21st March; Combating racism.. because we all bleed the same colour!

-Anjali Ankad  

 

 

Some people in India started spreading hate on North-east students just because of their looks. What might be the reason? That the novel coronavirus was originated in China and those students look alike? A video of these students was doing round on the social media. They live in a small village called Chunni Kalan in Punjab. In the video, a girl explains how earlier, people would call them names like "Nepali, Chinki, Chinese" and now they have gone way ahead to call them 'coronavirus'. Certain people have also told them to vacate their rented houses because of the blatant racism they have faced. It is not the only time the north-east people have faced racism; they have encountered it multiple times.

 

 

 

However, our Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju have come forward and has asked to action taken against this incident. "Matter discussed with NE Division, MHA. Strict advisory is being issued to the States," he tweeted. Such kind of incidents not only happen in India but all over the world especially happens with Africans and Asians just because of their "looks". In football, it has been "common" these days of mocking the players due to colour of their skin and believe it or not it is rising. This rise can immensely have an impact on them mentally.

The English Defender Danny Rose at first went through depression after a lengthy break from action following delayed knee surgery. His depression was deepened by family tragedy and racist abuse. His mother was racially abused in Doncaster and then someone came to his house and nearly shot his brother in the face - a gun was fired at my house and the worst part is he told his family he did not want them go out and face such abuse. Fearing similar racism at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Rose told his family to avoid the event. This fear for their safety at the tournament caused him great distress.

 

One of the worst recent incidents of racism took place in October 2019, during England’s away match in Bulgaria. The game was a qualifier for the 2020 European Championships. Bulgaria was already paying the penalty for past incidents of racist abuse and 5,000 seats were kept empty). However, throughout the game Bulgaria’s fans gave Nazi salutes and hurled persistent racist abuse (including chants and monkey noises) at England’s Tyrone Mings and Raheem Sterling. It is nothing but saddening to see such happening even today in the century where most of us are educated.

 

 

However, certain people who are against racial discrimination demand stricter actions but how about if it does not take exist in the first place. Stricter action if implemented will just create fears in their minds but those people will not understand the roots of such discrimination and how it can adversely affect mental health of those who face racism. We need go beyond and break the taboo by educating these people about the multi-coloured and rising diversity taking place across the world.

 

It is not enough to acknowledge the damaging effects of racism – we also need the tools i.e. Education and instincts to fight it and condemn it wherever it occurs, in whatever form, from silly, everyday humiliation to aggravated violence. This fight starts in the mind of each of us, and must be conveyed in every way possible because being racist only proves how low in the society you really are. For those who face racism, it not your fault for the way you look and be proud of yourself by accepting the way you are.

 

 

Now, the reason why these incidents are being brought up is because today is International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Let’s get to some basics why it is celebrated today. The day is marked "due to the police in Sharpville, South Africa had opened fire and randomly killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against the cruel apartheid (Apartheid was a political and social system in South Africa during the era of White minority rule. It enforced racial discrimination against non-Whites, mainly focused on skin colour and facial features) 'pass laws' in 1960."

 

In South Africa, it is actually a public holiday on 21st March commemorating the lives of those who died to fight for democracy and equal human rights for all in South Africa during "apartheid". Combating the racial discrimination, the United Nations General Assembly took a step and decided in 1979, that 21st March would mark as keeping solidarity with the peoples struggling against racism and racial discrimination.

It is just a day which is to fight against the racial discrimination but we should also understand it happens everyday and to make it cease we need to remember that all of us are equal. Only humans can have the potential to contribute in some or the other way for to the development and well-being of their societies.