Blacks are victims of racism in different parts of the world. We seem to focus on racial discrimination in Europe and America, with little concern for what black people suffer in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Latin America.
In this essay, the focus is on Latin America and Argentina in particular. In Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, black people abound. They were shipped to those countries during the transatlantic slave trade; though slavery has long been abolished in those countries, black are still alienated from mainstream societies in most Latin American countries.
Argentina, where the black population was about 37 per cent two centuries ago, have been reduced to just 1 per cent today, through systemic elimination. The white rulers of Argentina deliberately used black slaves to fight their Spanish colonizers in the war of independence and, in those battles, black were decimated and their population drastically reduced. Serial killers like epidemics and widespread deaths in subhuman working conditions, ensured that black in Argentina became a negligible minority.
It’s an unofficial state policy that blacks are excluded from sports, politics, business, entertainment and all spheres of life in Argentina.
The country of the famous football star, Lionel Messi, didn’t feature a single black player in the just concluded FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Although Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia and Peru are known to feature black players in their teams to previous soccer tournaments, Argentina never did even once.
Pele, Neymar and other talented black players in other Latin American countries made tremendous impact for their countries, winning laurels and bringing fame and recognition to those nations. Argentina didn’t care to highlight black talents in that country, not just in soccer, but in virtually all other sports. It is inconceivable that no black talents abound in Argentina, when a country like France paraded a team of largely black players in Qatar. The sporting prowess and talents of black people in all countries are well known. Argentina, an unabashedly racist country, has refused to improve the welfare and social conditions of its black minority, despite their contributions to the development of that nation. Let’s applaud the United States, which elected a black President in Barack Obama.Although there’s still a high level of discrimination against black people in Brazil, at least, the talented ones are encouraged and celebrated when they serve their country creditably.
Arab nations like Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt regularly feature black players in their soccer teams, despite the palpable discrimination against black people in those countries. They realize that once a talented athlete wears the colours of their country, the colour of their body does not matter. What matters is the glory and honour they bring.
It’s doubtful if Argentina has any black general in its army. We have not heard of any black actor or musician of note from Argentina.
How Argentina has managed to escape the world’s moral outrage over its wickedness against its black minority is a mystery. It succeeded in suppressing the black community, relegating this demographic and hiding this heinous act for centuries. This is sad. It’s a great injustice to a people who helped build that country and fought its wars. Argentina must change its blatant discrimination against black people who have no other nation to call their own.
I felt very sorry for the few black Argentine fans who cheered on as Messi and his team ran amok in Qatar and lifted the World Cup, to the admiration of a global audience.
Such a feat is devalued by the refusal to recognize black in Argentina.
However, one cannot put all the blame on the white majority. The black in that country need to wake up to their rights. Being a minority should not muzzle their power to promote their own interests, even in the face of the worst opposition.
I urge black people in Argentina to rise up and stand for their rights. They should be more vocal, more assertive and more aware of their human rights as citizens of that nation. That was how African Americans got liberated. No one gains freedom by keeping quiet. In southern Africa, black people fought apartheid until it was defeated. Argentine blacks have the support of black people and other freedom-loving folks around the world.
The World Black Congress (WBC) has its job well cut out. Once formed, we should fight racial and tribal discrimination as well. Black minorities discriminate against each other. What a shame! In Africa, tribalism is rife. Black majorities oppress black minorities. This is a brand of racism we must all condemn. Black leaders are behind tribalism. They deploy this act as a tool to divide the people so that the corrupt governing elite continue to rule over the people.
This is the stock in trade of most black leaders all over Africa. Tribalism is a plague WBC will fight with vigour because it is an evil worse than racism. I can understand if another race discriminates against black people, but I can’t tolerate blacks discriminating against each other. How do you explain that? It’s unacceptable, immoral, unjust, wicked and utterly foolish. We must reject it.
All black people are brothers and sisters. We are from the same source. We share the same ancestry. We can never be separated by colonial segregation through modern borders as we have today. All black people must unite and reclaim our common heritage, our destiny and our common identity. Our women should be proud of their dark skin colour and stop bleaching.
It’s foolish to want to become white to please white folks.
•Ayodeji, author, pastor and life coach, can be reached on 09059243004 (SMS, WhatsApp and email: [email protected] only)