here, in the name of the State of Israel, in the name of all those murdered by the Nazis and Hamas, and I swear, we will not forget. Never again is now.”

Suitcases and bags confiscated from prisoners at a concentration camp in Auschwitz, Poland.

Dehumanization enabled the Holocaust

In a statement commemorating the international day, Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the world is duty-bound to examine why the Holocaust happened to ensure it is never repeated.

Indeed, the scale of the crimes committed engaged many perpetrators, he stressed.

The Nazi concentration camps and death trains were staffed, and the victims had often been identified to the police, by people they knew, he said.

“Countless bystanders looked away from – or were indifferent to – what they must have suspected was extraordinary, inhuman brutality,” he said. “The dehumanization that enabled the Holocaust – the depth and scale of this failure of empathy and fellow feeling for other human beings – is incomprehensible and terrifying.”

The world’s horror at the Holocaust led directly to the adoption of the Genocide Convention and to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 75 years ago and instrumental in the adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights and a host of international treaties that enshrine equality, dignity and rights in the face of tyranny and destitution, he said, adding that these conventions, principles and values must forever be upheld.

“It is our duty to seek answers to how these crimes could have been prevented,” he said. “If we do not, they could happen again.”

UN Holocaust Memorial Ceremony

This year’s ceremony was hosted by Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, and featured a range of speakers, testimonies from survivors and performances.

Speakers included the UN Secretary-General, President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, Permanent Representative of Israel and the United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
Holocaust survivor Christian Pfeil, who was born in the Lubin ghetto in occupied Poland, shared his testimony about the persecution of the Roma and Sinti peoples.
Sisters Edith Tennenbaum Shapiro and Selma Tennenbaum Rossen, Holocaust survivors from Poland, shared their stories alongside a performance by violinist Doori Na.
Others who contributed to the event included Petra and Patrik Gelbart, who sang a piece about the Roma people. Cantor Daniel Singer recited a memorial prayer.
The ceremony is available on UN WebTV here.

Month: January 2024