Tanzanian girl assault: Xenophobia reigns in Bengaluru’s Hesaraghatta

African students seen as drug dealers, criminals; they are often assaulted due to their skin colour.

‘Oota aitha (Had food) this was the first question Joe, an African national asked when this reporter met him to seek his reaction to Sunday’s incident. Despite pain in his heart, still Joe was courteous enough to ask ‘Aap kaisi ho (how are you).

Mistakes committed by some foreign nationals impact others and this seems to be a classic example when a Tanzanian student was allegedly manhandled by a frenzied mob on Sunday night in Hesaraghatta following an accident involving a Sudanese national, that led to the death of a 35-year-old woman.

Bengaluru is not new to incidents of racial attacks of late towards foreign students. DC takes a look into as to how difficult it is to be an African student in the city. Right from buying food, provisions, to hailing an autorickshaw, they get taken for a ride. It is difficult for these students to find accommodation as their credentials are minutely checked.

A sizeable number of students with whom Deccan Chronicle spoke voiced their concern about how they were looked as ‘drug dealers’ or criminals. Sharing their ordeal, a group of African students highlighted the dark side of living in the country’s Silicon Valley. For them, the skin colour is the root cause for frequent assaults.

“We are feeling like rats hiding in our homes, fearing that we don’t know what locals are planning and when they will attack us again for no mistake of ours. The incident yet again has sent shock waves among the student fraternity. Though the police came to our college on Thursday and spoke to us assuring security, but they were mute spectators and watched us being stripped,” said a disappointed Joe, a Zambian and a second year BBM student of Acharya College. He had come to the city nine months ago.

After a brief pause, Joe said, “Our country has a lot of Indians, and they have never been subjected to such behaviour. We have not branded the Indian students as drug dealers or have treated them badly. We represent our countries and act as ambassadors, so we should not target each other in the name of cultural differences. I could have gone to UK or US for studies, but I chose India because of its diversity and rich heritage. But, this incident has deeply saddened us,” added Joe.

While Joe thinks that his fellow African friends also need to be a little polite and subtle when they talk to locals, as they have a little aggressive tone, which is often mistaken as being rude. The locals also need to understand them rather than lashing out at them.

‘We want to go back home’

But, for Sal and Loreta, students of BA Psychology, Journalism, the city has definitely failed to leave a good impression on them. The two students are now contemplating to go back to their country as they have been subjected to racist comments wherever they go. When they try to be a part of the culture and try their hands at learning the local language there have been instances where people have misled them and have taught them ‘abuses’ on the name of teaching them the word for greeting someone.

“We would like to go back. We do not like it here. It is very difficult to live here in the city where every minute people are gawking at you as if you have just committed a murder and are roaming Scot-free. Particularly, after this incident now, I would appreciate if the proceedings are done fast and I get to go back,” said Sal, who had come to the city in July, 2014. Testifying to racist comments, they daily deal with, Sal and Loreta said that if they walk on the road, or malls or public place, people point fingers at them and say see a ‘Negro’ going.

“I had a fight with a local in September last year. I was going my way quietly when a few locals began calling me ‘Hey you are a negro.’ I didn’t like that and I can’t stay in a city where everyone is only waiting to look down upon you,” added Sal. For Loreta, be it in classrooms, walking in a busy market, sitting in a coffee shop or looking for an accommodation, there are always a few pair of eyes which will be gawking at them, leaving them with a feeling that they are different, they are black skinned and not worth mingling with.

Pained with the indifference meted out to her, Loreta said, “Coming to India was a mistake I made. We don’t have a freedom of speech here. People don’t treat us like humans. Even some of the friends in college smirk at us and pass racist comments at us.” Though the Karnataka government may have promised a thorough inquiry into the incident and suitable protection, but it will take some time for these students to come out of the shock.