ICP Asks if Eric Garner, Mike Brown Cases Bring UN Working Group on African Descent Back to USA

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• published: 11 Dec 2014
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After Eric Garner & Mike Brown, ICP Asks If UN Working Group Comes to US By Matthew Russell Lee UNITED NATIONS, December 10 -- Nine days after Missouri police officer was not indicted for killing African American teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, in New York City on December 3 a Staten Island grand jury declined to return any indictment for the killing of Eric Garner, which was caught on video, here. On December 10, Inner City Press asked two members of the UN's Working Group on People of African Descent about the cases or non-indictments, and if they make it more likely the Working Group will return to the US to conduct a mission. Video here. Working Group member Verene Shepherd said that the Working Group has the right to return for up to five years, to follow up. Video here (after this video, she also mentioned Trayvon Martin). The chair of the working group Mireille Fanon-Mendes-France spoke of systematic marginalization of people of color, by banks and social services. Inner City Press asked her about the Working Group's report on Sweden, which found "segregated neighborhoods and reports that health clinics, banks and other essential services are being pulled out of some ethnic neighborhoods.” She said this is a worldwide phenomenon. Back on December 4, Inner City Press asked the UN Spokesman for comment: Inner City Press: first I wanted to ask you about what's big news here in New York City, and I was wondering if the Secretary-General has any comment on the refusal to indict the police officer who killed Eric Garner on video, not resisting and unarmed and the protests that are taking place. Spokesman Dujarric: Sure. We're obviously aware of what's going on here in our own backyard. I think the Secretary-General's thoughts are obviously with the family of Mr. Garner following that decision and the people of New York. I think the case is again focusing attention on the issue of accountability of law enforcement officials, and the Secretary-General urges all competent authorities in the United States to do everything possible to respond to the demands for greater accountability. And he also welcomes the announcement, I think by the US Justice Department, of an opening of a civil rights investigation in the case. And I think I would just add that we've seen a lot of demonstrations here in New York. He would urge the demonstrators to demonstrate peacefully and for the authorities to respect the right of those demonstrators to do so peacefully. Inner City Press: recently, the UN-Women offered some kind of a partnership with the City, it seems to be like technical assistance, maybe going both ways but certainly UN helping. Is there anything that the UN system has, given what now seems as kind of a trend of killing of unarmed African-Americans and failure to bring accountability? Is there anything that the UN system is offering to the United States? Spokesman: Not in terms of technical assistance that I'm aware of. Obviously, there would have to be a request from the US authorities. The UN system writ large, as you saw, there was a report on the UN Committee on Torture, if I'm not mistaken, that was released some time ago. So, that's where it stands. Back on the evening of December 3 in midtown Manhattan, the chant was "Justice for Eric Garner" and "I can't breathe," which he'd said as he was choked. Marchers headed from Times Square east to Sixth Avenue but were blocked from heading north to Rockefeller Plaza and the tree lighting ceremony. Short Inner City Press YouTube video here. And so to Fifth Avenue -- again process north was blocked, this time with orange kettling netting -- and down to 42nd Street. Police closed the doors to Grand Central, no more dying-in. The march passed Cipriani in the old bank space, venue of the UN Censorship Alliance Ball. And they passed Pfizer, with the UN on the horizon, see below. Earlier on December 3, New York Congresspeople spoke out, with Bronx Rep. Jose Serrano say that Garner's death "was not an accident, it was homicide," for all to see. Brooklyn Representative Nydia Velazquez linked the Garner non-indictment to 12-year old Tamir Rice being killed in Cleveland. Representative Hakeem Jeffries recalled peaceful protests after the killing, in The Bronx, of Amadou Diallo. Later Mayor Bill De Blasio spoke but unlike the Congresspeople took no questions, as his Commissioner for International Affairs Penny Abeywardena recently came to the UN without openly taking questions, either, here. http://www.innercitypress.com/unca1abeywardena112814.html The UN in Geneva for days refused to release to US-based media without paid correspondents in Switzerland the UN Committee on Torture's concluding remarks on the US. http://www.innercitypress.com/funca1unog112814.html