9 International Sunday, , 2020 ‘China is not immigrant country’: A draft law sparks online racism Foreigners may gain permanent residency BEIJING: A new draft law that could make it easier will not be tainted by Africans.” Some Weibo-users China have permanent residency. The draft bill comes at secretly received ‘superior treatment’ as citizens,” wrote for foreigners to gain permanent residency in China posted videos of black people apparently committing a time when China is seeking to expand its global influ- Hu Xijin, editor of the nationalistic Global Times. Last has stirred up a torrent of xenophobia online. The crimes in China, while a campaign to encourage ence and attract foreign exchange and investment. Its July, Shandong University apologized after a backlash proposal, released by the justice ministry last week, Chinese women to date Chinese men, under the hashtag massive Belt and Road infrastructure investment project over a policy that introduced foreign students to local has been gathering billions of views and a flood of “China girl”, had 240 million views as of Thursday has funded thousands of lucrative scholarships for stu- students of the opposite sex. Heather Li, a China-Africa angry posts on social media, targeting Africans in afternoon. Another widely-shared post on Weibo read: dents from developing countries. business consultant, said she was “really shocked” by particular. “China’s forty years of family planning pol- “China is not an immigrant country.” A hashtag related But there have been points of tension, including a the extent of the online racism. She used to tell her icy does not make it a place for foreign trash to soar,” to the law has gained more than 4.8 billion views. crackdown on illegal immigrants in commercial hub African friends that many Chinese people were friendly wrote one user on the -like platform Weibo, The law — open to suggestions from the public until Guangzhou’s “Little Africa” which left many complaining and curious about their culture, despite their occasional referring to the one-child birth limit China imposed March 27 - proposes allowing foreigners’ dependants of hard treatment from authorities. There are also long- encounters with prejudice. “But after seeing it on Weibo, between 1980 and 2016. to apply simultaneously for permanent residency, as standing anxieties about perceived preferential treat- I realized there was so much more to it, because people The person went on to use racist language against well as relaxing education and salary requirements. ment for foreigners in China, especially international were using very strong language and really disrespect- black people, saying: “Our common Chinese ancestry State media said less than one percent of foreigners in students. “For a long time, some foreigners in China have ing people from other races,” she said. —AFP

Mazari - a politician from the Hazara Dozens killed as ethnic group, most of whom are Shiite Muslims. The Sunni-extremist IS had claimed an attack on the same ceremony gunmen attack last year, when a barrage of mortar fire killed at least 11 people. Rahimi said gun- India makes u-turn Afghan rally fire had erupted from a construction site near the event. on TV ban over New KABUL: Dozens of people were killed Several top political officials were at when gunmen opened fire at a political the ceremony, including Afghanistan’s rally in Kabul on Friday, the deadliest chief executive Abdullah Abdullah. The Delhi riot coverage assault in Afghanistan since the US interior ministry later confirmed that all NEW DELHI: The Indian government back- signed a withdrawal deal with the the high-ranking officials had been Taleban. The attack, claimed by the “safely evacuated.” “We left the ceremo- tracked yesterday after slapping a 48-hour ban Islamic State group, highlights a glaring ny following the gunfire, and a number of on two TV channels for what officials called lack of security in the Afghan capital just people were wounded, but I do not have biased coverage of New Delhi riots. A blackout 14 months ahead of the scheduled with- any reports of martyred people for now,” of Asianet News and MediaOne was ordered on drawal of all foreign forces. Hazara leader Mohammad Mohaqiq told Friday but lifted after an outcry from opposition It also calls into question a key ele- Tolo News. President Ashraf Ghani con- groups and protests by the channels to the ment of the US-Taleban deal signed demned the massacre as a “crime against information and broadcasting ministry. February 29 - whether the Taleban can humanity”. stop jihadists such as IS from running KABUL: Men stand next to a pile of clothes and footwear of victims yesterday, a Information minister Prakash Javadekar said amok in Afghanistan after US forces pull Taleban violence down day after a gun attack at a political rally. —AFP Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested the out. In a statement, IS said two brothers The attack came less than a week ban be revoked on learning of it. “Our basic had targeted a “gathering of apostates” after the US and Taleban signed a deal belief is that press freedom is essential in a with machine guns and grenades. The that would result in the complete with- despite the attack, violence in menace of ISIS.” democratic set-up,” Javadekar told reporters Afghanistan was “significantly down”. But since the deal was signed in gunmen inflicted devastating carnage at drawal of foreign troops in 14 months. when asked about the move. the crowded event in west Kabul, killing The withdrawal however depends heavi- “The violence levels, they’re still lower Doha fighting has continued across A government order had accused the channels 32 people and wounding 58 others, ly on the Taleban being able to control than they have been in the last five or six Afghanistan, raising questions over health ministry spokesman Wahidullah jihadist forces such as Al-Qaeda and IS. years,” Pompeo told CNBC television. whether the agreement would reduce of covering last month’s deadly riots in the capi- Mayar said. If such groups remain, so too does the “We see the path forward towards a violence and lead to talks between the tal “in a manner that highlighted the attack on Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat US military. peace and reconciliation opportunity.” Taleban and the Afghan government. places of worship and siding towards a particular Rahimi put the toll at 29 dead, with an A US Forces-Afghanistan spokesman He later condemned the “despicable” Afghan government officials and the community”. At least 50 people were killed in additional 61 wounded. He said special said the response to the attack was attack, saying in a statement that the Taleban are supposed to meet in Oslo Delhi’s worst sectarian violence in decades, over peace process “presents a critical next week, but talks are likely to be forces units eventually killed the two “Afghan led,” but US personnel gave two-thirds of them from India’s Muslim minority, gunmen. The assault occurred at a com- medical aid to the victims. US Secretary opportunity for Afghans to come togeth- delayed over disagreement about a pris- according to hospital lists. Mosques were burnt memoration ceremony for Abdul Ali of State Mike Pompeo insisted that er to build a united front against the oner release. —AFP and vandalized along with Hindu-owned shops and at least 15 Hindus were killed. centuries-old biases against lower-caste groups, Denied in life, India’s including Dalits persist, making it harder for them to ‘Undemocratic’ access education, jobs and homes. More than half the country’s lower-caste population is landless, census MediaOne called the ban “a blatant attack on lower-caste Dalits data showed. While several states have laws aimed at free and fair reporting” and an “unprecedented giving land to Dalits, few have done so, according to and undemocratic action”. It also said it was fight for land in death Dalit activists and leaders. penalized for criticizing Delhi police and the Meanwhile, a growing population and rising pressure Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu national- NEW DELHI: India’s lower-caste Dalits are increasingly on land to build homes, highways, airports and industry is ist group close to Modi’s ruling right-wing party. asserting their claims over land so they can bury their triggering conflicts, with farmers and lower-caste citizens Indian governments have long been sensitive to dead, human rights activists said on Friday, as their tradi- most affected. In rural areas where caste biases are most tional burial grounds are targeted by real estate develop- entrenched, Dalits have lost their burial ground to village media coverage and criticism, analysts say. In ers and higher-caste Hindus. Last year, a viral video of elites, Babar said. “Even where we do have land, there are 2016, officials banned NDTV’s Hindi-language Dalit men lowering a dead body by a rope from a bridge no facilities like water and electricity. Or we are not channel for 24 hours for broadcasting details of after an upper-caste community in the southern state of allowed to pass through the village with the body to go to an attack by militants on an air force base. Tamil Nadu refused to allow the funeral procession to pass the burial ground,” he said. KASBA BONLI, India: People belonging to the Dalit community The government also banned Qatar-based through their land, sparked a public uproar. After a recent campaign by Dalit rights groups, take part in a nationwide strike called by several Dalit organiza- channel Al Jazeera for five days in 2015 for dis- In other states, Dalits sometimes have to keep their authorities in the western state of Maharashtra have allo- tions in Rajasthan in this April 2, 2018 file photo. —Reuters playing a map of the disputed Kashmir region deceased relatives for several days until they can resolve cated small plots of land for cremation in villages with where to bury or cremate them, said Lalit Babar, general Dalit populations, he said. A broader national campaign deemed incorrect. Last year a journalist was secretary of the National Federation of Dalit Land Rights, by Dalit activists has long demanded for 5 acres of land lion acres of land allotted, less than 10% is in the jailed over derogatory comments made on social an advocacy group. “We do not have land for housing or for each Dalit family - enough for a home and small farm hands of Dalits, according to human rights groups. media against a chief minister from Modi’s party. for livelihoods. Now, we are being denied land for dying,” to live off. Government officials in Tamil Nadu, in Without land of their own, Dalits are forced to cre- The latest ban sparked an outcry from opposi- he said. “We have launched campaigns in several states to response to a court hearing after the viral video, said mate their dead along riverbanks or on public land, tion parties. “All democratic minds should unite demand that our traditional burial grounds be returned, there was no discrimination against Dalits. said Richard Devadoss, a convenor for the South India to voice against this fascist decision,” Ramesh or new land be allotted,” he told the Thomson Reuters But there is a long-standing battle in the state over Coalition for Land Rights, an advocacy group. Chennithala, a senior member of the Congress Foundation at the sidelines of a land conference in Delhi. so-called panchami land, which was allocated to Dalits “Without land, they have no power, no dignity, even in India banned caste-based discrimination in 1955, but during the British colonial era. Of an estimated 1.2 mil- death,” he said. —Reuters party, said on Facebook. —AFP

pending his contract, while politicians cultural sensitivities. ’s ‘biggest and celebrities condemned him on social Some of the more provocative media. Drama critic Sadaf Haider told posters and slogans from the march dis- feminist’ under fire AFP that Qamar held “deeply misogynis- cussing divorce, and tic” views that he wove into his soaps, menstruation drew a quick backlash and arguing that such narratives are “not a slew of threats against the organizers. after sexist tirade helping the cause of women’s rights” in Last month, anti-march campaigners Pakistan. filed a petition in to block this LAHORE: He calls himself “Pakistan’s Qamar declined repeated requests for year’s event, which is set for Sunday. biggest feminist”, but soap-opera writer comment, though he has appeared on Lawyer Azhar Siddique alleged it is Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar sparked a other talk shows and refused to apolo- being funded by “various anti-state par- national row this week after he hurled gise, blaming Sirmed for interrupting him ties” with the aim of sowing “anarchy” abuse at a women’s rights activist on live on air. Pakistani soaps have been criti- in society. The judge ruled that a ban television. The invective-laden diatribe cised for their depiction of female protag- would be unconstitutional, but warned came just days before thousands of peo- onists-often damsels in distress silently marchers to refrain from spreading ple are expected to march in cities across accepting abuse from their in-laws and “hate speech and immorality”. Pakistan to mark International Women’s husbands, and that is shown as a strength. A separate petition in call- Day, adding fuel to growing calls for Female villains are usually the oppo- ing for a ban on the march was also dis- greater freedoms in the ultra-conserva- site: they do not want to settle down, do missed Friday. Nighat Dad, part of the tive nation where pushback against such not want to conform and end up creating Aurat march organizing committee, was ISLAMABAD: In this picture taken on March 5, 2020 a man watches a video clip demands can sometimes be vicious. problems by seducing the virtuous hero- unfazed by the backlash to previous on his mobile phone of a local TV channel about a debate between women’s Qamar’s tirade targeting activist Marvi ine’s husband. While Qamar has come events. “In reality, men like Khalil-ur- rights activist Marvi Sirmed (right) and television playwright Khalil ur Rehman Sirmed quickly went viral, highlighting under fire for the negative portrayal of Rehman Qamar are threatened, which is (second left). —AFP Pakistan’s acrimonious conversation women in his soap operas, his latest work, why they are coming up with all kinds around women’s rights and cultural val- “Meray Paas Tum Ho” (“I have you”) of ridiculous arguments against the ues. While appearing on a television panel broke viewership records in Pakistan. women’s movement,” she said. Women passport and other travel documents marry, reproductive rights and even the to discuss the upcoming Aurat (women’s) have long fought for basic rights in were taken. Amnesty International right to an education. According to esti- march, Qamar took aim at its slogan, “My Whose body? Pakistan, where activists often face expressed support for the Aurat march, mates by the Honor Based Violence body, my choice”. He told Sirmed that “no The “my body, my choice” slogan harassment and threats for the work saying in a statement that the “horrific Awareness Network, at least 1,000 one would even spit on your body”- during last year’s event generated criti- they do. threats of violence, intimidation and women fall victim to honor killings in adding she was a “cheap woman” who cism in a Muslim country largely unaf- Sirmed, the activist, is known to have harassment of the marchers must stop”. Pakistan each year. Pakistan ranked a should “shut up”. fected by the global #MeToo move- received multiple death threats. In 2012, Much of Pakistani society operates dismal 136 on the UN Development Reaction was swift, with local media ment. Organizers and participants were she escaped unharmed when unknown under a strict code of “honor”, system- Program’s Gender Inequality Index in giant Geo Entertainment-which recently accused of promoting Western, liberal assailants fired upon her car. Her home izing the oppression of women in mat- 2018, doing worse than most of its signed Qamar to write soap operas-sus- values and disrespecting religious and was ransacked in 2018 and her laptops, ters such as the right to choose who to South Asian neighbors. —AFP