More must be done to thwart neo-Nazis and white supremacists who are using the COVID-19 pandemic to target minorities, increase their ranks and re-write history, the UN Secretary-General has said. António Guterres made the appeal in a video message for the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, observed on Wednesday 27 January, which honours the six million Jews and millions of others murdered by the Nazis during the Second World War.
As this year’s anniversary is taking place under the shadow of the pandemic, he noted that the crisis has exposed longstanding injustices and contributed to a renewed rise in antisemitism and xenophobia.
“Today, white supremacists and neo-Nazis are resurgent, organizing and recruiting across borders, intensifying their efforts to deny, distort and rewrite history including the Holocaust”, the UN chief said.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has also voiced concern over the “frightening” increase in hate crimes, and “sharp rise” in antisemitism online, over the past year.
“With renewed vigour, conspiracy theorists increasingly link extreme political ideologies and antisemitic delusions – weaving elaborate lies and falsehoods that lay responsibility for every kind of government failing on individual Jews or the Jewish community as a whole”, she said. “We need to push back against lies. We need to ensure that public discourse is based on facts, which objectively reflect truth – including the fundamental truth of our equal rights and dignity as human beings”, she said.
Global church leaders such as Pope Francis and the head of the World Council of Churches have joined international leaders on World Holocaust Remembrance Day, calling for decisive action against antisemitism and warning of its danger to morph into other hate. “Remembering is an expression of humanity. Remembering is a sign of civilization,” said Francis. “Remembering is a condition for a better future of peace and fraternity.”
On this 27th January (and beyond!), please join us in commemorating the Holocaust and committing to combatting antisemitism says Elizabeth Arif-Fear in https://voiceofsalam.com/2021/01/28/this-holocaust-memorial-day-we-need-to-stand-together-against-antisemitism/:
- Join us and light a candle: Share a message of solidarity with the Jewish community by tweeting a photo of your candle with the hashtags #LightTheDarkness #WeRemember and #MuslimsAgainstAntisemitism
- Learn more: Find out more about the Holocaust and educate others around you
- Stand up: Speak out when you hear/see antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories
- Join us: Get involved with MAAS and volunteer to help us in the fight against antisemitism!
Let’s all light a candle this Holocaust Memorial Day – let’s all stand up against antisemitism. Note that this blog was first published by Muslims Against Antisemitism (27/01/2021).
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 