Bobi Wine and Neil Nelson, co-founder of media firm Atlanta BlackStar, announced plans to help airlift Africans and African-Americans being subjected to “inhumane treatment” in China in a joint statement on Monday.
“The two leaders are currently working together to facilitate a humanitarian mission to airlift those Africans and African-Americans who are affected by these attacks to a country in Africa that is willing to receive them,” read the press release. “We are also prepared to evacuate them to the United States for those holding U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status.”
Together with my friend Neil Nelson, CEO @ATLBlackStar, we are offering to airlift Africans & African-Americans being subjected to inhumane treatment in parts of China. Only if we get an African nation and/or the US willing to receive them! #soos #savingourownsouls pic.twitter.com/HFHEf4p8wa
— BOBI WINE (@HEBobiwine) April 13, 2020
The move comes after harrowing reports of African foreign nationals in the Southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, being evicted from their homes, denied services at local businesses, and blamed for igniting a second wave of coronavirus in the country. The city, nicknamed “Little Africa,” has the highest population of Africans in China, mostly from Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya.
Images and videos of Africans sleeping on the streets caused outrage online over the weekend, with governments, including the U.S. consulate, urging their citizens of African descent to avoid the city. The events highlight the widespread racism and xenophobia that Black people face in China.
In July of last year, Wine, an opposition politician, announced his plans to challenge Yoweri Museveni’s 35-year rule and run for president of Uganda in 2021.
Read the full article from okayafrica here.