‘I don’t know if I ever want to step foot in Ukraine again:’ Black siblings beaten and racially abused by border guards while fleeing country

Three Black students say they were beaten and racially discriminated against by immigration officials while trying to flee the war-torn country.

Congolese siblings Jeancy, Nahomy and Israel, who have been studying management and engineering in the capital city Kyiv, embarked on a journey towards the border on 22 February.

After days of walking and queuing in the freezing cold, the trio say they were discriminated against by border guards, split up despite their brother being vulnerable with a disability, and subjected to verbal and physical attacks.

READ MORE

Russia, Ukraine foreign ministers meet for first time since invasion

Ukraine crisis to dominate EU leaders' Versailles summit

When I said we need to bring our brother with us [as we progressed through to the Polish border], that’s when they started beating and shouting at us to go back outside,” Jeancy, 24, told The Independent. “Immigration guards, both male and female, called us names like n*gger and Black slut; they referred to my brother as a monkey.

“One male guard beat me so savagely, and then my period came which only added to the humiliation I was going through. I was enduring the pain of the attacks but couldn’t cry. ‘Are you seriously attacking a woman? I asked the guard. People were trying to intervene and shouting at them to stop.”

“I was really disgusted. I have never experienced someone just assaulting me for nothing,” Jeancy added.

I was worried about what to tell my parents who have been so worried about us. Why are the guards acting like criminals and racially abusing Black people including my siblings while the world is saying 'pray for Ukraine?'

— Princess Radjabu

“I kept asking myself why would they say this to me. Women old enough to be my mum and sister were calling us names. I was really tired and feeling hurt; I remember asking for water and they refused to even give that. I just focused on getting past the borders and onto the other side.”

The siblings say they experienced discrimination at the Poland border in Ukraine where they queued for days, were segregated from white Ukranian refugees and regularly sent to the backs of queues when they did make it to the front.

“We soon realised we were being discriminated against but we didn’t want to cause a fuss,” the student explained

Eventually Jeancy and her sister Nahomy, 26, were allowed past the first gate but were forced to leave their younger brother Israel, who doesn’t speak English and has a physical disability sustained during a racist attack in Ukraine prior to the Russian invasion, behind.

When he was eventually reunited with his sisters, Jeancy was horrified by the bruises on his face and worsened limp followed by confirmation that he had been beaten outside while separated from them.

Meanwhile, Nahomy was gun-butted in her stomach several times by a guard, according to her sister; she then lost consciousness and was hospitalised at the Provincial Hospital St. Padre Pio in Poland from Sunday 27 February to Wednesday 2 March. Nahomy declined an interview with The Independent explaining that she’s still unwell and shaken up.

African students of Ukrainian universities arrive at the Medyka pedestrian border in Ukraine. AFP

Princess Radjabu, a 27-year-old student based in the US, communicated with her siblings throughout their journey and became increasingly concerned for their wellbeing as early accounts of racial discrimination emerged on Twitter.

“I was alarmed and warned them that it seems this situation is becoming about race – something that they didn’t believe until they reached the border,” she told The Independent.

“When I learned from them what happened, I was determined to speak out because people seem to be disbelieving accounts of how Black people are being treated.

“But I was also worried about what to tell my parents who have been so worried about us. Why are the guards acting like criminals and racially abusing Black people including my siblings while the world is saying ‘pray for Ukraine’?”

The siblings say they experienced discrimination at the Poland border in Ukraine where they queued for days, were segregated from white Ukranian refugees and regularly sent to the backs of queues when they did make it to the front.

Ms Radjabu added: “What they’ve experienced is extremely traumatising and can’t be undone. Regardless of where someone comes from or their skin colour, everybody deserves to be treated with basic human decency and respect.

“Despite this crisis, Africans are being treated like animals for simply seeking refuge. What my African brothers and sisters and their children are experiencing at the hands of these people during this war is atrocious and needs to be known.”

“We are all traumatised at this point and I just realised just how much it was after it happened,” Jeancy continued. “You know when it’s like you’re under a illusion and you’re hoping everything is fine in the moment? It was awful – so much so that I don’t know if I ever want to step foot in Ukraine again – my brother and sister feel the same.

“My brother doesn’t even want to hear the name of the country. he doesn’t watch the news, he doesn’t want to be reminded about what happened in any way, shape or form.”

When questioned by Home Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday morning, the Ukraine ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko acknowledged poor treatment of Black and ethnic minority people on the border but suggested segregation as a solution to the issue.

Following reports about racism faced by refugees at the borders, the United Nations said last week: “We condemn racism and discrimination of any kind against any person or group and call for those responsible to be held accountable by the relevant national authorities”.

The Independent