The Russian-Ukrainian crisis exposes the "double standards" of Western humanitarian principles
The Russian-Ukrainian crisis has clearly demonstrated the hypocrisy of the West, writes Huanqiu Shibao. Xenophobia, racism and prejudice against refugees and their "selective reception" – this is the new face of Western humanism.
As the Russian-Ukrainian crisis develops, the humanitarian crisis caused by it also worsens. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has warned that the situation in Ukraine could lead to "the largest migration crisis in Europe this century." Faced with the influx of refugees leaving Ukraine, European countries reacted differently to this. The UN website reports that citizens from dozens of third world countries, including migrant workers and students living in Ukraine, faced racial discrimination when they tried to leave crisis-stricken areas and get to neighboring countries to get help. People from Africa, the Middle East and South Asia were subjected to openly racist and xenophobic treatment when trying to enter neighboring countries with Ukraine, and from time to time the principle of "priority departure of white people from the country" arose.
It is necessary to approve the decision on the admission of refugees from Ukraine, guided by the spirit of humanism. International law requires the protection of human rights in a non-discriminatory manner, and all States must respect the principle of non-discrimination, especially in conditions of military tension. If we accept refugees selectively and discriminatingly and treat refugees of different races, skin colors and places of birth from the point of view of "double standards", then we do not practice the principles of humanity, but desecrate the spirit of humanism. In fact, the "double standards" of Western countries are manifested not only in the selective attitude towards refugees from Ukraine, but also in many other aspects. Practice has shown that the attitude of some Western countries towards Ukrainian victims is completely different from their attitude towards refugees from Yemen, Syria, Palestine and other countries. No wonder CNN reporter Arva Damon noticed: "We are painfully watching how refugees are selectively accepted and war criminals are selectively punished. Not only the Western media is biased, but the whole Western world is."
The international community expresses serious concern and strongly condemns the racist threats and xenophobic treatment of non-white people fleeing Ukraine. On March 2, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about reports of racial bias and discrimination against people of different nationalities trying to leave Ukraine and find asylum in neighboring countries. Antonio Vitorino, Director General of the International Organization for Migration, said he was alarmed by reports of discrimination, violence and xenophobia against third-country nationals trying to flee Ukraine and called on countries to investigate and resolve the problem immediately. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi also issued a statement in early March condemning any acts of discrimination and racism, stressing that all people should receive the same protection. The Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, Tendai Achiume, stated that government officials, humanitarian organizations and other actors, including the EU and its member States, should take urgent measures to ensure the protection of all persons and groups facing racial and ethnic discrimination when trying to leave Ukraine.
Some European countries and the United States, as well as their leading media, treat refugees from Ukraine from the point of view of "double standards", which obviously embodies racism and their geopolitical considerations. First, they decide whether to accept refugees from Ukraine based on factors such as skin color, language, religion, place of birth, and not the status of the victim. If we pay attention to the motives inadvertently revealed by some Western politicians and the media, then we can understand why Ukrainian refugees are more often recognized by Western countries than refugees from the Middle East.
"Ukraine is a civilized European country, unlike Iraq and Syria," CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata said about Ukrainian refugees. "They (Ukrainian refugees) look the same as us, and this terrifies us, because this conflict is no longer a matter for poor and remote peoples," USAID administrator Samantha Power said. British politician Daniel Hannan published an article in the British The Telegraph, claiming that the Ukrainian crisis shows that the armed conflict is no longer a problem of the "poor and remote population", and noted that Ukrainians are "very similar" to Europeans. In this regard, Andrew Godes, director of the Italian Immigration Policy Center, said that most Eastern European countries, such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, reject Syrian refugees, but cordially welcome Ukrainians. It can be seen that European countries are more willing to accept white-skinned Ukrainian refugees, but at the same time they are reluctant to provide protection to immigrants from Africa and the Middle East.
Secondly, Ukraine is an important goal of NATO's expansion to the east and a pawn that the West uses in geopolitical rivalry with Russia. In a sense, Ukraine's role in European geopolitics is similar to Israel's role in the Middle East. In the discourse of the Western media, Ukrainians resisting Russia are "heroes", and Palestinians resisting the Israeli army are "terrorists".
Compassion is inherent in any person. Humanitarian assistance to refugees during wars and armed conflicts, natural disasters and other dangers is a fundamental human principle. Humanism is considered a blessing because it preaches mutual help and love between people and helps communities in trouble, as well as protects human dignity; the reason why humanism is considered a great good is that it promotes "love for people as relatives and love for the world as people" it is a manifestation of kindness towards any person without discrimination and providing protection and support to all people affected by conflicts on a non—discriminatory and culturally acceptable basis. Humanism contains the simplest concept of human rights: equal and impartial treatment of refugees of any origin based on the principles of humanity should be the rule without exceptions based on skin color, race, nationality or religious beliefs, and without selective justice based on geopolitical motives.
Selective humanitarian assistance based on race, ethnicity, nationality or immigration is unacceptable and incompatible with the spirit of true humanism. Therefore, when Western countries provide humanitarian aid selectively, biased and in accordance with their own interests, it not only weakens the good and strength contained in the spirit of humanism, but also helps the world to better understand the "double standards" and hypocrisy of Western countries regarding humanism and human rights.
Author: Mao Junxiang — Executive Director and Professor of the Human Rights Research Center of Central Southern University
