Many African students in Moscow are afraid to go outside Nearly 60% of black and African people living in Russia's capital Moscow have been physically assaulted in racially motivated attacks, says a new study.
Africans working or studying in the city live in constant fear of attack, according to the report by the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy.
A quarter of 200 people surveyed said they had been assaulted more than once. Some 80% had been verbally abused.
But the number of assaults was down from the MPC's last survey in 2002.
The report's clear conclusion was that Africans living in Russia exist in a state of virtual siege, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Moscow.
Many of the African respondents said they:
Avoided using the Moscow metro Were also careful to avoid crowded public places Did not go out on Russian national holidays or on days when there were football matches Many of the attacks on Africans were pre-meditated and extremely violent, the report found.
One Nigerian migrant interviewed by the BBC had been repeatedly stabbed in the back and then shot.
Another man said his attacker had attempted to remove his scalp.
Officially there are some 10,000 Africans living in Moscow, but far more are believed to live there illegally - many as economic migrants.
The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy is an English-speaking interdenominational Christian congregation that has ministered to Moscow's foreign community since 1962.
I guess it depends on how you flex. Russia is going through a lot of struggles with high unemployment, inflation, crime, etc. If they see you (outsider) as an added burden to their fragile society, then expect a backlash. These attacks are not only limited to Africans/Blacks but any outsiders - even people from neighboring former states go through this form of discrimination and attacks. Just ask those folks from Ukraine & Georgia.
The Black footballers are safe or anyone seen as bringing in funds (tourists) or entertainers (musicians, footballers, etc.). I was there sometime in 2006 and I was amazed at the warm reception from the folks I came in contact with. Also, remember that the men are intimidated by Black men taking their Russian women...lol. This was the case in China a few years back when the Chinese male students were attacking the Black male students for taking their women.
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"Go tell it on the Mountain!"
