Ukraine Unrest And Attacks On Black People

Kibunango · 2014-05-13T05:01:02+00:00

AFRICANGLOBE The People of African Descent in Ukraine are passing through difficult times. The ongoing political unrest has brought about unexpected economic and other crises among most people living in the country. However, the People of African Descent bear the most brunt for obvious reasons. Most Ukrainians know little about the People of African Descent except the negative and unpleasant news about their continent and countries that make the headlines, which are not necessarily their general life pattern nor the countries concerned. This contributes to making the struggles for basic human rights of the People of African Descent an uneasy task. When the demonstrations started late last year, demanding the then President Victor Yarnukovych not to backtrack on its promise to sign the proposed closer cooperation agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, not many people thought that it could turn into a full-blown, protracted unrest of such a magnitude, affecting the political, cultural and even social fabrics of the society. But even before the situation would reach this level, most People of African Descent here had already started feeling the heat. The already hard-to-find jobs have dwindled and students are no more getting the scanty financial supplements they make from part-time jobs. On their part, the petty traders who survive with their families on daily sales from the markets complain that the markets are dry, virtually no sales. Adding to this is the security factor. Behind the scenes, at a time that all attention is focused on the ongoing political unrest, some extremists and anti-Blacks see the situation as an opportunity to realize their attacks against the People of African Descent, the visible minorities. Groups of Ukrainian young adults, at times with masks in their faces, have on a number of occasions, ambushed and attacked the People of African Descent in and near the market places where they sell, and other places where they normally pass. (Following is a link to one of such attacks caught on security camera). This brings a chilling reminder of the premeditated racially-motivated attacks of 2006-2011 that mainly claimed the lives of some People of African Descent. The African Center has thus issued warnings to the People of African Descent especially in Kiev, the capital, and the other regions that are also experiencing unrests, to be extra cautious. The law enforcement organs, presently already stretched to their limits dealing with the ongoing unrests, may not find this a priority. Consequently, for their security, the best advice for the People of African Descent is to limit going out, and to go out with caution, at least until the situation improves. African Center has been assisting the People of African Descent who are more vulnerable paying house rents, food commodities, and providing psychological services to encourage them from the daily threats and fears especially among students. The number of people and families asking for assistance to enable them survive until the situation improves keep increasing with the worsening economic situation. Ukraine, generally, is home to several minorities former students, migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, and students. Among them are the People of African Descent from Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Congo, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Mali, Namibia Sudan, Angola, Uganda, Brazil, Haiti, Jamaica, Gambia, Tanzania, Togo, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Niger, Rwanda and Tunisia. Many African students prefer to come here to study mainly because costs of study is relatively low, besides, there are several tertiary institutions and specializations.

Thread starter Kibunango
Start date May 13, 2014

Kibunango

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Ukraine Unrest And Attacks On Black People

Kibunango

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