Foreign news

U.S. Political Persecution Deviates From Human Rights Protection

Published

5 years ago

July 3, 2020

John Okeke

Speaking at the 44th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on Tuesday, Cuba on behalf of 53 countries welcomed the adoption of the law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) by China’s top legislature.

“In any country, the legislative power on national security issues rests with State, which in essence is not a human rights issue and therefore not subject to discussion at the Human Rights Council,” said a Cuban representative.

“We believe that every country has the right to safeguard its national security through legislation, and commend relevant steps taken for this purpose,” the representative added.

Such a voice represented the justice upheld by the international society, and was a forceful reply to the malicious practices of some Western countries, including the U.S., to interfere in China’s domestic affairs under the pretext of human rights. It also firmly protected the important principles in the UN Charter, such as non-interference in internal affairs of sovereign states, as well as the basic norms of international relations.

It once again proved that justice naturally inhabits man’s heart. The political persecution on other countries under the pretext of human rights will not be supported, and to apply hegemony and double standards on human rights issues will only lead to failure.

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

Since June last year, groups advocating “Hong Kong independence” and “self-determination” have incited protesters with external forces, trying to turn Hong Kong into a heaven of violence. Emotionally blackmailing millions of people for their own interests, they encouraged mobsters’ “mutual destruction” and lynch mob-style assaults. Their practice not only paralyzed the traffic , shut down businesses and brought troubles to people’s daily life, but also threatened the lives and property safety of the citizens. No country would allow and indulge such practices hurting human rights.

Hong Kong is China’s Hong Kong. No one cares more about Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability and Hong Kong resident’ welfare and rights than the Chinese Government and people. The rule of law symbols the progress of human civilization, and also guarantees the realization of human rights protection. The law on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR clearly defines the principles on rule of law, including respecting and protecting human rights. Rather than restricting the rights and interests, as well as the freedom enjoyed by Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, the legislation only makes better execution of such rights and interests in a more secure environment.

The right of China to safeguard national security, as well as its practical measures to protect human rights deserve respect from the international society. The Western intervention in China’s sovereign acts and domestic affairs under the disguise of human rights protection is typical political persecution, and seriously violates the international law and the basic norms governing international relations.

One shall be objective and fair on the judgment of human rights issues, so that it can withstand the test of history. Facts have repeatedly proved that China is constantly improving its human rights conditions, while the U.S. is doing exactly the opposite. Recently, some U.S. politicians have been talking nonsense on Hong Kong and Xinjiang affairs out of political purposes, regardless of their own poor records in human rights protection, which exposed typical double standards. What the U.S. has done in the recent two months alone is enough to prove the country’s indifference to its people’s right to life and health, to international judicial fairness, and to the responsibilities it should shoulder as a major country. The U.S. is really in no position to point fingers at other countries’ human rights conditions.

The 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council held on June 19 adopted a resolution strongly condemning the continuing racially discriminatory and violent practices perpetrated by law enforcement agencies against Africans and people of African descent. The resolution, in particular, condemned police brutality that led to the deaths of U.S. citizen George Floyd in Minneapolis and other people of African descent. It also further condemned the structural racism in the U.S. criminal justice system.

Also in June this year, the U.S. declared to impose sanctions against some International Criminal Court (ICC) officials investigating possible war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan, as well as the expansion of visa restrictions against these officials and their family members.

The decision by the U.S. to authorize sanctions targeting staff at the International Criminal Court (ICC) is “a direct attack to the institution’s judicial independence”, UN human rights experts said, adding that it could undermine victims’ access to justice.

The human rights crisis of the U.S. revealed in the country’s COVID-19 response was even more astonishing. There are over 2.6 million infections and nearly 130,000 deaths in the country, and the mortality among ethnic minorities and low-income earners is far higher than that among the white people.

“Low-income and poor people face far higher risks from the coronavirus due to chronic neglect and discrimination, and a muddled, corporate-driven, federal response has failed them,” said UN human rights expert Philip Alston.

With the largest number of coronavirus cases in the world, the U.S. is now consciously spreading the pandemic beyond its borders by continuing to deport thousands of immigrants, many infected with the coronavirus.

When the pandemic is still rampant around the world, the U.S. totally ignored the appeal by the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Refugee Agency to suspend repatriation of refugees, and deported thousands of immigrants to countries with underdeveloped medical conditions, causing severe public health disasters. According a report issued by the government of Guatemala in late April, nearly a fifth of the country’s coronavirus cases were linked to deportees from the U.S.

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Financing Health Futures: Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda Turn to Tobacco and Telecom Taxes in Big Push Against Malaria

Published

1 week ago

September 28, 2025

The Gleamer

African leaders, parliamentarians, health experts, and development partners have renewed their commitment to ending malaria by 2030, with a bold call for domestic financing through innovative taxation on tobacco, alcohol, and telecom services to close critical funding gaps.

The discussions took center stage at the Big Push Against Malaria: Harnessing Africa’s Role high-level political engagement in Abuja, where Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda showcased new homegrown financing strategies aimed at reducing dependence on dwindling donor support.

Africa’s Heavy Burden

Malaria remains one of Africa’s deadliest diseases. In 2023, the world recorded 263 million cases and nearly 600,000 deaths, with 94% of cases and 95% of deaths occurring in Africa. Nigeria alone accounted for 26.6% of global cases and 31% of deaths, according to the World Malaria Report 2024. Children under five remain the most vulnerable, making up 76% of deaths.

Despite progress — with Nigeria cutting malaria deaths by more than half since 2000 through insecticide-treated nets, preventive treatments, and the rollout of the new R21 malaria vaccine — leaders warned that global targets are off-track. The World Health Organization’s technical strategy for malaria (2016–2030) has stalled since 2017, with Africa unlikely to meet its 2025 and 2030 milestones without urgent action.

Taxing for Health Futures

The Nigerian Parliament’s Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM) announced plans to fund malaria elimination through “sin taxes” and telecom levies.

According to the House Chair on ATM, Hon. Linda Ogar, a bill is underway to restructure the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) into a multi-disease agency that will address HIV, TB, and malaria.

The new financing mechanism proposes:

Taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and other luxury items

Dedicated levies on telecom airtime and mobile money transactions

A percentage of the nation’s consolidated revenue

“These resources will provide sustainable funding to strengthen health systems and accelerate malaria elimination,” Ogar said, stressing that Africa must stop relying solely on foreign donors. “We cannot continue to take two steps forward and five steps backward. Africa must begin to show the world that we are ready to solve our problems ourselves.”

Similar models are already being piloted in Ghana and Uganda, where levies on mobile money and telecoms are being redirected to finance health interventions. The Abuja meeting urged other African countries to adopt this approach as part of a continental framework for sustainable financing.

Leaders Call for Urgent Action

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, emphasized that while malaria is preventable and treatable, it still kills hundreds of thousands yearly due to funding shortfalls, climate change, insecticide resistance, and humanitarian crises.

“To truly defeat this disease, we must rethink, join forces, and mount a concerted ‘Big Push’. Funding gaps remain a major obstacle, and innovative domestic financing is the way forward,” Salako declared.

From the civil society front, grassroots representatives pledged to act as “foot soldiers”, demanding that communities have a seat at the decision-making table. The World Health Organization, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, and other partners reaffirmed support but stressed the need for stronger political will and local ownership.

Private Sector and Global Support

Representing billionaire philanthropist Aliko Dangote, the Nigeria Malaria Council reiterated that private sector investment must complement government financing. Meanwhile, the Global Fund confirmed it has invested nearly $2 billion in Nigeria’s malaria response and committed an additional $500 million for 2024–2026, including support for local production of malaria drugs.

The Gates Foundation’s Uche Anaowu noted that while progress has slowed, malaria remains beatable:

“Smallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated. The question is — can malaria be next? I believe Africa has both the burden and the opportunity to lead the world in making that happen.”

Financing Health Futures: Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda Turn to Tobacco and Telecom Taxes in Big Push Against Malaria

Abuja, Nigeria – African leaders, parliamentarians, health experts, and development partners have renewed their commitment to ending malaria by 2030, with a bold call for domestic financing through innovative taxation on tobacco, alcohol, and telecom services to close critical funding gaps.

Africa’s Heavy Burden

Taxing for Health Futures

The Nigerian Parliament’s Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM) announced plans to fund malaria elimination through “sin taxes” and telecom levies.

The new financing mechanism proposes:

Taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and other luxury items

Dedicated levies on telecom airtime and mobile money transactions

A percentage of the nation’s consolidated revenue

Leaders Call for Urgent Action

Private Sector and Global Support

The Gates Foundation’s Uche Anaowu noted that while progress has slowed, malaria remains beatable:

“Smallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated. The question is — can malaria be next? I believe Africa has both the burden and the opportunity to lead the world in making that happen.”

The Big Push: From Talk to Action

Speakers acknowledged that Africa has hosted too many malaria meetings without concrete outcomes. This time, however, leaders insisted the Abuja gathering must mark a turning point — from dependency to self-reliance.

With Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda setting the pace on tax-based health financing, the continent now faces the challenge of replicating and scaling up these models.

“Now that Africa is at a critical point, the need for a Big Push against malaria cannot be overemphasized. If we align political will, innovative financing, and community engagement, we can end malaria within our lifetime.”

Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda are pioneering a shift from donor dependence to domestic revenue mobilization via tobacco, alcohol, and telecom taxes — a model hailed as central to financing Africa’s health futures and ending malaria by 2030
Speakers acknowledged that Africa has hosted too many malaria meetings without concrete outcomes. This time, however, leaders insisted the Abuja gathering must mark a turning point — from dependency to self-reliance.

With Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda setting the pace on tax-based health financing, the continent now faces the challenge of replicating and scaling up these models.

“Now that Africa is at a critical point, the need for a Big Push against malaria cannot be overemphasized. If we align political will, innovative financing, and community engagement, we can end malaria within our lifetime.”

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