Dear China, the Enemy is the Coronavirus, not Africans

Over the past couple of weeks, hundreds of African migrant workers, traders, and students in the southern city of Guangzhou, home to Asia’s largest African diaspora, were tossed out onto the street—some by their landlords, some by hotel managers, and some by local officials. Those evicted insisted that they had paid their rent, had valid visas and the right paperwork, and had no contact with anybody infected with COVID-19. Meanwhile, many others were forced into a 14-day quarantine and random testing without getting their test results.

What’s worrying in all these happening is no African leader has come out to condemn the maltreatment of people of African descent in China. At the onset of COVID-19 in China’s Wuhan City, the whole world, including Africans, stood side by side with the country. We very much understood that the enemy to combat is the coronavirus and not the Chinese. That’s the global solidarity that the World Health Organization (WHO) boss, Dr Tedros, has consistently preached. It is estimated that Africa plays host to close to 10 million Chinese. African governments have supported China on issues including its membership of the UN in the 1970s, territorial disputes in the South China Sea and treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang.

At this point, it’s important for me to mention that there has never been any racial uproar in any African country against the Chinese or any non-Africans for that matter. It’s no doubt that China is now Africa’s biggest trade partner, with Sino-African trade topping $200 billion per year. In fact, according to a report by McKinsey, over 10,000 Chinese-owned firms are currently operating throughout the African continent and the value of Chinese business in the continent since 2005 amounts to more than $2 trillion, with $300 billion in investment currently on the table. Yet these partnerships face irrevocable disruption if the Chinese government continues to downplay deeply rooted racial prejudices and dismisses the international outrage concerning the treatment of African migrant workers and students in China.

African governments must assert their sovereignty before things get out of hand. When citizens are inhumanely treated, their basic rights violated then this becomes a direct threat to a country’s sovereignty. But I do not understand why our leaders are too reluctant to take action to protect their own. I beg to ask, what’s critical? Is it not to protect the endangered lives of our people? Why do African governments only seem concerned about their bilateral relations with China and not the disregard of its people’s rights by Chinese? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not racist. You can never put value on human life. Please send planes to rescue our brothers and sisters from the untold suffering they continue to face ripping off their dignity.

We have not heard the United Nations condemn the plight of Africans in China. Why? African’s rights are human rights. It’s painful to be in a position where you have to face two dangerous enemies at a time; racism and coronavirus. It’s even worse when you’re an expectant mother.

From my standpoint, I think diplomacy seems not to work. In my opinion, there should be unequivocal invocation of International Human Rights Instruments such as the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) of 1965, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of 1966, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 1966, Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) 1984,International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICMRW) 1990.

The continuous racial discrimination fuels worse mental health issues among African migrants living in China. Discrimination and stigma affects their health by increasing stress and depriving access to needed services and protective resources. This must stop.

By Stephine Ogutu.

About the writer

The writer is a Development and Communications Specialist with vast experience working with local and International development partners in Sub-Saharan Africa implementing projects designed to achieve SDGs and Vision 2030.He currently serves as the Communications Lead at the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED). He can be reached through : hellosteveogutu@gmail.com