Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Another Nigerian stampede survivor says I was pinned down - Vanguard News

The racism question in Saudi Arabia rather reminds me of the racism question in Brazil.  While Islam posits an ideal of universal fraternity, Brazil presented as a "rainbow nation".  And because each country presented itself as having already achieved these ideals, it was in denial about any deviation from the ideal, and had little or no plan to actualise them.  Yet behind the facade, one saw in Brazil language such as "good appearance" or insistence by people such as Pele that they are "brown", rather than "black", and it became apparent that occupants of favelas and slums are predominantly one colour so that the line between race and class becomes blurred enough to allow racists to take refuge under mere snobbery.   

Clearly some Arabs are racists, and in the case of Saudi Arabia - when it comes to policies such as situating black African pilgrims further away from key venues, or reserving ambulances for non-black stampede victims (as alleged - I don't know whether that was a medical decision or a racist one) - failure to acknowledge that there may be a racist element in arriving at those policies rather guarantees that nothing will be done to address or correct them.

I listened with outrage to a radio interview with a British pilgrim who had clearly bought the Saudi line that the stampede was caused by African pilgrims who didn't follow directions or understand instructions.  The clear implication was that these were the unwashed illiterate masses.  It is particularly painful because I suppose nobody will say that Hajiya Bilkisu Yusuf, or the two Court of Appeal judges that Nigeria lost in that stampede were incapable of understanding directions.  Fortunately that sour taste was removed by a British travel agent (responsible for organising pilgrimages) who expressed his outrage at the suggestion that alleged inability to understand instructions was the cause of the many hundred deaths, or that the dead should in any way be blamed.  Rather he pointed to the low quality of personnel deployed by Saudi Arabia to "assist" or protect pilgrims, saying they were often army conscripts who spoke only Arabic and knew little or nothing about their obligations, responding to most requests for directions about how to get to any particular place by pointing ahead and saying "down there".

Ayo

On Tue, Sep 29, 2015 at 7:00 AM, <ibdullah@gmail.com> wrote:

I have been to Saudi for Hajj/lesser Hajj six times. Your question really sucks--pathetic!

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Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 29, 2015, at 1:35 AM, "Anunoby, Ogugua" <AnunobyO@lincolnu.edu> wrote:

Poor choice of words may be but correct characterization of reality. Every member of a society does not have to be racist for the society to be correctly characterized as racist.

Racism does not have to be codified in law for it to inform how some regard or treat others. That discrimination and racism are unlawful is not to say that a system and her institutions are not biased in favor of one or other community based on race.  Discrimination and racism are at the end of the day in the hearts and minds of people both of which significantly, shape their thoughts - attitude, values, and actions- character.

There is such a thing as institutional and systemic racism neither of which is lawful in most countries, but rule.

 

oa

 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of John Mbaku
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2015 4:03 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Another Nigerian stampede survivor says I was pinned down - Vanguard News

 

This is a poor choice of words--it is not always appropriate to paint an entire country as racist. My experience with Saudi Arabia and its government and peoples is that this is no official policy of discrimination against black people. Like other countries, the country has its share of bigots, but the statement made above is unfair to the country and its peoples. 

 

On Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 12:11 PM, <ibdullah@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone who has done Hajj or visited Saudi knows that they do not care about life, especially the life/welfare of black folks. They are very very racists!

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Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 28, 2015, at 3:52 PM, "Anunoby, Ogugua" <AnunobyO@lincolnu.edu> wrote:

Not much it seems to me if they do not pay for trip. People choose to take that risk. They have full ownership of the consequences if there are any. All governments may do is provide information to the travelers at home, and consular services to them in Saudi Arabia.

 

oa

 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2015 9:16 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Another Nigerian stampede survivor says I was pinned down - Vanguard News

 

What exactly should (can) the AU and/or Nigerian government do in this case?

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 27, 2015, at 4:42 PM, Segun Ogungbemi <seguno2013@gmail.com> wrote:

The AU should take a decisive action for the insult coming from the officials of Saudi Arabia. I hope The Federal Government of Nigeria must do something about this crazy religious obligation that leads to voluntary suicide in Mecca. 

Prof. Segun Ogungbemi

On Sep 27, 2015, at 6:04 PM, kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu> wrote:

this is pretty sad, esp given official saudi responses blaming the victims.
i should remind folks that in senegal the mourid hadj is to touba, the grand magal. no need to make the hadj to mecca to fulfill the obligation. and there are christian equivalents there as well. senegal gets it right, i believe.
ken

On 9/27/15 12:43 PM, 'CJM1' via USA Africa Dialogue Series wrote:

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/another-nigerian-stampede-survivor-says-i-was-pinned-down/

 

 

 

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

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