Home ›› 12 Jan 2023 ›› Opinion
A young man from an expatriate Bangladeshi community in the U.S has been gunned down by police in Massachusetts on Wednesday. The victim is 20-year-old Arif Sayed Faisal, a student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Condemning the “brutal killing”, the local Bangladesh Association organized protests outside Cambridge City Hall. They described the death of Faisal, the only child of the family, as a racist incident by white police officers. This is a clear sign of extrajudicial killing as no evidence are yet shown. For this, USA's escalating prejudice against ethnic minorities, particularly those of Asian heritage is concerning.
When it comes to promoting or patronaging democracy and human rights across the globe, the United States of America (USA) shows up faster than anyone. But the same country displays utter negligence towards its multicultural society. Unfortunately, the country is facing a lot of human rights violation issues domestically at the hands of law enforcement agencies. The rising trend of extrajudicial killing in several states also provides an alarming situation in the USA.
It is important to note the USA is witnessing a surge in gun violence in recent years. Again, gun-related violence threatens our most fundamental human right, the right to life. It is a daily tragedy affecting the lives of individuals around the world. More than 500 people die every day because of violence committed with firearms. It is not only having lasting impacts on victims and their families but also deteriorating the overall human rights situation in any country.
Numerous figures demonstrate the disturbing rise in gun-related violence, including extrajudicial executions and hate crimes, as well as the systemic violation of human rights. Along with these, police violence is becoming a daily problem for US society. Additionally, the government is failing to start or enact efficient policies. A culture of impunity is equally prevalent in the case of extrajudicial executions. The guardian of global human rights appears to be struggling lately at home.
As mentioned earlier, extrajudicial killing by law enforcement has become a new trend in the USA. Against the claim that Faisal was carrying a large knife, the allegation was boldly denied by his family. According to media reports, they were given no videos showing Faisal carrying a sharp weapon. He also demanded a fair probe of the incident and punishment of the police officer who opened fire.
Following this, some concerned Bangladeshi organized a human chain in front of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. Meanwhile, referring to the killing, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Friday said Bangladesh does not want any hate crime anywhere in the world. “We want to stop racism, and communal violence and establish peace in the world,” he added.
Police killings of unarmed people have drawn significant attention in recent years and spurred mass protests. Fatal police shootings remain a persistent and contentious issue in the US, prompting protests and ongoing calls for serious reforms to policing. There are numerous examples of extrajudicial killings in the United States and Canada, which are known as countries of advanced human rights. While focusing much on data, statistics, and ranking, we often forget the tragic stories behind each number. Each life matters and everyone has a different story.
A report published by the Washington Post on February 12, 2019, states that the number of people killed in police shootings in the United States has been close to one thousand for four consecutive years. According to the report, 996 people were killed in police firing in 2018 while the number was 987 in 2017, 963 in 2016, and 995 in 2015. In 2020, there were 996 extrajudicial killings in the United States. Ninety-six percent of homicides occurred in police shootings. Of the deceased, 27 percent are African Americans, although they constitute 13 percent of the total population. According to the Human Rights Report, no action has been taken against the police in 98.8 percent of the cases. The irony is, the United States brought charges against Bangladesh and others on the pretext of human rights violations.
Among wealthier and developed countries, the USA is an outlier when it comes to firearm violence. It seems the USA government has allowed gun violence to become a human rights crisis. Wide access to firearms and loose regulations lead to more than 39,000 men, women, and children being killed with guns each year in the USA. Due to the gun culture, the USA has topped in civilian guns owing in the top. It now has 120 guns per 100 population, a number even higher than Yemen, a country currently in one of the worst civil wars of recent times.
It seems in the national sphere, the U.S. itself has questionable actions that go against human rights and tends to bypass the existing international laws and norms when it comes to its interests. Therefore, the U.S. itself is a violator, and it is currently not able to "lecture" others about human rights. To be the "lawmakers" of human rights, the U.S. must give up its violations, duality, and "immoral" aspects of its policy that raise questions against it.
The USA must maximize the protection of human rights, creating the safest possible environment for most people, especially those considered to be at the greatest risk. If a state does not exercise adequate laws and use of firearms in the face of persistent gun violence, this could amount to a breach of its obligations under international human rights law. It is yet to make a very progressive decision regarding stricter laws. So, the US should focus on its domestic condition while promoting the very same policy in its human rights and foreign policy.
Any extrajudicial killing reflects those laws are not being maintained. Such extrajudicial killings are taking place in many countries. Apart from international laws and norms, extrajudicial killing is also an act of " violations of basic human rights," and it overrides due legal process and the "right to justice." But the United States will not have the courage to take such a step there. Against the backdrops of recent killings of Bangladeshi youth, it is right to say that countries like the United States should now look at themselves in the mirror. It is high time to make them realize whether they are enforcing laws or violating them.
The writer is a human rights activist, refugee affairs researcher, and freelance columnist. She can be contacted at [email protected]
