Democracy Now! Audio Time of Monsters: U.N. Human Rights Chief on Gaza, Immigration, Climate Crisis, and Lack of Solidarity (Extended Interview)
Jul 11, 2025
Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, discusses pressing global issues from his position in Geneva. He sheds light on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, emphasizing the dire need for a ceasefire and human rights protection. Türk also critiques U.S. immigration policies, advocating for compassion towards migrants. The conversation further explores the detrimental effects of funding cuts on humanitarian efforts and highlights the urgent link between climate change and human rights. His insights underline the necessity for regulatory measures against concentrated power.
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Gaza's Forced Displacement Crisis
- Repeated forced displacement in Gaza confines people to one-fifth of the territory repeatedly.
- Volker Türk characterizes this as ethnic cleansing due to permanent demographic shifts violating international law.
Militarized Humanitarian Aid in Gaza
- Humanitarian aid in Gaza is militarized and severely limited to a few distribution points.
- This causes chaos and deaths, failing to meet the scale and speed needed to save lives.
UN's Founding Principles vs Reality
- The U.N.'s founding principles aim to prevent war and protect human rights after horrific past conflicts.
- Today's global disrespect for international law and abundance of conflicts are deeply worrying.