31-01-2012
Ukraine is the country of xenophobes and racists. World press published such conclusions. All has started from the article and illustrations to it in Ternopil newspaper. Local journalists so got carried by the reporting of the fight between two foreign students because of Ukrainian girl, so they did not notice that used improper words in the address of migrants from African and Arab countries, it is reported by TSN (Ukrainian TV news programme).
Newspaper material illustrated the pictures of Africans who had rest in the pub. And in the foreground there was a collage – two monkeys are touching up a blonde girl.
Student from Congo Moug Danik Brysche was one of the men on the picture. He recognized himself in the newspaper and was filled with indignation how that picture got to the press. Future engineer-mechanic Mouga does not know yet whether he should pack suitcases or take a cap hiding himself in order to continue education. He affirmed that he did not participate in the fight described in the newspaper, but now he is very recognizable in the city and is called “monkey”.
«Here you can be beaten every day, – Mouga tells,- there are many racists here». Two hundred students of Ternopil University demand excuses from local newspaper. Allegedly, they offended African students and Arabs very much.
«This newspaper wrote that we are black monkeys…– it is said by the student from Cameroon Martin Landro Maien. – We want them to present their apologies, we want them to see us as human beings and not as animals».
Scandal over the article in Ternopil newspaper was caught up by the world Mass Media. The channel “France 24”picked up the button from the channel “CNN”. On its internet-portal, it put the article “Ukrainian newspaper represent Africans and Arabs as monkeys, who touching up the woman”. After such publicity, students say that their relatives ask them to return home as soon as possible.
«He has to come back home because his father has read an article at “France 24” and said “Fly home at once”, – Martin, the student from Cameron said. – “He is on the fifth year of Medical University, he leaves everything and goes back home”.
The print “New Ternopil newspapaer”, which published an article causing sensation, regards to be the most scandalous one in the city. True, there is no any name of the author. Local journalists are talking of the article to be written by the editor-in-chief. Though, he and his staff refuse to give comments on it. The public prosecutor’s office tackled to find out whether publication rouses national hatred.
«The check is connected with just this publication and in no way with the previous ones, thus, we cannot tell that some pressure is carried upon Mass Media”, – it is assured by the pres-secretary of prosecutor of Ternopil region, Lesya Dolyshnaya.
The investigation is still going on. The board of Ternopil University because of the scandal tries not to loose foreign students – sponsors of the establishment. In order to reconcile offended persons the lectures are conducted and appeal with demand to make apologies for incorrect statements has already been written.
It was reported before that Ukrainian police as well as the society overall is affected by race and ethnic intolerance to a considerable extent. It is said in the statement of Ukrainian Refugee Council.
It was also reported that the activity of youth informal associations has started to grow in Ukraine since 2005, the activity of which is directed upon the violent actions based on race and national hostility. According to investigation data “Racism and xenophobia in Ukraine”, the violence is more often directed against foreign students, asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, businessmen and tourists. The victims became also some workers of the embassies, UNO representatives as well as the members of their families.