AN INVESTIGATION OF THE NOT-SO SUBTLE ACCOUNTS OF RACISM CAUSED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AND ITS EFFECTS ON AFRICANS LIVING IN CHINA
By Arya Hanumara
Social Effects Head
President
Co-Editor In Chief
The United States is working to obtain acknowledgment of the title of “the ultimate melting pot” of cultures and ethnicities. In most states, it is commonplace knowledge that there are various people, specifically ones that do not have European heritage, that coexist, and act as valuable members of society. However, considering years of indescribable abuses and racial injustices, minorities are often subject to feelings of indifference, supporting points made by various anthropologists stating that “one cannot truly escape exterior appearances, but can work towards disconnecting their methods of judgment and their overarching visions.” It seems as if The United States is embarking on this journey, a view which is justified by the various protests, movements of solidarity, and even just the concept of listening to each other, which is so often undervalued. Although forms of abuse and mistreatments of minorities still exist, The United States has strict laws reinforcing racial diversity, which finds conflict with the multitude of both positive and negative beliefs about immigration and diversification.
Oftentimes, considering accounts of police brutality and external tensions, it is helpful to acknowledge the progress that our country has made. The United States has a grotesque history of abusing members of the African Diaspora, but we have all arguably worked together to achieve a point in which everyone has ground to fight for justice. The only way to further acclimate to our surroundings is to start speaking out and doing whatever it takes to be heard. The concept of speaking out, however, is not commonplace in some Asian countries. China, Japan, and India all boast stronger divisions in class and authority, which hint at even more brutal forms of government abuse. For instance, in parts of India, one can rightfully be beaten to death for the mere violation of going outside during the lockdown. However, in the United States, the power of the people is usually respected, meaning that although it is unsafe, protesters have the legal right to advocate for an end to quarantine. As horrific as this is, it is still important to analyze the country’s delicate balance between the power of government and the power of the people. When a government divides various races and reflects this division in their legal system, the power of the people is not taken into consideration. A popular example of this is reflected by the Chinese Government.
Recently, several African people living in China claim that they feel as if they are being investigated and even subject to various violations of basic human rights. From the eyes of the United States, China seems to be on its path to recovery from the virus, however, one cannot truly trust China on its word. China is an example of a country extremely divided in terms of the distribution of wealth, meaning that although it is going through its industrial revolution, only 2 percent of the population is benefitting enormously. This creates a completely unrealistic threshold value for success, especially considering the fact that success is defined by an abundance of money in many cultures.
There is a weak justification for the Chinese fears of the high rate of infection in African communities, which is severely affecting the Nigerians in the city of Guangzhou. Apparently, 5 visitors from Nigeria stepped into the heart of “Little Africa” in China, exposing the virus to 2000 people, increasing the number of imported cases. According to France 24, “Guangzhou had confirmed 114 imported coronavirus cases as of Thursday – 16 of which were Africans. The rest were returning Chinese nationals.” Many Chinese citizens are evidently breaking quarantine rules, and still are spreading the virus, but the Chinese community has been pointing the blame at the Nigerian men, unjustly referring to the stigma of uncleanliness and illness that has been assigned to members of the African Diaspora. The assignment of this stigma is completely unsupported. The virus originated in Wuhan, meaning that the sense of Chinese nationalism and protection associated with the race towards finding a cure, places all immigrants and travelers in a position of blame.
Inflicting blame upon Africans is the leading cause of distrust and racism in Chinese society. Many Africans, both citizens, and non-citizens, were evicted from their homes and denied access by hotels because of their apparent connection to the spread of the virus. This has forced a majority of the black population to be homeless on the streets of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, allowing for the fast and vicious spread of the virus. Multiple officials in Guangzhou blatantly told African people to “go to another city.”
Propaganda has also played a big part in demonizing not only Africans, but immigrants as a whole. Cartoons are being posted all over China depicting people of different skin colors rummaging through trash, with the “ideal Chinese citizen” shooing them away.
The United States’ openness and ideals of diversity and inclusion are vastly improving, although there are still inexcusable disputes and tensions. It is further insulting for minorities to see other countries demonizing them, especially considering efforts of the constant push for advocacy for the rights of minorities.
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