Uproar over violent mob attack on African students

An attack on African students in India last week has caused an uproar among students in the country and has sparked an investigation by India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who called the attack “deplorable”, while students said if the authorities failed to curb attacks, India’s aim to be an international higher education destination would be affected.

Four students from Nigeria, and a Kenyan woman, were attacked by crowds on 27 March in a shopping mall in Noida, a suburb of New Delhi, which came to light when the incident recorded on a mobile phone by shoppers was circulated on social media.

Most of those who came under attack were said to be students at the private Noida International University. One of the victims told local media he had been attacked with rods, bricks and knives and that no one had helped him.

Enduranca Amalawa told journalists: "We kept crying for help, but no one came, not even the security marshals. I was running but they followed me and attacked me."

Police say up to 600 people were involved in the mob violence, reportedly after an Indian student died of a drug overdose and African students were wrongly linked to the supply of drugs. The incident happened during a candle-lit march for the deceased boy.

Police reviewing CCTV footage of the violence say they have identified 44 people involved in the attack and so far have arrested five of them.

The Kenyan woman, who is still unnamed, had reportedly been dragged out of a taxi by the mob.

The Association of African Students in India or AASI posted images on its Facebook page of the bandaged students in hospital. It said: “Considering the situation, these young men were amazingly calm and sensible.”

“We are tired of the appeasement and promises made by the Indian government and therefore will be taking stringent actions,” said AASI President Samuel Jack last week. These could include protest marches.

Investigation

Minister Swaraj said on Twitter that Yogi Adityanath, the newly-installed chief minister of Uttar Pradesh where Noida is situated, had assured her that “there will be a fair and impartial investigation into this unfortunate incident”.

However, addressing parliament’s upper house, the Rajya Sabha, on 30 March she declined to provide further details, saying she wanted to ensure “an impartial probe”.

PJ Kurien, deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, said: “We are condemning racial attacks on Indians in other countries and at the same time racial attacks in our country cannot be justified. The government should be very vigilant and very strong action should be taken.”

The AASI, in a statement, called on the Indian government “to take concrete steps to protect the lives and property of all African students in India”.

“The situation is still tense and the community is extremely vulnerable across the country,” the association said, recommending that all African students residing in Noida stay indoors “and remain vigilant until police security can be reinforced and tightened.”

If India does not ensure security in areas where African students live, the association would write to African Union countries to “actively urge the African Union to cut all bilateral trade with India”, the association's statement said, adding: “We will ask African students in our respective countries to stop making India their study destination with immediate effect.”

In May 2016 Indian police arrested five people over attacks on six Africans, including students, which led to strong protests from African diplomatic missions in New Delhi. At the time Minister Swaraj said she had spoken to police about the attack and promised a “sensitisation campaign” in areas where African nationals reside.

MJ Akbar, minister of state for external affairs, said he assured the acting high commissioner of Nigeria of “steps being taken by local authorities for the safety and security of Nigerian nationals".

Nigerian students make up some 2,000 of the total 42,400 foreign students in India, according to 2015 figures.