Reports of
black Africans being subjected to racial abuse in China are shocking,
retrogressive and should be condemned outrightly. Several
reports of Nigerian and Kenyan
nationals being
denied entry into their homes and public spaces such as subways because they
are foreigners have emerged and caused an uproar on social media. It has also
been reported that members of the black community in Guangzhou are facing
special scrutiny amid coronavirus pandemic, unlike the citizens.
It is
inappropriate and inhuman for the Chinese government to treat foreigners, who
are in the country legally, like animals. The world is currently facing a
deadly pandemic that has so far left over 125,000 people dead. Economies are
suffering. Millions of people across the world have lost their jobs because
they cannot go to work lest they contract the deadly virus, whose disputed
source is said to be a food market in Wuhan, China. Thousands of families have lost their
loved ones and there is the need to treat everyone with respect, love and show
compassion regardless of their nationality, race and religious background
during this difficult period.
The Chinese
government must, therefore, come out and address the reports of racial
discrimination against blacks in the country, apologise to the victims and
the world for subjecting foreign nationals to racial discrimination. Denying
people entry into their homes because of the colour of their skin is backward,
discriminatory and should be condemned in the strongest terms possible.
The Chinese
government must also assure the world that it will treat all humans living in the
country with dignity and respect to avoid tensions between countries. There are
millions of Chinese nationals living in other countries yet we have not seen
reports of them being denied access to public spaces or their homes. If they
suspect that certain people are infected with COVID-19, why not isolate and
test them for the virus just like others? Why deny them accessing their
rightful homes and using public services such as buses and trains? China’s
response to the racism reports is underwhelming and does not address the issue
at hand. In a statement, the country says African nationals have been treated
as good friends and partners during the pandemic in China, which is contrary to
reports from the ground.
Governments
should unite in condemning this racist act by the Chinese. This is a very
serious matter that should be addressed immediately to avoid retaliation
against Chinese nationals living in other countries. As a country, China should
take lessons from Portugal, who granted
all immigrants full citizenship rights, albeit temporary, during the coronavirus pandemic and England who extended
expiring work visas for all
migrants working as medical officers.
This is not
the first time that China is facing a backlash for subjecting blacks to racism.
In February 2020, a video showing
African children chanting racist slogans in Chinese fuelled social media
outrage and calls on African governments to protect their citizens from inhuman
treatment by the Chinese. In the video, the children chanted “I am a black
monster, I have a very low IQ”, not knowing what the Chinese words meant. In 2017, the
BBC reported that Chinese online shopping platform
Taobao was forced to pull down a promotional video and photos featuring young
black African children following outrage on social media. The advertisements by
the company were deemed as exploitative and against child labour laws. No one
should be discriminated because of the colour of their skin in the 21st
century. Racism is backward, inhuman and has no room in modern society.
This article was also published by the Daily Nation
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