Any hope to end racism, Neo-Nazism in the world?

Racism, xenophobia, and racial discrimination remain deeply entrenched challenges in today's world, affecting countless individuals across various sectors, including sports, education, and politics.

Despite growing global awareness, efforts to combat these social ills, they face significant resistance, as seen in the recent United Nations General Assembly vote.

A resolution titled “Combating the Glorification of Nazism, Neo-Nazism, and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance” was met with opposition from 54 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia, Austria, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and the Czech Republic.

Meanwhile, 116 countries, including Azerbaijan, Algeria, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Gabon, Ghana, Serbia, and Syria, supported the document.

The draft resolution was co-authored by Algeria, Azerbaijan, Angola, Armenia, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, China, North Korea, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mali, Nicaragua, Pakistan, South Korea, Serbia, Syria, Sudan, Tajikistan, Togo, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, South Africa, and other countries.

Racial discrimination has long targeted people of colour, indigenous populations, and minority groups, leading to inequities in access to basic amenities, unjust imprisonments, and even loss of lives.

A glaring example is the death of 46-year-old George Floyd, whose tragic killing by a police officer in 2020 sparked global protests against racial injustice.

Floyd

Floyd died on May 25 after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, held him to the ground with a knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd said several times, “I can’t breathe.” Video of the incident captured by bystanders quickly went viral, spurring protests in many states in the US.

Despite the historical and ongoing impacts of racism, achieving global consensus to combat the practice remains elusive.

The Russia-initiated resolution sought to address the glorification of Nazi ideology and prevent modern forms of racism and xenophobia. It called for nations to take legislative and educational measures, including eliminating racial discrimination; training law enforcement to address extremist ideologies; and preventing racial profiling practices.

The resolution also condemned the glorification of Nazi movements and called for measures to preserve historical truth and prevent denialism regarding crimes against humanity.

The resolution received 116 votes in favour, including support from countries such as China, Ghana, Brazil, and South Africa. However, 54 countries voted against it, with 11 abstentions.

Critics of the resolution also argue that the resolution is politicised, given its annual sponsorship by Russia since 2005.

While proponents believe the resolution represents a step toward combating hate and intolerance, opponents question its motives, citing geopolitical tensions. Western nations take the stand that the resolution could be used to deflect criticism from Russia's own actions, particularly in relation to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Experts have also pointed out attempts to use international bodies such as the United Nations by some world powers to achieve political goals. Some have accused the United States and its allies of leveraging the UN to undermine Russia’s standing on the global stage.

For instance, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Alexei Shevtsov said that the United States is trying to bend not only individual states to its will, but also entire international organisations, including the United Nations.

The troubled future

In a world where racial discrimination and hate persist, the need for unified efforts to combat these issues is undeniable. While political disagreements continue to hinder progress, the call to end racism and promote equality remains as urgent as ever.

The resolution's rejection by 54 nations paints a picture of the complexities of addressing global racism amidst political divides, raising questions about the future of international cooperation in combating intolerance.