I just read this article on The Wall Street Journal's China Real Time Report and I'm going through a plethora of emotions. Why? How? Is it us? Is it them? Did we all contribute to this? Why is it so? Do we treat them the same in Ghana? Why? Why not? Is this how it's going to stay forever? In every part of the world? Is it time to go home? Don't their businesses value us? Do we value their businesses enough?
Don't get me started on the comments posted. What do you think? I'd like to know. Please respectfully comment on this post.
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/06/20/africans-protests-highlight-tensions-in-guangzhou/
First, I think the political climate in China needs a huge makeover. It is wrong to treat anyone, Chinese citizens or outsiders, with physical force when a confrontation emerges. With that being said, I don't think the police did anything that was too out of the ordinary. Had the argument been between two Chinese, I believe that almost none of the newspapers would have covered it to this extent, and the physical beating would still have taken place. I understand that there is a huge murky area as to what had really happened. But from what I am interpreting of the article, it seems that, in this case, the police was too physical and thus caused death. I don’t think physical beating is uncommon in China. You just don’t hear about it until something really bad happened.
ReplyDeleteAnd about the protest, we all know China is strictly against any form of protest, so all the military that was sent to break up the protesters was not a surprise. Again, if a bunch of Chinese people were to protest, I believe a similar force would have been used. Just look at the Tiananmen Square incident.
I think with the emergence of technology, such as twitter and other microblogs, the suppression of certain freedom will become more and more challenging for the central government. The power anonymity gives people the motivation to speak against unfairness without the potential downside of being punished. At the same time, speed of communication further allows for widespread notification of any mistreatment.
As for discrimination, it exists.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right. I'm not questioning Chinese authority as much as I am questioning Africans and their behavior especially in China. I have lived here for six months straight and after traveling especially throughout southeastern China, it saddens me to say that the actions of some Africans leave much to be desired. In a country like China, where Africans face not only discrimination but also suppression like regular Chinese citizens, I wonder why we like to worsen our case by engaging in illicit businesses, drug trade, and flaunting immigration regulations.
Like I said, I've travelled extensively, lived in Shanghai and spent time in Guangzhou and Hong Kong. In all these centers, I looked out for Africans in managerial or executive positions and unfortunately have not met one till date.
So while I demand answers for the death of my Nigerian brother from the Chinese police, I also ask my fellow Africans if we have not called this upon ourselves and request that African governments play a more effective role in the way their citizens are treated overseas. Trust me, it would have been a different story if this happened to a Chinese citizen in let's say; Ghana, even though a large number of them are engaged in illegal mining.
I think, to a certain degree, it is just misunderstanding of cultural behaviors to be truly honest. I think it’s pretty evident that when people migrate to a new country, they like to stick together, i.e. Chinatown in NYC. And when this happens, people like to distant themselves from the culture of the new country and emerge themselves to the more comfortable and traditional standards of their native homeland. Maybe when this happens, misunderstandings occur. And when repeated misunderstandings occur, notions form in the public eyes, and any future clashes, little or big, between people of different races will escalate. This is just a general observation that may offer a different perspective and answer to your question.
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