Ambassador Richard Mills Jr.
Deputy Chief of Mission
New York, New York
October 21, 2021
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Special Rapporteur de Varennes, for your report.
The United States is committed to facing these challenges head-on at home.
In the first week of his administration, President Biden signed executive orders to address racial and ethnic disparities in the national COVID-19 response.
At the same time, we will continue to promote respect for the human rights of all persons, including members of minority groups, globally.
The international community must stand against repression of members of minority groups throughout the world, including in Afghanistan, China, Iran, Myanmar, and Russian-occupied Crimea. Rohingya, Kachin, Shan, Baha’i, Ahmadi Muslims, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Crimean Tatars, atheists and non-believers, and others face violence, severe discrimination, and undue restrictions on their exercise of the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and religion or belief, as well as with respect to fair trial guarantees.
We call on Member States to raise their concerns regarding the treatment of these and other oppressed minority groups directly with the governments responsible for restricting their exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Thank you.
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