EU Ambassadors angers Zimbabweans over Ukraine racism
Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa
The European Union Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Timo Olkonnen has feigned ignorance over the racist treatment being subjected to black Africans seeking to exit Ukraine.
Russia has been running a military operation in Ukraine and resistance by the Ukranian government has seen fights break out, a situation which has resulted in some parts of the Eastern European country become hostile.
As Africa and its diaspora were expressing their outrage at the treatment fellow Africans are receiving at the hands of the Ukranian authorities in their endeavour to leave the troubled country, EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe, the Finnish Timo Olkonnen brew a shocker by announcing that he did not exactly know what was going.
This is despite the numerous videos which are going around and first person accounts currently circulating online.
The hardly diplomatic diplomat posting on microblog Twitter showed the usual disdain and imbedded racism and supremacist attitude of Caucasians towards anyone not Caucasian moreso the Negroids from Africa.
In a response that drew the ire of Africans, Timo Olkonnen said, “I don’t know what is happening on the videos showing Africans trying to leave Ukraine. What I do know is that people are trying to flee because Russians are attacking. I am told there are very long queues at borders and priority is normally given to elderly, women & children @euinzim”
How he contemptuously dismissed the videos and declares he does not know what is going on despite the fact the video shows black people thrown off the trains including woman and children is a wonder.
He goes on to say priority is given to the old, women and children when African women including those with children are being thrown off the trains.
One wonders why the women and children are thrown off the train then if women and children are priority.
The racist Olkonnen who is always Conservative with the truth when it comes to European treatment but quick to comment in Zimbabwean political issues drew the anger of many with his response.
Zimbabweans on Twitter were not amused and vented their outrage.
One user commented, “Your imbeded racism is not shocking but at least respect us enough to spare us such sentiments. A whole diplomat!”
Former Government Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo responded, “Please Ambassador, give us a break. This is an unnecessary and unhelpful statement from someone who ought to know better: among the Africans who are being discriminated against are women & children; do African women & children not deserve priority on account of their black skins?”
Jewels_MsJay responded, “You don’t know or you don’t want to know. Ukrainians are blocking Africans from boarding trains or leaving.
Please stop messing with our emotions. If you don’t care just shut up. Our ppl are suffering. #AfricansinUkraine (sic)”.
Senior Journalist Ranga Mataire said, “But you really need to respect us as Africans. You can’t tell us that you don’t know what is happening when there are several videos of Africans clearly being denied entry. Please respect us, you are overstepping boundaries of decency.”
Shingai Ndoro was in a no nonsense mood saying; “You are pathetic. Trying to interpret what anyone with rudimentary comprehension skills can see. Nxaa!!!”
The sanctions inviting Dr Chipo Dendere said, “Come on ambassador. If you’ve seen the videos you wouldn’t be dismissing them very clear racism. Are black women and children not women & children because they don’t have blond hair and blue eyes? Come on! We are all with Ukrainians. Just asking for fairness$ your voice can help”
Kudzai Mutisi was not pulling any punches saying “Silly man, just keep quiet. The same disdain you show when imposing sanctions on peaceful Zimbabweans is the same disdain being shown by your colleagues… to them, blacks are lesser human beings.”
Cde Tatenda asked, “EU ambassador in Africa doesn’t know what is happening on videos showing Africans trying to leave Ukraine…”
The contempt shows that European Embassies which pretend to be champions of accountability pretend to be obtuse when it is their turn under the microscope.
Olkonnen has in the past pronounced himself on phantom opposition abductions with no shred of evidence but is pretending to be clever saying he does not know what is happening in Europe when the video evidence is abundant.
Recent Comments