New York — Political leaders, in particular the candidates campaigning for the upcoming presidential election in Guinea, should refrain from invoking ethnic affiliations and using provocative language that may lead to violence, discrimination and other human rights violations, said Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Pramila Patten, the UN's Acting Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, on Wednesday.
Ahead of the elections, due to take place on 18 October, there have been increasingly pervasive and divisive appeals to ethnic affiliations during the campaign, particularly references to the Malinké and Fulani ethnicities. Candidates have also suggested violence may follow the announcement of the results.
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