LETTERS: The Malaysian Alliance of Civil Society Organisations (Macsa) calls on the media and human rights organisations not to be discriminatory, hypocritical and self-serving when dealing with human rights abuses in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Though Macsa opposes the invasion and human rights abuses, we find the selective treatment by the United States and Western countries against war crimes and human rights abuses appalling.
The US has yet to be accounted for its war crimes in the illegal wars and incursions in Iraq and Libya.
It has yet to be taken to account for its decades-long illegal detention without trial of abducted prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The US has supported to this day the ethnic cleansing and apartheid policy of Israel where Palestinians have been suffering and denied basic rights for decades.
It has foiled attempts at the United Nations Security Council, Human Rights Council and International Criminal Court to make Israel accountable for its ethnic cleansing.
These are among the human rights abuses committed and supported by the US.
Though condemnation of Russia is appropriate and supported, Macsa finds the US and Western countries' treatment of human rights abuses in Russia's invasion shocking.
The treatment of refugees from Ukraine compared with refugees from Syria, Africa and others by Western countries is so different that it borders on racism.
The action taken against war crimes committed by Russia and the US is so discriminatory and hypocritical that it makes so many people disgusted with how human rights have been misused for self- serving interests.
These double standards or discriminatory actions will only encourage more abuses with impunity.
It is disappointing to see a Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) commissioner perpetuate this double standard.
In Gerald Joseph's comment on Russia's suspension from the UN Human Rights Council, he argued that Russia's decision to inflict war by invading Ukraine is a "systemic violation" of Ukrainian citizens' rights and thus this justifies Russia's suspension from the council.
It is regretful that this mimics the West's myopic double-standard narrative.
Joseph failed to highlight the disdain by many here of the US' hypocritical and discriminatory standards, knowing that the US is an incoming member of the council.
If Russia is to be expelled from the council for its violation of human rights and war crimes in Ukraine, the US too should be expelled for the atrocities it has committed and supported that led to hundreds of thousands being killed and many tortured.
Malaysia must be clear about its stand. We oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine as much we oppose the US' invasion of many countries and its support of ethnic cleansing.
Let's stand up against Russia and US for their commission and support of human rights abuses.
LUKMAN SHERIFF ALIAS
Chairman, Malaysian Alliance of Civil Society Organisations (Macsa)
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR RAFIDAH HANIM MOKHTAR
Co-chairman, Macsa
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times