Global Anti- Blackness, China now Ukraine, it too much

[debbrianna]

It's soul destroying to watch other black people suffer in the middle of a pandemic or war where it has nothing to do with race. The videos from China was horrible. Now we are seeing the same from Ukraine. Why? We are people too. The chances of this war spread to the UK is not far off and that scares me.
We all see colour and it's annoying when people claim they don't. Evidence from around the world shows hate. I hope the black resident of Ukraine and black students trying to leave find away out. I joke they survive too. They should have the same right as everyone else who wants to leave.

By the way, don't come at me that this is not the time. It is and I am tired. We are humans too.

I did see something on BBC news about indian and Pakistani students getting out of Ukraine the day after they started getting bombed but they didn't talk about racism pr difficulties getting out, maybe because it was the very first day and they hadn't experienced it yet but there's been nothing repprted mainstream since.
It's absolutely disgusting and I too hope that once this is over then none of those students return there.
It needs to get talked about more for sure.

@Tiredly the BBC reported the racism on their BBC Africa pages on the day this thread started. However they never posted it on their main page even though the rest of the UK media caught up and over took them.

Even the Daily Fail has published a story on this which they put on their front page over the weekend. (Though it was pushed down the front page very quickly.)

@EchoNan if the racism is brought up on how the Ukrainians aren't allowing black and brown students out of the their country and Poland, Romania, Hungry et all aren't allowing them in, then rightly it will be brought up how Europe refuses to allow in refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. (In fact the current UK government plans on criminalising Afghan refugees.)

It is ignored that the situations are different. The vast majority of black and brown students are trying to get into other countries in Europe to be repatriated out of Europe completely .

@Maassi it is apparently more offensive in British society to be called a racist then be the person on the end of it. Just look at what happened to the England football team.

@RedMarauder. You are so right there.

I see Clive Myrie BBC is finally back home after some very brave reporting, and a tough journey via Romania.

He's still commenting via Twitter
twitter.com/CliveMyrieBBC/with_replies
....despite the drip drip of racial abuse (and death threats in 2020)

@RedWingBoots
I must've missed that. I did see something on the metro website actually come to think of it, it may still be there.
It's not enough though.

What can we do to bring more attention to this? Specifically getting them embassies to step up?

Excuse the poor grammar!

@Tiredly you do realise that was the point?

They do it deliberately so it is missed.

If you then take it up with them or do a google search you get access to their dated article so they can show they did cover it.

(Sorry listening to a Bosnian who is a blonde Muslim and arrived as a refugee condemning the West in general.)

I'm at a loss really @Maze76. I think the matter only started to get in the mainstream press after @debrianna started this thread. The original one on the main board was closed down.

I can only think make as much noise as we can, wherever we are, whatever contacts we have.

Hundreds of thousands of people are now trapped in dreadful conditions. Humanitarian corridors seem to lead to either Russia or Belarus. Neither of which are a good option really if black or brown or Roma.

I worked in Russia many years ago for some months. Not somewhere I'd be again by choice as a black person. I'm sure the people I worked with ( non black) will most surely have been out on the streets protesting. I've been thinking of them a lot.

(No one gets worked up on here about spelling and grammar, hope you are good )

Look at this twitter thread about the frankly racist outrage for this war versus wars affecting black and brown people

twitter.com/alanrmacleod/status/1497974245737050120?s=21

I am no longer giving this Ukraine thing any headspace because if it

Also see a thread about African students in Ukraine. I've signed the petition but it won't do anything. Where are the African leaders FFS
twitter.com/korrinesky/status/1500109071999029248?t=HymQEmNGbJ60Cq8tAvkqdg&s=19

Great report here:

"The western media is part of the problem. They reflect the public mentality "

"The issue is race"

twitter.com/ghadifrancis/status/1498365165770887179?t=kwuJ-FNwdMiMnfxCt5gTFA&s=19

Ok only 3 black people but not everyone in the UK is like that.

Joe McCarthy and Gary Taylor who run Ready2Rock landscaping in Falkirk, have rescued 1 Irish and 2 Nigerian students in Sumy. Pictures are in the linked article.

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/hailed-as-heroes-scottish-gardeners-who-rescued-trio-from-ukraine

It's a horrendous situation all round. Does anyone know how many black and asian students are in Ukraine?
Why are their home countries not repatriating them?
I find it weird that Eastern Europe is a popular destination for international students given the well known far right activity in this region.

[quote GreenLunchBox]Also see a thread about African students in Ukraine. I've signed the petition but it won't do anything. Where are the African leaders FFS
twitter.com/korrinesky/status/1500109071999029248?t=HymQEmNGbJ60Cq8tAvkqdg&s=19[/quote]
Right?!

@HoliHormonalTigerlilly the Guardian article I linked to gives an idea of numbers.

Too many students are in Sumy which is near the Russian border.

www.reuters.com/world/europe/humanitarian-corridor-set-allow-civilians-out-ukraines-sumy-deputy-pm-2022-03-08/

Well it looks like those in the city where most of the African and Indian students are stuck will be allowed to be evacuated.

Lets see if they actually allow the students out particularly the boys.

@EchoNan

I'm at a loss really *@Maze76. I think the matter only started to get in the mainstream press after @debrianna* started this thread. The original one on the main board was closed down.

I can only think make as much noise as we can, wherever we are, whatever contacts we have.

Hundreds of thousands of people are now trapped in dreadful conditions. Humanitarian corridors seem to lead to either Russia or Belarus. Neither of which are a good option really if black or brown or Roma.

I worked in Russia many years ago for some months. Not somewhere I'd be again by choice as a black person. I'm sure the people I worked with ( non black) will most surely have been out on the streets protesting. I've been thinking of them a lot.

(No one gets worked up on here about spelling and grammar, hope you are good )

Thanks @EchoNan. Hope you’re well too

[quote RedWingBoots]Ok only 3 black people but not everyone in the UK is like that.

Joe McCarthy and Gary Taylor who run Ready2Rock landscaping in Falkirk, have rescued 1 Irish and 2 Nigerian students in Sumy. Pictures are in the linked article.

www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/hailed-as-heroes-scottish-gardeners-who-rescued-trio-from-ukraine[/quote]
I think that's the young Irish woman that @TheVeryThing posted about upthread.
Rescued by the Scots!
I hope that TheVeryThing sees this as she posted a link about her.

Those two young men are amazing, that took so much courage. their families must be both bursting with pride, and worried to death about them.

@HoliHormonalTigerlilly Most recently I think it's basically a question of economics for many of the students. It's cheaper to go to university there to study medicine, for instance. Visas are more straighforward, and it's a stepping stone to Europe when qualified.

Ukraine was home to over 76,000 foreign students, according to government data from 2020.
Nearly a quarter of the students were from Africa, with the largest numbers coming from Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt

Here's a link if you are interested.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-60603226

Sharing this article

www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/03/03/anti-black-racism-is-upending-easy-narratives-about-historic-exodus-ukraine/?fbclid=IwAR1x0YNqnBgh6YSg5tiVo2wUVAEtBWb5hQfgAj9o5LJ_-Szg7GXk9195dZ8

Wow that is a LOT of students! @EchoNan thanks for the info.

[quote doadeer]Sharing this article

www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/03/03/anti-black-racism-is-upending-easy-narratives-about-historic-exodus-ukraine/?fbclid=IwAR1x0YNqnBgh6YSg5tiVo2wUVAEtBWb5hQfgAj9o5LJ_-Szg7GXk9195dZ8[/quote]
@doadeer
That's such an informative article. I knew of the historical links with Africa and USSR, but not as in depth as in the article, or how blackness was the pawn in a propaganda war with the West. Definitely worth reading.
And the last paragraph.............

Suffering is not zero-sum, and to show solidarity for Ukraine and Ukrainians needn’t mean forgetting those with whom Ukrainians have been living for more than 60 years. African people have become part of the fabric of life in Eastern Europe. They have made homes, started families and profoundly shaped the towns and cities in which they live

It's really interesting to see it put in historical context. The two authors are historians I believe.