Ukraine denies charges of racism against foreign citizens
Premium- Indian students who have crossed over to neighbouring countries allege rampant racism by border guards
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied allegations of racism at the Ukrainian borders saying there is no discrimination “based on race, skin color or nationality, including when it comes to the crossing of the state border by foreign citizens". However Indian students who have crossed over to neighbouring countries allege rampant racism by border guards.
“The Ukrainian border guards in cooperation with colleagues from neighboring EU countries and Moldova are doing everything possible to speed up the passage of all citizens from Ukraine and have never created obstacles that would hinder this,"said the country via its Twitter account @MFA_Ukraine on Wednesday. “In Ukraine, there is no discrimination based on race, skin color or nationality, including when it comes to the crossing of the state border by foreign citizens. The first come first served approach applies to all nationalities," it added.
But Mint spoke to students who have escaped Ukraine and they allege instances of racial abuse.
However Sayan Chowdhury,a fourth year student of Ivano Frankivsk National Medical University told Mint that he saw guards at the Ukraine-Romanian border in Siret hit some of the Indian students. Some of the guards offered to send the huddled students across onto the Romanian side if they gave $25-$100. Chowdhury is currently in a shelter in Romania awaiting a flight back to India.
Indian students have taken to social media describing the increasingly antagonistic and racist behaviour meted out to them at the borders. Videos were circulated of violence at the checkposts while thousands waited to crossover to safer countries via foot or trains.
Mint spoke to students in Poland, Romania who had managed to escape but were shocked at the racism since they never faced it during their stay in Ukraine.
"They gave preference to the Ukranians who crossed over to the Romanian side in cars and buses. But had to get down from our bus and walk 8 km from Chernivtsi (western Ukraine) to the check post and wait on the Ukraine- Romanian border,' said Ashmita.
The fourth year student of Vinnytsia National Pirogov Medical University waited all day on February 27 to get past the borders. "We heard some of the students were abused and beaten in the Polish borders," said Ashmita who is now awaiting her flight to New Delhi.
Some of the students had reached train stations but were not allowed to board the trains. “My brother was told ‘Ukrainians only’ and could only board the last train leaving the station," said another Indian national based in Middle East, whose brother has managed to escape the war.
“The number of people who have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries has reached 677,000…" said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Fillipo Grandi on March 1, on Twitter (@ Fillipo Grandi)
Students of other nationalities too have faced racist attacks.
"... all people have the right to cross international borders during conflict, and as such, should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity," said current chair of the African Union and President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Macky Sall, and the chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, in a statement on February 28.
"Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach international law," the statement added.
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