Africans complain of discrimination in Mumbai, India

Sheeba Rani has been ostracised by many friends and relatives for marrying Nigerian Sambo Davis

Africans staying in and around India’s commercial capital, Mumbai (Bombay), complain of indiscriminate racism and constant police harassment, reports the BBC’s Zubair Ahmed.

Nigerian Sambo Davis is married to an Indian woman and lives in Mumbai.

All his documents are valid, but he was arrested by the police recently on suspicion of being a drug dealer.

He and 30 other black Africans were detained for hours before they were let off with an apology.

But the following day, Mr Davis said that he was shocked to read in local newspapers that they were “arrested for drug peddling”.

“The police treat us Africans like dogs,” he says.

Mr Davis claims he often faces discrimination when he goes to restaurants or when he tries to rent an apartment in gated middle-class communities.

If Africans don’t have papers, then deport them, don’t put them in jail”

Ikeorah JuniorNigerian cafe owner in Mumbai

But he is nevertheless one of the lucky ones. He found a decent flat to rent, thanks to his Indian wife.

But his fellow countrymen, he says, still face discrimination: “When they go to rent flats in a normal building they are told – ‘you are a black man, you are Nigerian, and you are not wanted’. This is racism.”

‘Hide and seek’

There is no official data on how many Africans live in Mumbai, but since India’s economic progress gathered momentum in recent years, many have come to work in and around the city. Unofficial estimates put their numbers at more than 5,000.

Most of them are engaged in exporting garments to Nigeria and other African countries.

Many others are students, enrolled in the region’s prestigious educational institutions.

But there are also hundreds of Africans, mostly Nigerians, who live as illegal immigrants in India. They have either “lost” their passports or their visas have “expired”.

Every day, these people play hide-and-seek with the police – if they are caught, they are sent to jail.

Ikeorah Junior from Lagos runs a cafe for Africans in a crowded market on Mumbai’s Mohammed Ali Road.

“I don’t understand why they [police] have to go from house to house to arrest the people who don’t have their papers. If they don’t have papers, then deport them, don’t put them in jail,” he says.

Ahmed Javed, who is in charge of maintaining law and order in the state of Maharashtra, says it is not that simple: “In most cases they have no passports. So, unless their nationalities are determined, they cannot be deported.”

Dozens of Africans have taken up residence on Mira Road, a dusty, nondescript town just outside Mumbai.

One “illegal immigrant” there asked me for money, claiming he had not eaten for two days.

He looked worried and told me that he had been approached by drug dealers to work for them.

Many Africans face discrimination when they try to rent apartments

“I have been here for three years – my visa expired a long time ago. I want to go back home. Please help me, brother,” he tells me.

In this neighbourhood, Negro or kaalia (black in Hindi) are the two words indiscriminately used to describe all black people.

“We call them Negro because they are black. They look frightening,” says one woman.

“They don’t find homes to rent in Mumbai, they only stay in Mira Road. Why? Because of the way they behave. They sell drugs and indulge in other illegal activities. They cannot be trusted,” a local man commented, seemingly unaware of the offensive nature of his words.

‘Embarrassed and ashamed’

Against such a backdrop of pronounced prejudice, Sheeba Rani married Sambo Davis four years ago and the couple have two children.

Mrs Davis says her parents are enlightened Christians and they blessed them because they thought the marriage was God’s wish.

But, she says, she has been ostracised by many friends, relatives and society since her marriage.

Mrs Davis is “embarrassed and ashamed” by the behaviour of the Indian people towards black Africans.

Sheeba Rani’s parents blessed the couple saying the marriage was God’s wish

“When I used to go to a mall or if I walked with him, I always wanted him to hold my hand. But when people saw me with him, they thought I was from a bad family or even a prostitute.”

Earlier, she did not understand why black people were being looked down upon, but now she says she does.

“Because our society is obsessed with white skin. If I had married a white man, I would have gained more friends and society’s approval too.”

Mr Davis believes that the discrimination is solely “because I am a black man”.

“It’s because I am from Africa, I am a Nigerian. I think Indians see us as inferior.”

Yet despite the discrimination they face, nearly all Africans the BBC interviewed said they had a soft spot for their adopted country.

They say the relations between India and Africa are “rock solid”. Many argued that Indians and Africans are brothers.

“We look after Indians in our countries. They have become rich there. All we want here is for Indians to understand we are not drug dealers. We are not violent. We are just like them.

 

 

 

BBC News

Nigeria Ex-Inspector General Of Police Mr. Hafiz Ringim seeks asylum in UK

Immediate past Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Hafiz Ringim, may be seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, Daily Sun has learnt. Shortly after his sack on January 25, 2012, Ringim quietly relocated to the UK and has not stepped foot on Nigerian soil, family sources said. Daily Sun gathered that Ringim’s application for asylum is before the UK Border Agency.

The former police chief’s request is reportedly anchored on fears that Islamic militants, Boko Haram, may kill him should he return to Nigeria. Ringim reportedly told the agency that his lucky escape in the June 2011 bombing of the Force Headquarters in Abuja, by Boko Haram, a few days after he threatened in Maiduguri, Borno State, to crush the group, fuelled fears he was a prime target.

The ex-IGP was also said to have drawn the attention of the British officials to the June 6, 2011 murder of his deputy in office, Alhaji Abubakar Ningi. Also killed in the attack were Ningi’s police orderly and driver. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the killings. Sources said that he informed the British agency that former military chiefs have not been spared by the Islamic militants.

He reportedly cited the November 2012 murder of a civil war combatant, General Mamman Shuwa. Ringim, under whose tenure the United Nations’ office in Abuja was bombed, reportedly told the UK officials that returning to Nigeria was akin to sending him to certain death.

Close friends and associates of the former police boss told Daily Sun that Ringim was happier living in the UK. “The sleepless nights Hafiz had because of Boko Haram shot up his blood pressure. His health deteriorated so fast that some of us were relieved the moment he was asked to go.

We are in constant touch and he sounds happier and more relaxed,” a source offered. Efforts to get the UK agency’s comment on Ringim, weren’t successful. As at Press time, they had yet to respond to an email request on his reported application for asylum.

Israel African Immigrant Deportations To Send Thousands Back Home

JERUSALEM — Israel’s prime minister says thousands of Africans who have infiltrated into Israel will be sent back home.

Benjamin Netanyahu declared Wednesday that Israel has halted the flow of African migrants into Israel over the past seven months. He spoke while visiting the fence Israel built on border with Egypt to keep migrants out.

He said he will soon begin “repatriating the tens of thousands of infiltrators in Israel to their countries of origin.”

About 60,000 Africans have entered Israel in recent years, some seeking asylum and others looking for work.

Sigal Rozen, whose group assists migrants, says it’s unlikely Israel can repatriate them, since many come from conflict zones or countries that have no ties with Israel.

She says Netanyahu’s pledge could be political posturing ahead of Jan. 22 elections.

 

 

Huffingtonpost

Obama signs bill to grant Nigerian student U.S. permanent residency !

A Nigerian immigrant’s dream came true when President Barack Obama signed into law a rare private bill granting him permanent residency in the Unites States. Victor Chukwueke, who lives in Michigan on an expired visa, came to the United States 11 years ago to undergo treatment for massive face tumors.
He graduated from a university in the state, and plans to attend an Ohio medical school that requires him to have permanent residency, also known as a green card.
In a rare act, the United States Congress passed a private bill this month granting him permanent residency. Obama signed the bill Friday.
Private bills — which only apply to one person and mostly focus on immigration — are rarely approved. His is the only one to pass in Congress in two years.
“I was overwhelmed with joy; it was nothing less than a miracle,” the 26-year-old says. “Only in this country can so many miraculous and wonderful things happen to someone like me.”

Before coming to the United States at age 15, Chukwueke lived in the southeastern Nigeria town of Ovim.
He suffers from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes massive life-threatening tumors on his face.
Treated as an outcast because of his deformed face, he was depressed and humiliated, he says. His family abandoned him at an orphanage after taking him to the nation’s best facilities for treatment.
“I went to a large teaching hospital in Nigeria and the doctor touched my face and said there was nothing they could do,” he says. ” I cried and begged him to do something. I was so tired of the humiliation.”
Nuns from the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy rescued him from the orphanage in 2001 and arranged for a Michigan doctor to perform surgery on him.
He considers himself lucky to have developed the tumors.
“Without them, I would not have met the nun, left Nigeria, arrived in the U.S. and had the miracle to attend medical school,” he says.
He lives with the nuns in Oak Park, Michigan. They have cared for him since he came to the U.S., where he has undergone seven surgeries, including one that left him blind in the right eye.
Despite the obstacles, he remains committed to getting an education.
He finished his GED — the equivalent of a high school education — while undergoing treatment and enrolled at a community college.
A benefactor helped him attend Wayne State University, where he graduated last year with a bachelor’s in biochemistry and chemical biology. He had a 3.82 GPA and gave the university’s commencement speech.
“Should I call myself a victim, or should I press forward to my dreams?” he asked during the speech amid thunderous applause.
Soon after his graduation, the University of Toledo in Ohio admitted him to medical school. The only hurdle: The program requires him to have permanent residency status.
With Obama’s signature, his wish has come true.
“My own personal struggles to receive treatment have motivated and encouraged me to pursue a medical career … to alleviate the pain and suffering of others,” he says. “A medical career will allow me many gratifying years of making a difference in the health and lives of others.”
Chukwueke’s journey to get legalized has seen many strangers rally to his help.
Inspired by his story, Sen. Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, sponsored the bill, S. 285. The measure passed the Senate in the summer and the House this week.
Attorney Thomas K. Ragland took his case pro bono.
“Victor’s story is remarkable,” says Ragland, who is based in Washington D.C. “Here is this kid who comes from Nigeria, he was taunted and teased for his diseases, and he comes to this country and excels, despite so many surgeries. It is a testament of not letting anything get in the way.”
The number of illegal immigrants in the United States was estimated at 11.5 million last year.
Following the signature, the State Department will reduce by one the number of immigrant visas available to Nigerians.

Italy: Time To Address Exploitation Of Migrant Workers

Italy must overhaul policies which contribute to the exploitation of migrant laborers  violating their right to work in just and favourable conditions and their access to justice, Amnesty International said. 

In a report published today, Exploited labour: Migrant workers in Italy’s agricultural sector, Amnesty International focuses on the severe exploitation of migrant workers from sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and Asia, employed in low-skilled, often seasonal or temporary jobs, mostly in the agricultural sector in the southern areas of Latina and Caserta.

But the report notes that labour exploitation of migrant workers is widespread across Italy.

“In the past decade the Italian authorities have been whipping up public anxiety alleging that the country’s security is threatened by an uncontrollable ‘clandestine’ migration thus justifying strict migration measures. These measures put migrant workers in a precarious legal situation making them easy prey for exploitation,” said Francesca Pizzutelli.

“While the authorities in any country are entitled to control immigration they must not do it at the expense of the human rights of all people in their territory. This includes migrant workers.”

“The outcome for migrant workers is often: wages well below the domestic minimum, arbitrary wage reductions, delays in pay or no pay at all and long working hours. The problem is both widespread and systemic.”

Italy’s current migration policies control the number of migrants by allocating quotas for different types of workers, issuing residence permits based on a written contract of employment, but these quotas are much lower than the actual demand of migrant labour. This system, apart from being ineffective and open to abuse, also increases the risk of labour exploitation.

Employers prefer to hire workers already in the country regardless of the government entry quotas. Some of the seasonal workers may have had their papers expire, while others may have obtained entry visas through agencies but been unable to get residence permits due to lack of contracts.

As a result many migrant workers find themselves without valid papers means they are irregular migrants and subject to expulsion if caught.

Italian legislation has criminalized “illegal entry and stay” in the country thus stigmatizing irregular migrant workers and boosting xenophobia and discrimination against them.

It puts them in a position where they are unable to seek justice for being paid less or not at all or for being made to work long hours. The reality for many of them is that if they complain about the labour exploitation to the authorities they are often immediately arrested, detained and expelled because of their irregular status.

“When amending their migration policies the Italian authorities must focus first and foremost on the rights of migrant workers regardless of their migration status. This includes providing them with effective access to justice,” said Pizzutelli.

“This must include a safe and accessible mechanism that workers use to lodge complaints and pursue labour claims against employers, without fear of being arrested and deported.”

Background

At the beginning of 2011, foreign nationals in Italy were estimated to be 5.4 million, i.e. about 8.9 per cent of the population. Of these, 4.9 million have valid documents allowing them to stay in the country. It is estimated that there are around half a million migrants without valid documentation, or irregular migrants.

Labour exploitation of migrant workers in the agricultural and construction sectors in several areas of Southern Italy is widespread. They receive on average about 40 per cent less than the pay of an Italian worker in the same job and work long hours; victims of labour exploitation are African and Asian migrants, some EU-nationals (mostly Bulgarians and Romanians) and non-EU nationals from Eastern Europe (including Albanians).

Indian and African migrant workers in the Latina and Caserta areas in Southern Italy spoke to Amnesty International on condition of anonymity:
“Hari”: For the first four years I worked in a factory that packed onions and potatoes for export. I was paid 800 euros a month for 12-14 hours of work a day. The employer used to tell me that if I worked hard and well, they would get papers for me – they never did so.

“Sunny”: I work 9-10 hours a day from Monday to Saturday, then 5 hours on Sunday morning, for 3 euros an hour. The employer should pay me 600-700 euros a month and my plan was to send 500 euros a month to my father in India. However, the employer has not been paying me my full salary for the past seven months. He gives me just 100 euros a month. I can’t go to the police because I don’t have documents: they would take my fingerprints and I would have to leave.

“Ismael”: “When you don’t have papers you can only get work on the black market, which is badly paid. We get 25 to 30 euros per day for eight or nine hours of work [from 2.75 to 3.75 euros per hour]. But if we get hurt we don’t get anything.”

“Jean-Baptiste”: “When the employer does not pay, what can you do to get your money? Without documents, how can you go to the police? Without documents, you get expelled. But you haven’t done anything wrong…”