IGAD decries racial discrimination against Africans in Ukraine

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has decried the racial discrimination against African descent who are fleeing the Russia-Ukraine war to Poland.

On Tuesday, IGAD released a statement calling for the protection and safe passage of Africans living or studying in the conflict-plagued Ukraine.

The regional bloc called for dialogue between warring Ukraine and Russia to ensure peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“IGAD appeals to all the parties involved in the conflict to show restraint and make use of all the available diplomatic channels to help resolve the situation in the interest of global peace and stability,” the statement read in part.

“IGAD further calls on all the parties to ensure protection and safe passage for the civilian population including those from the African continent living or studying in affected areas.”

On Monday, the Chairperson of the African Union who is also the President of the Republic of Senegal, Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat jointly released a statement citing mistreatment of Africans who tried to cross the border.

“The current chair of the African Union and President of the Republic of Senegal, Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, are following closely the developments in Ukraine and are particularly disturbed by reports that African citizens on the Ukrainian side of the border are being refused the right to cross the border to safety.”

“Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach international law. In this regard, the Chairpersons urge all countries to respect international law and show the same empathy and support to all people fleeing war notwithstanding their racial identity.”

The AU Chiefs described the act of refusing citizens of African descent the right to cross Ukraine’s borders to safer areas, as a “breach of international law.” The two leaders appealed to the nations of the world to respect international law by supporting those fleeing wars and refraining from judging them according to their racial identities.

 “The two chairpersons recall that all people have the right to cross international borders during the conflict, and as such, should enjoy the same rights to cross to safety from the conflict in Ukraine, notwithstanding their nationality or racial identity.”

 “The chairpersons commend the efforts by African Union Member State countries and their embassies in neighboring countries to receive and orientate African citizens and their families trying to cross the border from Ukraine to Safety.”

South Sudanese safe

On Tuesday, the spokesperson of the group dubbed as ‘European Committee’, Mohammed Alasbat, said they had facilitated 60 South Sudanese and Sudanese to cross the Ukrainian border to Poland. He confided that they had not recorded any casualties among Sudanese and South Sudanese, nor anyone missing.

“I want to assure the families of our sons and daughters from Sudan and South Sudan in Ukraine that they are all safe. We have not recorded any death or injury up to now. No cases of being lost or missing,” Alasbat said.

He assured the public that the South Sudanese and Sudanese who were already in Poland were safe

Alasbat said they had so far evacuated a total of 90 Sudanese and South Sudanese including 30 students to Poland and their situation was well monitored.

“A journey by train was coordinated yesterday for about 60 Sudanese and South Sudanese from Kharkiv to Kyiv to the borders with Poland,” he concluded.

“A day before, there was a group of 30 students from a coastal town where there is a marine college and there were three South Sudanese in this group including a female student. They also left through the help and monitoring of the European Committee.”

On Monday, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Deng Dau Deng, said the South Sudanese Embassy in Germany was following up the case of the five (5) South Sudanese students who were under the United Nations in Poland adding that the government support was underway.

“The first step is that the students have reported to Poland and the UNHCR have responded to provide them with support and thereafter if there are any details after that, they will be discussed and all the students are out of Ukraine,” Deng confirmed.

The conflict

Yesterday, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, claimed that about 6,000 Russians had been killed during the first six days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine adding that Russia would not take control of Ukraine with bombs and air raids, Aljazeera reported.

On Tuesday, the BBC reported that Russia bombed Kharkiv’s freedom square, hitting the Opera house, concert hall and government offices leaving at least 20 including a child dead.

“This is the price of freedom,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “This is terror against Ukraine. There were no military targets in the square – nor are they in those residential districts of Kharkiv which come under rocket artillery fire,” he added.

The conflict between Ukraine and Russia started on Thursday last week after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war against Ukraine. The President of Ukraine had reportedly accused Russia of committing war crimes.