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Ugo Daniels
Veronica Henry
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Oluwole Akindutire
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William J. Zick
Cyprus: Racism Against Africans on the Rise?
Muti This
Hi, my name is Ugo Daniels and am glad to become a contributor in AfricanLoft. I will be talking on a lot of issues ranging from politics to clubbing in Cyprus. For record purposes, I’m a graduate student here and have been in this Mediterranean Island for a year and half. Well, studying in Cyprus has been a wonderful experience for me since I came to this enchanting Island in the Mediterranean, Cyprus.
As we proceed, I will be talking more on my experiences and other Africans here, especially Nigerians. Meanwhile, here is a report published by the Cyprus Mail Newspaper of August 10, 2006 of alleged racism by Cyprus police officials to some African Cypriots.
The Report from Cyprus Mail, published August 10, 2006:
Nicosia police yesterday vowed to look into allegations of racist behaviour by one of their officers.
According to an eyewitness to the alleged incident last Saturday, a uniformed officer knocked an African Cypriot man off his scooter on a busy street, all because the black man had objected to the traffic policeman yelling at him for not wearing a helmet.
“On Saturday, August 12, I witnessed one of the worst cases of racism in Cyprus…especially when you consider that this racism was being exercised by the police force itself,” the witness said in a letter to the Cyprus Mail.
We forwarded a copy of the letter, with its detailed account of the alleged incident, to police.
Nicosia police chief, yesterday promised the complaint would be given due attention: “I will get one of my sergeants to investigate the matter immediately. What more can I say?” The Police chief told the Mail. The Nicosia police chief declined to comment further on the matter, saying it would have to be looked into first.
The incident occurred at around 10 pm last Saturday night, in the busy Kanika area of Nicosia city, the eyewitness said.
“I was driving by when I saw the policeman shouting at two African men on a scooter because they were not wearing helmets,” he states in his letter to the Mail.
The officer’s behaviour towards the two black men was apparently in stark contrast to the way he was dealing with a white Cypriot also caught without his helmet. “At the time, the police man was politely and quietly booking a young Cypriot youth for not wearing a helmet,” the eyewitness said. One of the African men shouted back at the officer: “Talk to me quietly and if you want to talk to me then come over here. I am nothing less because I am black – stop being racist,” the eyewitness stated.
The officer’s response was violent, the witness claimed. “The policeman did go to him, but did not talk to him but simply pushed him off his scooter like an animal… the policeman handcuffed the man and called for help from his radio.”
The response from Nicosia police headquarters was apparently overwhelming: “A police Mercedes arrived and arrested the African man. Then six special forces (MMAD) cars arrived on the scene – as if it was a real battlefield.”
The witness said he managed to talk to the other African man left behind after his friend was carted off. He said he and his arrested friend had Cypriot fathers and had just completed their National Guard service.
The witness supplied registration numbers for the motorbike the traffic policeman was riding and for the police car that picked up the African Cypriot. Both numbers were forwarded to police.
Incidences like this occasionally happens here. Sometimes, doing something as little as smoking inside a public building can land you in jail for over 2 months, if you’re a black man. However, Cypriots that break the law are usually warned and reprimanded verbally without charging them or anything.
The question now should be, where is the love? Is justice only meant for the whites? Your guess is as good as mine!
Adekunbi Akin-Taylor | Jun 4, 2007 | Reply
Cyprus is so beautiful, from the picture above, time for me to visit or holiday there. How cold is it in November?
Ugo Daniels | Jun 5, 2007 | Reply
Oh! Cyprus is such a wonderful place, especially in the summer. There are thousands of beaches, mostly public, meaning you don’t have to pay to go to the beach. You only pay to get floats, umbrella’s and da likes. Throughout winter, temperature never gets lower than 5′C. November should be cold at night but still warm during da day!
Omotaylor | Jun 5, 2007 | Reply
Cyprus should expect me soon. Never been there but will be soon.This i will credit to African loft and my pal Ugo.D.
CareTaker | Jun 5, 2007 | Reply
Ugo should showcase more of Cyprus…
Ugo Daniels | Jun 6, 2007 | Reply
There are so may things to showcase here Mr. Caretaker, ranging from academics to sports and clubbing and picnic. I am even scared on where to start, what to include and what to leave.
Omotaylor | Jun 6, 2007 | Reply
Ugo D, lets start from the very beginning, its a very goog place to start.
Ugo Daniels | Jun 14, 2007 | Reply
Just seeing this. Yea. i’m currently will be posting daily rants on my blog about stuffs here generally. So, you guys will get a lowdown as time goes on.
Buenos Noches!
Anna | Jun 23, 2007 | Reply
Hi Ugo,
I was very happy to stumbled across your site. I’m researching Cyprus as a place to settle in, buy a house, but biggest worry was its lack of ethnic diversity. When I was visited a few years back, only its own citizens and a few lager-and-chips Brit visitors seemed to live there. I’ve lived in multicultural communities my whole adult life and need that in my future. Is Cyprus moving in that direction, becoming more mixed and diverse? Thanks for your thoughts on that.
Ugo Daniels | Jun 23, 2007 | Reply
Hi Anna, It’s becoming more diversified and mixed. Thanks to influx of students in large numbers and their promotional sojourns to Nigeria.
It’s a great place to stay but you can still find traces of racism here and there or prejudice in certain quarters.
It wouldn’t hurt, however, to give it a thought and possibly consider settling down as well. Presently, more NIgerians are here now and more are still coming especially during summer breaks.
The biggest migrants are british, who mix freely with Africans and blacks.
Dora Georgiou | Jun 27, 2007 | Reply
Hi Ugo, I am writing a Shadow Report on Racism in Cyprus in 2006 for the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) and I was wondering if you have anything you would like to contribute from your experiences here. The report is grassroots, reflecting civil socety and ngo’s, not a government thing, though it is handed to the Cyprus Government and the EU Commission that Monitors Racism in EU member States with the purpose of giving the view of the people.
Stay cool (literally burning up here),
Dora Georgiou, KISA - Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism
Ugo Daniels | Jun 27, 2007 | Reply
Of course, that’ll be very nice. Maybe you may wanna get in touch with me thru my email address and Yea, it’s literally burning up here. I hav several ways of stayin cool..haha. Thanks for the interest.
oladapo | Aug 7, 2007 | Reply
is ther a job opportunity for nigerians in cyprus or not,cos i ve been to malaysia nd now am on my way to cyprus malaysia is very bad and tougthh pls let me know if that place is better and wat kind of job smone can do as a graduate or manial jobs pls,i hope to be coming in by august ending and dont have anyone out there to meet pls but i will stay in the hotel for a while ok thank yu brother
emmanuel | Oct 11, 2007 | Reply
hi,daniel a ghanaian student planning to study in cyprus in feb.but am told students are not allowed to work.am not fro a rich family,can survive.pls let me know your website.thanks
Omotaylor | Oct 11, 2007 | Reply
Hi Ugo, long time no hear. Love to hear from you (even if be on the Loft).
Michael | Dec 12, 2007 | Reply
Hi,
Ugo.How is cyprus for post graduate studies? What are the opportunites? Do you have an idea of the Average cost of the education cost.
Student001 | Dec 12, 2007 | Reply
It is shame that of the 15 comments on this post just one one commentator bordered to address the main theme (Racism) of the post.
I think we can do better.
Adesanya Sesan | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply
I hopw to be there soon cos ive heared so much about the Island.
Maggy
james george | Jan 2, 2008 | Reply
i wouldnt blame the people of cyprus for their racism. as insulting as this is, we are, inherently, the most racist of them all. our being black seems to give us a ticket to have an inferiority complex, bicker about being hated, and hate the most. you cant blame them. for instance, what in the number of nigerians in cyprus, and what is the percentage proportion of them to the true inhabitants of the island? youd find that we are way too much there, so there is no reason why they will not hate… none whatsoever. just like slavery, there is nothing that can done to assuage the issue. take heart my brother, as we say in nigeria: NO LONG TIN!
mike | Jan 16, 2008 | Reply
hello ugo,
how are you doing?you doing a lovely job here.hey i would love to know if as a BSC graduate here,i will get a good job and study there.i mean how is it to study and work over there?
hope to hear from you soon