200 African Students Protest Racism in China

More than 200 African students marched for 2 1/2 hours through the Chinese capital Thursday to protest what they described as racism in China.

The Africans said that the immediate cause of their march over snow- and ice-covered streets was a letter containing racial insults that had circulated among students and embassies here.

But the students also said the demonstration reflected strong dissatisfaction with the way the Chinese government and Chinese students treat Africans studying here. Many of the Africans consider themselves victims of unrelenting discrimination.

China professes support for the nations of black Africa, cultivates their leaders and, as part of its Third World stance, works at improving its ties with the region.

But African students, who make up one of the largest groups of foreign students in China, complain that many Chinese taunt, insult and ostracize them. One of the most common taunts, they say, is heigui, which means “black devil.”

Complaints to Envoy

The students who marched Thursday presented their complaints to Moroccan Ambassador Abderrahim Harkett, dean of the African diplomatic corps here. Harkett said he has met with Chinese officials and urged them to ensure the “dignity and security” of the Africans studying in Peking.

The demonstrators charged that a Chinese student had beaten up a Sudanese student two days ago at the Peking Hotel in the center of the capital.

Many of the African students who marched Thursday have been boycotting classes and examinations. Most seemed to come from the Foreign Languages Institute, in northwestern Peking where their march began. The march ended in eastern Peking where foreign embassies are located.

An African student spokesman told Harkett that if no way can be found to ensure the students’ safety, they want to return to Africa.

“Why should we stay here at a university that doesn’t want us?” the spokesman said.

Letter Slurs Africans

The letter that triggered the Africans’ protest was a one-page attack on African students dated Jan. 7. It was ostensibly signed by a Chinese students association. Written in ungrammatical English, the letter called Africa “uncultured” and accused the students of harassing Chinese women.

The letter also threatened to deliver a “correction in behavior” and “even harder lessons of friendship” to the Africans, based on “the experience of Americans who know very well what to do to curb the Negroes in their country.”

The All-China Students Federation said the letter was “concocted by troublemakers.”

Some of the Africans agreed that the letter was probably not an official letter of any student association but said they felt it necessary to march anyway.

The Chinese authorities viewed the Africans’ march as illegal under city regulations recently adopted to restrict Chinese student demonstrations.

‘We Want Freedom!’

Chinese officials at the Foreign Languages Institute tried to persuade the Africans not to march, and policemen using loudspeakers warned them that their unauthorized demonstration was breaking the law.

During the march, the students chanted, “We want freedom!” and “We are going back to Africa!”

The march was peaceful except for a brief scuffle when two lines of policemen, numbering about 30 men altogether, tried to prevent the students from entering the gates to the Moroccan Embassy. The students pushed their way through.

The march was the latest incident in a series of confrontations involving Chinese and Africans. In May, 1985, Chinese and African students clashed at Tianjin University. Several students were injured.

Shanghai University students have rioted twice against black Africans, in 1979 and again in 1982.

Thursday’s march had nothing to do with the recent Chinese student demonstrations in more than a dozen cities. Chinese university campuses were reported quiet Thursday night as students studied for examinations.