The plight of being African in India: Stereotyped, discriminated and abused

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

The last few months have witnessed a spate of attacks against African nationals living in India. The attacks drew condemnation within the country and garnered negative attention the world over.

In February, a group of Tanzanian nationals were assaulted and a girl almost stripped and frogmarched on the streets of India's technology capital Bangalore, in southern India. The reason? Minutes earlier, a speeding car allegedly driven by a Sudanese national had fatally knocked down a local woman. Soon a mob gathered at the scene and got hold of the Tanzanian nationals instead, who were not involved in the accident. For the mob, it was a case of mistaken identity and they meted out the punishment to the Tanzanians, as they "looked alike".

Members of African Students Association hold placards during a protest in Hyderabad on 6 February 2016Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images
In another incident that occurred in May, in the capital New Delhi, a 23-year-old Congolese man identified as MasundaKitada Olivier was beaten to death after a heated conversation over hiring an auto rickshaw – a three-wheel public transport vehicle. In the same month, a Nigerian student was beaten up by locals over a parking dispute in Hyderabad, capital of the southern Indian state ofTelangana.

IBTimes UK spoke to some African students living in India about their personal experiences.

Nigerian national Omobowale Seun Gideon came to India nearly six years ago to study business administration. While he is generally happy about his experience of living in India, he is swift to add that he has faced the brunt of racism. He described some Indians as being "impertinent". Being the president of the Nigerian Student Association, he has received several complaints from fellow students about unpleasant encounters with numerous locals.

"They say people come to touch our hair, our face. And they call us names. They ridicule us for being 'kaalee' [Hindi term for black] – that's what they call us," said Gideon.

When local police fail to accept or address their complaints, African nationals not only feel "unwelcomed in India but also feel threatened", he added.

"We receive absolutely no support from the police or government. Over there in Nigeria, you cannot use foul language or attack foreigners. At least you'll have police registering your complaint even if you feel unsafe. But here they look down on us as criminals.

African students listen to a discussion about racial problems faced by nationals in India with Delhi police representatives and members of a local residents welfare association on 3 June 2016CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP/Getty Images
"We spend a lot of money to come to India to study. They [government and police] can do at least something for us to get people to respect us. We have always loved and respected Indians."

Gideon also pointed out the challenges they faced while looking for places to live on rent, although he said that his personal experience was positive. "My house owner is the best Indian I have ever met. I know a few people who have had difficulty in finding accommodation. Even if they get a place, the landlords would charge twice or thrice the normal rent. And some of them were denied a house even after accepting a huge advance because the neighbours wouldn't want them there," he stated.

'Not premeditated'

In India, it is not only African nationals who have faced racist attacks; its own citizens from the north-eastern part of the country have witnessed similar assaults. Because of their appearance, which is closer to the people of Southeast Asia than the subcontinent, they are seen as foreigners when they travel to other parts of country.

Two years ago, Nido Taniam, a young college student from Arunachal Pradesh, died after being attacked by a group of locals in Delhi following a brawl after he was allegedly mocked for his appearance and hairstyle.

The Indian government condemned the incident and denied at the time that it was a racist incident.

"The attacks that happened on members of the African community in India were not only unfortunate but also painful. They were perpetrated by anti-social and criminal elements, which can be judged from the fact that CCTV footage in the case of the unfortunate death ofMasonga Kitanda Olivier [Congolese man attacked in Delhi] showed that it was an act committed by goons who also thrashed Indian bystanders who had attempted to save him," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told IBTimes UK.

African Students Association members hold placards during a protest in Hyderabad in support of Tanzanian nationals assaulted by a local mob in Bangalore in FebruaryNOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images
Following the Delhi incident, there were reports of Indians being attacked in Congo in retaliation over Olivier's death.

On the other hand, Okechukwu Egboluche, an optometrist from Nigeria who has been in India for three months, considers himself lucky to be training in the country.

"People here have been lovely. Some of them laugh when I mispronounce a Hindi word but they are always willing to teach me the language," he said, and added that he was unaware of the attacks before coming to India, but even after having read about the incidents he was not willing to portray any negative image of the country.

"When I walk on the roads, I feel like I belong here. Whenever I go to the market I have my housekeeper leaving his work to come and help me do my shopping. When I smile at people here, they smile back at me. I don't feel uneasy at all. I like the attention they give me. It's fun for me," the Nigerian national said.

However, there are a few issues that Egboluche is wary of. The first being his scepticism when locals start to speak in native languages even when he is part of a group. Also, "Work here is very, very demanding and taxing. People work long hours every day, and work even on Saturdays," he says.

Colour-based discrimination in India

India seemingly is obsessed with white skin and this can easily be noticed with the burgeoning sale of fairness creams in the country. Moreover, not all foreigners are frowned upon. Most are revered and welcomed – if they have a lighter skin tone, they are even admired.

An advertising banner of a Fair and Lovely skin fairness cream is displayed outside a shop in New Delhi - Representational ImageGetty/AFP
Critics have long complained that the cosmetics industry is cashing in on people's anxiety with their skin tone. Beauty products companies earnhandsome profits from sales of fairness creams for both sexes. Challenging the deep-rooted bias for lighter skin, activists in the country have come up with counter campaigns titled "Dark Is Beautiful" and "Stay Unfair".

"There is an element of colour-based discrimination, if not exactly race-based discrimination, that prevails in India. You cannot extend that to racism," professor Ajay Dubeyfrom the Centre for African Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said. He added that Africans of black descent face the most discrimination unlike Arab or European-descent Africans.

Gideon also alleged that attacks against Africans in India occurred "not because of our nationality but because of our colour – we are black". Although, he agreed that Africans have also caused troubles in the past. "I do not deny that. But you cannot generalized," he stressed.

Over the years, Indian authorities have arrested African nationals for allegedly possessing and peddling drugs; creating a nuisance in public under the influence of alcohol; and for getting into fights among themselves after late-night parties. In a recent incident, a Ugandan woman was taken into custody for hailing abuses at a local vendor in a Bangalore market. And more than 500 Africans students are reported to be overstaying their visa in Bangalore alone. Incidents like these have affected public perception about them significantly.

Despite this, the number of Africans coming to India for education has increased rapidly as government-sponsored scholarships to Commonwealth countries have persuaded students to opt for the Asian nation. It is also because India is inexpensive when compared to the US or UK. At present, there are around 40,000 Africans studying in India.

the most racist.

Global phenomenon of stereotyping

The longstanding stereotype of Africans being involved in the sale of drugs or prostitution is partly blamed on Bollywood's negative portrayal of black people as criminals.

Some female African students were also reportedly harassed by auto rickshaw drivers, who asked them demeaning questions. "They were asked, 'How much they charge an hour'?"Dubey said, who has also counselled numerous African students.

Joseph Okia (C), a student from Uganda, speaks about racial problems faced by him and other Africans in India on 3 June 2016CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP/Getty Images
Speaking about stereotyping in general, Blaaze was of the view that Africans in the continent carry a conventional image of Indians. "They stereotype all Indians as being shop owners with fancy cars. When I was growing up in Zambia, nobody thought an Indian kid would learn break dancing or an Indian kid would put Zambia on the hip hop map. I do it every day in my own way and that breaks the stereotype."

But then, there are some like Egboluche's brother Yugo, a Nigerian living in his home country, who felt that one cannot paint an entire section of people with the a racist brush, just because of some isolated incidents. He continued that this will not stop him from travelling to India.

Bangalore mob attack. Such misguided attacks do not help in clearing the air for intending visitors with inferior knowledge of India and its people, as it will dent the credibility of law enforcement agencies," Yugo explained.

Awareness and sensitisation

The suggestion to stop the tendency of locals seeing a race or nationality with preconceived notions is the common message that was echoed by numerous Africans students living in Bangalore who spoke to IBTimes UK on condition of anonymity.

For some, including Gideon, the best way to avoid conflict with locals is by ignoring brusque and rude comments. "When I newly came to India I used to get frustrated but now I just laugh at them because they are so ignorant. I'm glad I'm leaving India next year and will be free from all of them," Gideon said.

"Even when I'm driving and someone accidentally bangs my car, I usually don't question the person who had hit me. I'm scared to step out of the car in a situation like that fearing people would round up and put the blame on me."

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In May, tourism minister of the sunny state of Goa,Dilip Parulekar had dubbed all Nigerians as being "involved in unwanted things like drugs." As a result, Gideon said he has been actively talking to people back home through the Nigerian media and telling them "not to come to India".

To bring an end to these forms of attacks, Dubeysuggested that public campaigns should be organised to create awareness in society to respect Africans. He said: "Not enough is being done to sensitise the public to treat Africans in more human and egalitarian way. People should be informed how important Africa is to India. The larger public is unaware of Africans' importance to India's growth. African nations are wooed by many countries like Japan, Brazil and China, and several European countries. India is just one among them."

Okechukwu Egboluche (extreme right) with his friends in Hyderabad, TelanganaFacebook
On 28 June, it was reported that around 45% of Africa's total trade comes from Asia, which has surpassed Europe as the continent's biggest trade partner. India and China have benefited from expanding trade ties with Africa.

Besides the migrant population, India and Pakistan are home to several African ethnic groups. There are up to 50,000 Siddis or Habshis (Ethiopians or Abyssinians) living mainly in the Indian states of Karnataka, Gujarat and Telangana. They were brought to India in the seventh century to work as military slaves, but enjoyed royal privileges.

Blaming the government for not having strict laws in place, Dubey has called on the government to make stricter legal provisions to protect the welfare of Africans living in India. But the question remains as to whether mere laws, unsupported by awareness and sensitivity towards other cultures, could help change racist mindsets.



http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/plight-being-african-india-stereotyped-discriminated-abused-1568050

 

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

Facing abuse, Africans refuse to give in to fear of racist violence in India

New Delhi: Congolese student Arnold Mutumbo Muama refuses to be cowed by a spate of racist violence towards Africans in New Delhi, defiant after a friend was beaten up by security guards at his apartment block.

"The guard called him a 'monster' in Hindi before taking him to the basement and beating him," recalled Muama, 29, who chairs a Congolese welfare association.

Representational image. Reuters

Racism against Africans in India was thrown into the spotlight following the brutal stoning to death of Congolese national Masunda Kitada Oliver following a dispute over an auto-rickshaw in May last year.

Following the attack, African ambassadors in New Delhi threatened to recommend to their governments that they don't send students to the capital "as their security is not guaranteed".

Around 30,000 Africans live in New Delhi, according to police, and they have told AFP of numerous humiliations they face, from insults in the street to housing discrimination and even violent attacks.

This week, television footage showed police officers in the southern city of Bangalore forcefully restraining a Nigerian woman following an altercation at a market.

She was tied up with ropes before being injected with sedatives.

Despite these incidents, IT student Muama believes it is "out of the question to live in fear".

"You have to be aware of your rights," he said.

They eat dogs

In Khirki Extension, a bustling set of interlacing streets in the south of the Indian capital long home to a sizeable Nigerian community, prejudices remain on display.

"The way they eat, drink, live... Everything is different," said Inderjeet Singh, a real estate agent who has been in the neighbourhood for 15 years.

"People say they eat street dogs, families fear they cut their children into pieces and eat them," the 53-year-old said.

The number of Nigerians living in the district has dwindled since January 2014, when it was the scene of a crackdown by a member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly Somnath Bharti.

Bharti, accompanied by supporters of his anti-corruption party and night vision cameras, took to the streets to denounce an alleged prostitution and drug trafficking network run by Nigerians and Ugandans.

Bharti attempted to force the police to search several apartments and reportedly ordered four Africans to take urine tests to detect any traces of drugs.

In an attempt to now tackle racist views, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has promised an awareness campaign in neighbourhoods with large numbers of African inhabitants.

"We are trying to break the communication gap between the locals and our African friends," RP Upadhyay, a senior Delhi Police official in charge of the campaign told AFP.

"We are requesting everyone that whenever anything happens, report it to the police."

'Good friendships'

The death of the Congolese student comes as India is seeking to charm African nations, seeking to rival China, which has long staked its interest on the continent.

Following an India-Africa summit last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited four African countries in early July.

Nigerian, Cameroonian and Congolese residents in New Delhi interviewed by AFP say that while they encounter difficulties in daily life, many Indians are open and tolerant towards them.

Congolese student Loic Ipanga, 24, believes the "racist reactions" he experiences are often due to ignorance of Africa.

"It is very shocking that every time an Indian sees you, he asks you if you are Nigerian, thinking that because of my skin colour I must be Nigerian," he says.

"This is sometimes a disturbing issue."

Yet he says he has "very good friendships with Indians, who are willing to get up in the middle of the night to help you".

"We must act like adults -- mature and wise. You cannot lay a hand on anyone," he said.



http://www.firstpost.com/living/fac...fear-of-racist-violence-in-india-2882980.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/06/african-india-demons-160620101135164.html

 

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

Africans attacked in Delhi: Tracing the faultlines of open racism and distrust
In Rajpur Khurd where attacks on Africans happened, there are few meeting points between the villagers and their new neighbours.

Ankita Dwivedi Johri

In Rajpur Khurd in the Capital where attacks on Africans happened, prompting the MEA to step in, there are few meeting points between the villagers and their new neighbours. As Africans recede into anger and silence, Ankita Dwivedi Johri walks the faultlines for 24 hours. Photographs: Tashi Tobgyal

Baljit Singh has contemplated leaving Rajpur Khurd at least on two occasions. Zu Zan Hmos Osycal has considered the idea multiple times in the past one month. But this wasn’t the plan the two men started out with. Rajpur Khurd is a crammed urban village in South Delhi’s Chhatarpur district, an address better known for its opulent farmhouses and grand weddings. In the past five years, close to a thousand men and women from African nations have made it their home. In the events of the past fortnight, the faultlines between them and the ‘Rathi’ Jats in the village lie in the open.

Black African men stand in the alleys of the Rajpur Khurd village in Chattarpur area of South Delhi during a power outage. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
A week after Congolese national Masonda Ketada Olivier was beaten to death in neighbouring Vasant Kunj, four cases of attacks on African nationals were reported from the twin villages of Rajpur Khurd and Maidan Garhi. Following the attacks, over 15 African nations raised concerns over safety of their citizens in India. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and MEA officials had to step in to promise better security.

Flanked by high walls, Rajpur Khurd faces power-cuts, water shortage and bumpy roads. The chasm between its old residents and new neighbours is the biggest hurdle of them all. There are few meeting points, and open racism and distrust.

7 AM

Louzi, the cook from Chema’s kitchen prepares a Nigerian lunch for the day at their residence in Rajpur Khurd village near Chattarpur in South Delhi. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
“Woh das baje se pehle nahin uthte, raat bhar ghoomte rehte hain (They don’t wake up before 10 am, they roam the streets all night),” complains a girl collecting garbage, knocking loudly on the main door of a three-storey building, using a derogatory term for Africans. After 10 minutes, a slightly groggy African woman steps out and hands her a big black bag full of trash. Relieved, the garbage collector dumps the bag onto her cart and moves to the next apartment.

The term the girl uses is Arabic for Abyssinian, a nationality known as Ethiopian today. The term was used to describe the Africans who came to live in India in the pre-British era, arriving as merchants, fishermen and slaves. After Independence, it simply became a derogatory word, to describe anyone with a dark complexion and a thick mane of braided hair. In Rajpur Khurd, which houses a growing number of Africans, mostly Nigerian men looking for business opportunities, it is a term thrown about often.

As the sun grows strong, the narrow lanes of the village, lined with general stores, repair shops and food stalls, leisurely come to life. At this early hour, there are few signs of the new residents among Rajpur Khurd’s 5,000-odd Jats. “It’s too early, wait for a few more hours,” says a shopkeeper near a branch of Syndicate Bank in the village.
Some time passes before Mike Enumah, a 36-year-old Nigerian ‘garment businessman’, appears. “I buy clothes from markets in India and sell them in my country,” says Enumah, who came to India in 2010, to do his Bachelors in Business Administration at the University of Mumbai. He moved to Rajpur Khurd in 2013 to live with his cousin.

Today, as he visits the local store to get supplies for the day, Mike seems angry. “Why do we suddenly have all these cameras in our faces? These images will be broadcast in my country, what will my family think?” he says. “I heard the news of the attacks on Africans, but I did not see them. It doesn’t affect me, man,” he shrugs.

Michael Chema from Nigeria lives in the Rajpur Khurd village in Chattarpur and runs the Chema Kitchen while also claiming to be a businessman and a fashion store owner back home in Nigeria. He has also lived in Vietnam and claims to know the language. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
But the anger is hard to hide. “Indians own all the big companies in my country, they are treated with respect. But here… ,” he stops mid-sentence. His landlord Ashok Rathi jumps in to finish the line. “The ruckus is created by Africans who visit from Malviya Nagar and Dwarka areas. My tenants don’t even drink and smoke. Here no panga, no tension,” he quips.

Ashok Rathi, who owns four buildings in the area, has reasons to be happy with tenants such as Mike. Rajpur Khurd is believed to have been set up by Raj Singh Rathi, a Jat farmer who came to Chhatarpur over 900 years ago. All residents of the village are considered his descendants, hence the surname ‘Rathi’ on a majority of the nameplates outside houses. “We were all farmers, but around 2008, the government started acquiring our land. So many of us built multi-storey houses on our plots to save our land. But no one was willing to rent and the flats remained unoccupied for over two years. That is when we opened our doors to the Africans. They paid more rent, Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,000 a month,” says Ashok Rathi.

Mike again insists things are fine. “I came to India, leaving behind my wife and children, to make a living. I was told 60-70 per cent people speak in English in India. I haven’t picked up any Hindi, but haven’t had a problem. Go find those who have had a problem.” Then, he objects, “No pictures. Keep the camera away!”

NOON

Africans in India attend a get together with their local Indian house owners orgainsed by the Delhi Police in the Chattarpur area close to the Rajpur Khurd village where the incidents of alleged racial attacks took place. The meeting was organised to bring together both sides for a mutual understanding and compromise. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
“Africans are not evil, man, they are simple, just like the Americans,” Michael Chema proclaims to the room, which right now has his “business partner” Louzi and a few “hungry men”, flipping through English entertainment channels on television.

Chema, a Nigerian, arrived in India in September 2014, after brief visits to Vietnam and Thailand. “I am an international businessman… Louzi cooks the best food in Rajpur. We began this kitchen service,” says Chema, sitting in the living room of his three-room apartment. The house has the basics: an old couch, a few cushions, a mattress on the floor in the bedroom and an air-conditioner. “All my friends come to my home because of the air-conditioner,” he smiles.

It’s 10 minutes past noon, and the two have just woken up. Louzi heads straight to the small, cluttered kitchen, with a microwave and several large bowls. She hurriedly empties a packet of rice flour into a huge aluminium bowl, adds a little water, and then begins stirring the batter over high flame till it gets the consistency of dough. She then pulls out two large plastic boxes from the freezer. “This is chicken curry and the kidney bean soup she made in the night,” says Chema. But just as Louzi tries to explain the recipe, Chema interjects, “You ask me the questions.”

The food prepared and re-heated, Chema settles down on the couch with the rice dough and chicken curry. Louzi heads back to the kitchen, to prepare food for the 20 customers who will come in the next hour. “Life is very simple for me here. Language is a problem but I try to begin my sentence with bhaiyyaji (brother)… That works most of the time,” he laughs, dunking the dough into the curry and taking large bites. “If Africans are involved in a fight, we try to go for peace always. But the ones who fight… The hardships in India make African men very sad, angry — rents are high, food is expensive… Maybe that is why they get into fights. But I want to live long, get married…” he says, talking about the recent attacks.

Chika Mariamo (backin the pic) is been in Delhi for eight months and lives in the Rajpur Khurd village near Chattarpur in South Delhi. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
As he works his way through the chicken curry, the other “tensions” begin pouring out. “People stare at me all the time, but I guess that is because I have a great fashion sense. Indian men… they are heartless, jealous, and the girls are shy… That leads to some tension,” he says, spitting out bones into a bowl.

“But here in Rajpur Khurd, it is all good. The Rathis protect us. They have lawyers and policemen in the family… Once some men followed me from Malviya Nagar, but this old Rathi woman threatened to attack them with sticks. They fled immediately,” he says, handing over the dishes to Louzi.

As his friends begin trickling in for lunch, sold at Rs 200 a plate, the mood in the house gets “lighter”. A group of men head straight to the room with the air-conditioner, beer cans in hand. The others join their friends in the TV room. Louzi is hard at work in the kitchen. A few men light up, and a waft of sticky rubber-like smell fills the house. “I am very popular,” continues Chema. “These are my friends, this is my iPhone, I have made a lot of money… worked hard. We don’t create any trouble… the ones who do are the Africans from Malviya Nagar.”

There is a knock on the door, it’s his landlord. Louzi peers through the wooden door, not opening the iron gate just yet. “Where is the money? You need to give Rs 6,000 for the AC,” he demands.

2 PM

Pastor Samuel Joseph is been in Delhi for a year and a half and lives in the south of Delhi towards the Chattarpur area preaching at a church there. He earns his living by selling dry fish to stores in the area. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
A distant relative of Baljit Singh belongs to the Rathi family. In 2000, on the advice of the relative, he left Sonepat with his wife and came to Rajpur Khurd. He runs a tuition centre on the ground floor of his house and has two children — a daughter, 7, and a 10-year-old son. In the past one-and-a-half years, he has made two changes to his house: put up CCTV cameras outside his balcony and a thick wooden stick at the entrance.

“In Africans ko chot lagne se bohot darr lagta hai (These Africans are scared of injuries). They feel if they bleed, their wounds won’t heal in the Indian weather. So everytime they create a ruckus, I just threaten them with my stick and they flee,” he says.

The CCTV, now outside many homes in the village, is for “proof”, Baljit adds. “They get drunk at night and relieve themselves outside my house. They have these gang wars and hurl abuses. But everytime I went to police with complaints, they asked for proof. That is why I have installed the CCTVs.”

Baljit also worries about the “influence” on his children. “I am scared to even let them out in the balcony. The African women move around with alcohol. Sometimes at night we see men thrashing their wives or, I don’t know, live-in partners, on the street. Even police are intimidated. They say embassy ka issue ho jayega. I have lost 20 per cent of my students because of this ruckus,” he complains.

Dariya Singh, a retired BSF officer, links the growing numbers of Africans in Rajpur Khurd to the other flashpoint involving the community in Delhi, the Khirki Extension episode of January 2014. “It is our fault we let them invade this area. There is no unity in us. When we tell landlords to not keep them as tenants, they say ‘You give Rs 10,000 a month’,” he says, adding that the Africans get drunk and drive around without helmets. “All their cars have dark glasses, but police say nothing.”

A womens African salon in Rajpur Khurd village in Chattarpur area in South Delhi. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
“They drive around in fancy cars, buy clothes from malls, where do they get the money from?” adds Baljit. “One day they beg shopkeepers to give them some food, the next day they turn up with bundles of cash. We all know the work they do… Why else does this place become a taxi stand at night? They all head to farmhouses and we know what happens there.”

For Zu Zan Hmos Osycal, it is such “stereotyping” that is responsible for the recent attacks. Pursuing his MA in Clinical Research from Punjab Technical University, Osycal claims his house was raided four days back “for drugs”. “I understand this is not Vasant Kunj, this is a village, people are conservative… but they can at least respect us. I want to have intellectual conversations with them, but no one wants that in Rajpur,” he says, sitting in the small shoe and clothes shop which he runs with his wife.

The 32-year-old from Liberia came to India five years back to study. He stayed in many parts of the capital before moving to Rajpur Khurd two years ago. But he is a minority in the village: an African student who lives with his wife.
“We hardly step out, just to Sarojini Nagar and Uttam Nagar to get clothes and shoes, and sometimes to INA market to buy some food. We don’t interfere in anyone’s life. But then why does police come unannounced to my house? Why do villagers break into my shop and steal? I just want to finish my studies and go back,” he says.

His wife Mahrovia refuses to talk. “I am not comfortable speaking about these issues,” she says, arranging a few dresses. “And don’t take my picture!” Samuel Joseph, a 64-year-old Nigerian and a pastor at a local African church, explains the community’s reluctance to getting “noticed”.

“Rajpur Khurd is the heart of African settlements in India, but the villagers here are very hostile to them… After the recent attacks, cameras scare them, they feel any kind of pictures can be used against them,” says Joseph, who sells dried fish to the local African kitchens in the village.

A Nigerian man shows a bottle of a indigenous conction of lime leaves, garlic, ginger and whiskey which he claims cures all kinds of fever, pain and hypertension. Locals in the Rajpur Khurd village claim that they have been cured of the dengue fever by this African medicine. (Source: Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)
“Indians here feel the Africans have no homes… Some of them hold their noses when they pass by an African… These things have created a big rift, and the issues can’t be resolved overnight. It is true that a majority of the Africans in Rajpur Khurd have no jobs, they get into risky, illegal jobs for money, but that is true for Indians in this village too,” he argues. “It is the 21st century, Indians need to have good relations with foreigners.”

Though there is little fraternising between the Jats and Africans, there are a few exceptions. Like the 30-year-old Jamia Hamdard University student, who is helping a dhobi iron clothes. Like many in the village, she does not wish to be identified or photographed, but the dhobi’s assistants vouch for her. “Thoda darawane dikhte hain, par baat karne par theek hain. Masti zyaada karte hain (They look intimidating, but once you talk to them, they are fine. They just fool around a lot),” says one of the helpers.

“I often come here to help them out. We have good relations with Indians on a one-to-one basis… But please don’t ask me about the attacks, no one understands what we go through here,” says the girl.

5 PM

Kabeya (right) share details about the protest against locals after four African nationals were attacked. (Source: Express photo by Cheena Kapoor)
As the harsh afternoon sun wanes, more Africans faces are seen outside shops, in markets, at salons, but the boundaries are clearly marked. Chika Mariamo, 32, has stepped out to visit the salon. “Only an African can style our hair, Indians don’t know what to do with it,” smiles Mariamo. There are few salons in the area run by African women. A Cameroon national, Mariamo has been in India for eight months. “I came here to earn a living, I had heard about Delhi from my friends. I am still looking for a job,” she says.

Talking about “the lack of English-speaking people in the village”, Mariamo points to her pink tights and a fitted tank top, and adds, “People here are extremely racist. Look how I am dressed now, is there a problem? I don’t understand what the men say about me, but I am not a fool, their expression says it all.”

Mariamo is among the few African women who speaks about issues faced by the community, the others are happy to let the men do the talking. “How will they talk? People here think the worst of them. We go out in the evening to meet friends, but we all know the rumours. Look at how they treat their own women. I have rarely heard any of the Indian women in the village complain about us, it is always the men,” she says.

Four African nationals were attacked in Rajpkhurd village of Chhatarpur, South Delhi on Thursday night. The attacks triggered a major diplomatic face-off between India and Africa. Express photo by Cheena Kapoor 280516
Baljit Singh and Ashok Rathi are also out for a stroll, but Baljit has instructed his children to stay indoors. “They (Africans) have a few places where they gather in the evening. The landlords say they are students, but I have never seen a book in anyone’s hand. They are just middle-aged men with nothing to do,” says Baljit. Ashok Rathi again tries to put up a defence. “Their day begins in the evening. What is wrong with that?”

Mentioning the “good” things, he says, “Once I had viral fever. One of my tenants gave me this tonic made out of whiskey and neem leaves. I was cured overnight. Most of my tenants make their own medicine. It is just like our Ayurveda.”

Around 6 pm, Mike Enumah and his brother, a few other African residents and some landlords, including Ashok Rathi, head to the sensitisation conference organised by the Delhi Police at a nearby resort since the attacks of May 28. The two groups get into different vehicles and sit in separate rows at the conference.

While Mike claims to be “assured” after the meeting, his brother feels “more needs to be done”. “Why take steps only after a tragedy? They need to do more in the village,” he says, adding he does not wish to be named. He adds a request: “Ignore the man from the afternoon who said he will break your camera. People here are just scared… they are angry.”

9 PM

The attacks triggered a major diplomatic face-off between India and Africa. (Source: Express photo by Cheena Kapoor)
“My friends are all out already, I will shut my salon by 10 and see if I want to join them,” says Frank Okezie, a 34-year-old from Nigeria. Surrounded by posters of Will Smith in a small hair salon, Okezie is trimming the hair of one of his friends.

Okezie came to Rajpur Khurd two years back and while he too claims to be a ‘garment businessman’, styling people’s hair helps him “make some extra money”. His wife and two children are back home. “I want to grow my business. I have pitched several ideas to the Indians in the village but you guys don’t like foreigners. Indians need exposure; there is no cultural exchange in the village,” he complains.

Okezie’s decision to come to India went beyond work though. “I grew up watching Bollywood films in Nigeria; I was fascinated about the country.”

On his way to Rajpur Khurd from the airport, he says, he was amused to see so many cows on the streets. Now applying some gel on his client’s hair, he points out, “But we accept all that. We are big, we look different, speak a little aggressively, but we mean no harm.” Maybe a few pictures before he downs the shutters? “No,” he says firmly.

MIDNIGHT

Jason (centre), one of the victims, share details about the protest against locals after four African nationals were attacked in Rajpkhurd village of Chhatarpur, South Delhi. (Source: Express photo by Cheena Kapoor)
There is no power, darkness descends on the village. A string of autorickshaws begin ferrying groups of Africans to the main road outside. Baljit and a few of the neighbours gather on one terrace, a vantage point that helps them keep an eye on them. PCR vans and policemen on bikes begin nightly rounds. It’s quite hot but the men don’t “allow” the women and children onto the terrace.

“Hamare gaon ko auto, taxi stand bana diya hai (They have made our village an auto, cab station),” says one of Baljit’s friends. A group of African men, including Mike and his brother, meet up near the bank branch. There are some visitors from outside too, including just one non-African. As the group talks, their voices sometimes rising, Baljit’s friend says, “After the attacks, they are careful, you should have seen earlier.” He shows a video of what seems like a fight between two African women.

On the street, the group seems aware of being watched. Some of them begin speaking in hushed tones, the others disperse everytime they see a police vehicle. There are three other “spots”, the villagers say, where the Africans gather every night. But the “spots” are vacant tonight. “If only the policemen were this vigilant on other days,” says Baljit.

Blessy runs a store in Rajkhurd village of Chhatarpur where four African nationals were attacked. (Source: Express photo by Cheena Kapoor)
As the night progresses, more cabs arrive. The autorickshaws too continue their trips. There is a minor fight between two Africans, which the villagers watch intently. “Ye drugs ke paise ke liye hoga (It must be for drug money),” says one of them. But soon, it’s all calm. Some African men continue to roam the streets till 3 am, some play music on their phones. The ones visiting from outside begin dispersing.

It seems like a regular night, but the villagers are not convinced. “Agle hafte aana, zyaada din shaant nahin rahenge (Come next week. They won’t remain quiet for long),” says Baljit, as he and the others leave.


http://indianexpress.com/article/in...ada-olivier-rajpur-khurd-vasant-kunj-2835098/

 

[maximuswarrior]

I didn't know Africans were living in India. Interesting.