US government must assert that 'Black lives matter' – UN rights experts

The United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent has condemned the killing of two African Americans in the United States and the subsequent reprisal attack that killed five police officers in downtown Dallas.

According to the group, ‘‘It is time, now, for the US Government to strongly assert that Black lives matter and prevent any further killings as a matter of national priority.”

The group led by Ricardo A. Sunga III called for independent investigations into the attacks and that the perpetrators be found and punished.

“The Working Group is outraged and strongly condemns the new police killings of two African- American men. These killings which were captured on video cannot be ignored. We call for prompt independent investigations to ensure the perpetrators are prosecuted and punished,’‘ a statement from the group said.

The group bemoaned the excessive use of police force against African Americans, a situation the group described as ‘a regular occurrence.’ ‘‘African Americans are reportedly shot at more than twice the rate of white people,’‘ the statement further observed.

Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana were shot and killed by police earlier this week. In what looked like a reprisal attack, snipers shot and killed five policemen during a protest against the killings in Dallas.

The working group said it was monitoring the situation and has ‘‘repeatedly expressed its concern to the United States Government about police killings of African Americans and called for justice. The Working Group is convinced that the root of the problem lies in the lack of accountability for perpetrators of such killings despite the evidence.’‘