Tunisian NGO denounces racism against sub-Sahara African workers
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) – Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights has strongly condemned racist aggression against Sub-Sahara African workers in Sousse region, 140 km southeast of Tunis, and called for sanctions against the perpetrators of the behaviour.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Forum denounced the recurrence of different acts of aggression and violation of rights in the absence of political will to protect the migrants who live in very precarious condition.
The NGO underlined the need to apply certain laws against racism and human trafficking. It called for a massive campaign to regulate the situation of illegal migrants in Tunisia.
A video showing disputes between a Tunisian employer and sub-Sahara African workers demanding the payment of their salaries, during which the employer attempted to attack the workers, was widely shared on social networks.
The Tunisian government is accused of slowdown in the application of the bill criminalising racism, though Tunisia is considered as first Arab country to have adopted a bill against racial discrimination, observers said.
A study by the Tunisian Forum on Economic and Social Rights revealed racist practices by Tunisians, indicating that 51.1% of sub-Sahara Africans questioned said they were victims of racism and hatred from Tunisians, such as insults and physical aggression.
Acts of racist aggression were committed by 87.2% of Tunisian citizens, taxi drivers 56.8% and shopkeepers 3%, the survey indicated. Migrants are also victims of institutional discrimination committed by entities and government institutions, including police stations (9.6%) and reception offices (6.6%), in addition to racist practice by private organisations (5.5%) and employers (5%).
-0- PANA YY/IN/TBM/MSA/AR 20 Sept2020
