Bereket Kiros Chair of Washington African Media Association (WAMA)
It is an important time that CIRCC (Coalition of Immigrants Refugees & Communities of Color) and Washington African Media Association (WAMA) and has created a strategy that anchors the building of our civic alliance to embark on a collaborative approach against COVID-19 in areas of quarantined sites in communities of color. I feel strongly watching through the social media images of the horrible incidents taking place in China against peaceful residents of African origin by hateful and violent Chinese security officials and common Chinese citizens. The horrific mistreatment of innocent African residents being thrown out of their homes, being humiliated by jeering crowed, being beaten, and shoved around by uniformed security personnel has tormented me being powerless and incapable of influencing the course of events that is taking place in China against Africans. There will be some type of reaction when you read this article. I cannot tell you how you should act, but I can tell you that evil will prevail if good people like you do nothing. It may seem trivial affair to you when it takes place far away, but it could mean all the difference in the world to all who are subjected to degrading discriminatory treatment, dehumanizing official ejections head from shelter and home, in hurtful manners with violence and hatred. Why do Africans have to endure inhuman treatment and racist slander for centuries and still suffer from such primitive impulses in the 21st century today.
As a society, every racial group had hopes and dreams for its future, and its aspirations rest on our shoulders to do the right thing against racism and xenophobic attacks wherever it rears its ugly head. Let me digress a little here. I am shocked about the treatment of Africans in China. A video clip on social media (include the source) showed peaceful Africans thrown out from their paid rental apartments like animals. They were also singled out and subjected forcefully to arbitrary testing for COVID-19. It is a wakeup call for all of us. It is illegal, criminal, and cruel to deprive the basic human right enshrined in the United Nations Charter to Africans who are residing currently in China. For some time now, I genuinely believed that racism was not a significant problem in China. I thought that the Chinese had successfully overcome the sins of their troubled history of colonialist legacy. To Chinese leaders the memory of humiliation by European powers should have been crucial formative experience. Yet racial prejudice continues to be a problematic for Africans in China.
Ignorance might be a more likely reason; but could not be excused under the current circumstances. Showing exhibitions of how Africans resemble monkeys, a blatant racism, seems to be enjoyed and accepted as a norm by both the Chinese Government and the Chinese Public. A racial drama played by a Chinese man and woman with painted face in black color showing how Africans are grateful for China is popularized and offered to the Chinese Public. One would expect rational thinking, wisdom, and compassion of the Chinese government. However, the Chinese Government chose silence to the human suffering and violent acts of racism against African residents in China. The image of Africa and Africans is distorted for the consumption of young Chinese generation by the Chinese Government sanctioned Media and presentations.
All of us should recognize how hard it is to persuade people to be open-minded when they themselves are victims of a totalitarian system of government and hurting. I am part of the COVID- 19 response team. I am keen to know the current racist attack by right-wing followers of extremist politicians against brothers and sisters of Chinese and Asian origin. That local racism and violence too must be condemned, and the perpetrators should be apprehended for their crime. As person of color, it saddens me to see/watch hate based on “race’ masquerading as a defining norm in our liberal Seattle. Our movement should not have a border and need to expand beyond home grown hate. We want to be clear here about how we are defining and conceptualizing racism. Race-based hatred was also central to the ideological and attitudinal components of Nazism, and, for whatever reason, racial bigotry, hostility, and hatred are now securely linked to the contemporary idea of “racism”. Currently, the black Africans in China, particularly in the city of Guangzhou are suffering not only from the Coronavirus like everybody else everywhere in the world, but also from inhumane hate, discrimination, and heinous crimes. The international community should not and must not ignore the suffering of the black Africans in China. The international community must ask the Chinse government to immediately stop the inhumane and cruel discrimination against the black African residents in China.
You see, racism always define other venerable individuals/communities in order to exert more power on them, but it cannot define itself. All these and other human rights abuses are attributed to the Chinese government. What is amazing is that the violence committed by the vigilantes and their likes, the perpetrators, are for all intents and purposes, not subject to criticism. The Chinese government has the responsibility to protect foreign citizens on its soil. It has not taken any action to protect innocent people of African origin from its terrorist and racist population and service personnel. Injustice and hate against black Africans in China is injustice and hate against all people of the world regardless of our skin color or national origin. The whole world is desperate for help, cooperation, and mutual assistance to alleviate and mitigate the Coronavirus burden. Some racist Chinese people are exacerbating the burden on the black Africans because of their skin color and national origin. They are being subjected to unfairly, inhumanely, and discriminatory coronavirus testing. The lucky once who are negative are forced into quarantine and the unfortunate once are evicted without just cause and thrown out to the street. https://youtu.be/bpSR5FhlFgU?t=20.
We must unite to condemn such barbaric outdated treatment of Africans in the hands of Chinese authorities or vigilantes. I do still believe that the Chinese, in general, want to have a harmonious, multi-ethnic society. But for that to happen, we may need to be less defensive, more generous, and more open contemplating the far-reaching effects that racial injustice can have. To my fellow Africans, I must say that the much-acclaimed Chinese investment in Africa must not blind us and our collective communities to silence, for tolerating Chinese abuse, and racist violence against our African Brothers and Sisters residing in China will only accelerate and increase. The Chinese attempt to bring modernization to Africa should not be at the expense of racism taking place against Africans in China. It may appear too daunting, but mutual respect must be the guiding principle in our relationship with China.
It is acknowledged by many that the Chinese in general are patriotic and loyal to their country. My question is at what expense? In responding to COVID-19, it is often important in the aftermath to find ways to harness the anger and outrage that events have produced and try to solve them wherever they appear. The attached videos above describe serious offences that could also represent examples of what are referred to as hate-crimes here in the United States and in Canada, as well as in the Western Countries. These offences represent what have been referred to as motive crimes, which involve violating people, or groups of people, by means of various criminal acts.
The Chinese hate and discrimination against black Africans did not start yesterday because of the Coronavirus. According to THE LANCENT, many Chinese people maintain stereotypes toward Africans partly due to the minimal contact they have with them but also because of the color of their skin. For some, black Africans are viewed as having a propensity to violence and posing risks to public health through spreading diseases. Discrimination is seen in business interactions and in their daily life (to rent apartments, to take a taxi, to go to restaurants). Africans in south China face social and health barriers – The Lancet
If we condemn racism and bigotry in our communities, why must we tolerate similar discriminatory racism against Resident Africans in China? I am not interested to tear apart communities, but I want all of us to fight racism and bigotry in unionism. I will continue to highlight the predicament of fellow Africans. Our collective silence must not continue, and we must expose Chinese racist the atrocity through renowned Media outlets such as the BBC, NBC, CBS, etc. that is being committed in Chinese soil against Africans. If we can engage in alliance in mobilization effort against racism, we must have concrete plans for racial justice.
Discussion on this important issue remains to be difficult. The failure to acknowledge the humanity and dignity of all Africans has lurked at the root of several communities historically imposed “racial system” in different parts of the World in the Americas, In Europe, in the Middle East, in Black Africa itself that still exists to this day. Let us work together for the common good and open a dialog. Our strength could only come from within, from a strong community bond. We must change the way we see race and racism. It is important that we reconcile our differences and work together for justice, unity, and tolerance.
COVID-19: Africans ‘evicted’ from homes in China – YouTube
The Point: What’s the reality of African people in Guangzhou? – YouTube
Coronavirus: China’s Racist Attacks on Black Foreigners – YouTube
Bereket Kiros is editor of the Ethiopian Observer and was a team member for the advancement of Race and Social Justice at Seattle Center. He holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and an Environmental Science degree from the University of Washington. He served for two years as Community involvement Commission (CIS) member. Currently, he is Chair of CIRCC (Coalition of Immigrants Refugees & Communities of Color), Chair of Washington African Media Association (WAMA), COVID-19 Community Alliance and Pandemic and Racism Community Advisory
Bereket Kiros can be reached at: Ethiopians@ethiooobserver.net