Trump's media attacks close to incitement of violence: Top UN official
New York, Aug 13 : Outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has singled out US President Donald Trump's repeated designation of the press as "the enemy of the people", terming it "very close to incitement to violence".
Trump's anti-press rhetoric would lead to journalists censoring themselves or being attacked, said Al-Hussein, a Jordanian prince and diplomat, in an interview to the Guardian daily.
Al-Hussein is stepping down in August from the UN post after deciding not to stand for a second four-year term, in the face of a waning commitment among world powers to fighting abuses.
He said the Trump administration's lack of concern about human rights marked a distinct break with previous administrations and that the US President's own rhetoric aimed at minorities and at the press was "redolent of two of the worst eras of the 20th century", the run-up to the two world wars.
"We began to see a campaign against the media … that could have potentially, and still can, set in motion a chain of events which could quite easily lead to harm being inflicted on journalists just going about their work and potentially some self-censorship," Al-Hussein said.
"And in that context, it's getting very close to incitement to violence."
He said that Trump's example was already being followed elsewhere, giving license to authoritarian leaders to crack down on the media in ways they had not previously dared to, the daily said on Monday.
Al-Hussein pointed to Cambodian leader Hun Sen, who he said had used similar language when he closed down independent media organisations.
"The US creates a demonstration effect, which then is picked up by other countries where the leadership tends to to be more authoritarian (in) character or aspires to be authoritarian."
Al-Hussein has also taken on the Trump administration over its policy of separating children from their parents in migrant families arrested at the border and the US President's own long history of rhetoric aimed at minorities.
"The Trump administration seems to have separated itself from previous administrations in its upholding of human rights globally."
"The administration's failure to appoint an ambassador to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, before withdrawing from the council altogether, Al-Hussein added, was "illustrative of the lack of any deep commitment to the human rights".
His advice to his successor, Michele Bachelet, who has been both a political prisoner and President in her native Chile, was to stay courageous and not to run for a second term.
"I would be very suspicious of any commissioner seeking a second term because I'd wonder what deals are being struck and if they'd been struck they've been struck on the back of victims," he said.
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Fan tries to die by suicide over Nikhil Kumaraswamy's bypoll loss
Bengaluru: Channapatna JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who lost the byelection to C.P. Yogeshwar of Congress, on Sunday consoled a fan who reportedly attempted to end his life and requested him not to repeat such acts.
Manjunath, fondly called Abhi, had even penned a letter before taking the dangerous step. Nikhil, who called on Manjunath at the latter’s home in Kudloor in Channapatna, expressed shock and sadness over the incident.
Nikhil Kumaraswamy reassured Manjunath, expressing his support during the difficult time. He told him that he was deeply troubled to learn of this incident and emphasised that he would stand by him. Nikhil also promised to offer assistance in any way he could, including helping him secure employment opportunities in the future, as reported by the Deccan Herald.
He also reminded Manjunath of the importance of his children’s well-being, urging him to focus on their future. “Please, look at the faces of your growing children. Even I have a three-year-old son. The children are young, let us take care of their future also. I will arrange some job opportunities for you. I might not be an MLA but this is a challenge. I will get you employed,” he said.
Nikhil told media persons that he is extremely hurt more by Manjunath’s attempt to die than by his loss in the election. “At 7:30 a.m., we got a message that in Valetoopu, Manjunath had consumed poison yesterday. In Channapatna, our workers and leaders have built this party with zeal. Let the admiration be there in your hearts but if it crosses the line, your families get hurt and we get very pained by it,” he was quoted as saying by the publication.
Speaking of his byelection loss, Nikhil reiterated that the JD(S) had got its traditional votes, but that the votes of a particular community went against the party.
“Deve Gowda gave reservation to a community. We tried our last attempt to take that community into confidence. But they conveyed to us that they do not require us. In future, we will take other communities into confidence,” he remarked in a veiled reference to Muslims.
Nikhil lost the election by a margin of 25,413 votes to Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar.
