African envoys send government into a tizzy

Caught off guard, the government swiftly moved to calm tempers of the envoys of African countries, after they decided to stay away from the "Africa Day" celebrations here, expressing anger over the lynching of a Congo national Masonda Ketada Oliver last week and lack on action on the past such attacks.

The ministry of external affairs had on Tuesday evening called a meeting of heads of missions, including the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, the ambassador of Eritrea, hoping the matter would be resolved. But the officials were seen running helter-skelter on Thursday morning, when the entire African diplomatic community issued a statement, with a stern message asking for its deferment to express solidarity with the murdered Congolese national. The Africa Day event is being organised by Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) on Thursday, featuring panel discussions, an exhibition, a cultural programme and a food festival. Only Lesotho has so far confirmed its participation.

Such was the anxiety within the government that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought explanation from the officials, lest the country gets the tag of being "racist" at a time when he has set his eyes on the African continent for Indian investment and diplomatic outreach.

Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha, who handles relations with Africa, has been in constant touch with the envoys, attempting to convince them to attend the celebrations on Thursday. The envoys have asked the government to solve the problem of "racism and Afro-phobia" first. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that India was committed to the safety and security of African nationals in India. African heads of missions, who met here, said the climate of fear and insecurity in Delhi was forcing them with little option than to consider recommending their governments not to send new students to India, unless and until their safety can be granted.

Talking to dna, Dean of African Group Head of Missions and ambassador of Eritrea Alem Tsehage Woldemariam said the envoys of 42 African countries met and deliberated extensively on recent attacks against their citizens.

"The Indian government is strongly enjoined to take urgent steps to guarantee the safety of Africans in India, including appropriate programmes of public awareness that will address the problem of racism and Afro-phobia in India," he said. He also expressed deep concerns that several attacks and cases of harassment of African students in India "have gone unresolved without diligent prosecution and conviction of perpetrators". "We have also decided not to participate in the celebrations, except the cultural troupe from the Kingdom Lesotho. This is because the African Community in India, including the students, is in a state of mourning in memory of the slain African students in the last few years, including Oliver," he said

Earlier in a statement, he also said that the African envoys have asked for a postponement of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations-organised event to mark Africa Day because the African Community in India, including students, is in a 'state of mourning in memory of the slain African students in the last few years, including Oliver'.

Responding to the concerns of the African envoys, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said government has directed the authorities concerned to take stringent action against the culprits involved in killing. "When I came to know about the unfortunate killing of a Congo national in Delhi, we directed stringent action against the culprits. I would like to assure African students in India that this an unfortunate and painful incident involving local goons (sic)," she tweeted. Minister of state for external affairs V K Singh has been asked to meet the envoys to assure them India's commitment towards safety and security of the African nationals, she added.

Oliver was beaten to death last week in Vasant Kunj area following a brawl over hiring of an autorickshaw. Swaraj called Lt Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung to ask him to take necessary steps and ensure that the case of murder of Oliver is tried by a fast track court. The government took pains to explain to envoys that criminal acts should not be seen as racially-motivated. 'The government of India deeply values its relations with foreign students, particularly those from Africa with which India has had a historically close relationship. We will ensure that African students continue to find a welcome home in India and such unfortunate incidents do not recur,' a statement from External Affairs Ministry said.

In April 2012, Yannick Ntibateganya, a Burundi national who was studying at Jalandhar's Lovely Professional University was brutally beaten by nine locals, most of whom belonged to affluent families. In June 2013, the local police booked as many as 21 African students following a brawl with a Jalandhar-based resident. In the FIR, the accused were referred to as 'kale' (blacks). In 2011, many pubs imposed a discreet ban on the entry of black people in Bangalore. The pubs were forced to fall in line when the then chief minister BS Yeddyurappa threatened to revoke their licences. In 2013, Wandoh Timothy (44), an Ivory Coast national, was attacked by a mob that kept calling him "Negro" and "African". In 2014 African students were attacked at a Delhi Metro station.