Introduction
What didn't I like?
One's reactions to racism largely depends on ones own experiences.
I have lived (on and off) in the East End of London, UK for some 25 years.
I lived firstly in Hackney for some 10 years, and lately in Stratford in the borough of Newham; a multi-cultural borough of 250,000 people.
The Olympics are coming here (Stratford) in 2012 and many improvements are being made.
There are three stories I would like to recount.
continue
Introduction (contd)
The first is of my visit (in Oct 2009) to one of Newham's offices in Stratford to re-new our car parking permit. The office handles a variety of enquiries; from applications for social housing to parking permits, and thus a wide cross-section of the community use these offices.
1.The receptionist was from Galicia in Spain. She was very polite and helpful with everyone, and
spoke very good English.
2.The words "Welcome" were written on the wall in some 20+ languages.
3.The security guard was from Romania.
4.The central waiting area was clean, carpeted and equipped with modern settees.
5.The approx. 35 year old Indian lady who dealt with my application (sitting behind an open desk, and
not behind a safety screen) had grown up in Newham.
6.When I spoke with the Indian lady I told her that I was impressed by the Borough's approach to
dealing with the diverse multi-culture population.
"Yes", she agreed, "it was good, but not all the London boroughs are this good".
click here to view Newham web site
The second is my grand-childrens school.
1.This is a Church of England school, the only primary state school in the City of London.
(http://www.sirjohncassprimary.org/)
2.Over 50% of pupils are Muslims and a variety of languages are spoken.
3.It provides a good multi-cultural education for my grand-children who are 7 and 8 years old.
(My own children attended this school and my wife was a school helper).
4.It achieved outstanding OFSTED Education results in 2008, one of the best in the country!
And finally:
I had taken one of my grand-children to a birthday party. One of the Muslim fathers told me that he was concerned that his 5 year old son should be running around as he had recently been circumcised.
"You know, this is a Muslim tradition", he told me.
"It may well be", I replied, and continued with "Jewish children are also circumcised and so am I, and I am not religious".
He smiled! (FYI: We always have a friendly chat when we meet at the school).
Racist shop owner in Lima
The owner is a "white" and was interested in purchasing my car after my travels.
I informed him that he should liaise with Pablo (who was with me) after I had left Lima as it was unlikely that I would have much time after my travels and before my return flight.
"No, I wish to talk to you", he said in Spanish.
I told him that I had the utmost confidence in Pablo and that he should talk to him.
Pablo had by now left the shop. I guess he could see how the conversation was going and had seen this "type of person" before.
"No, I want to talk to you", he re-iterated, and then, in a softer tone, he said " You know what these people are like".
Although I had never met this man before, he had assumed that my view of "non whites" was similar to his own because I am "white". Interesting assumption!
(Pablo is a of mixed race).
Incident in Miraflores supermarket
It concerned the verbal abuse in public by a "white" mother to her maid whilst queuing for the Bank in a well known supermarket in Miraflores.
My legs started shacking.They do this when I get angry; it's the flow of adrenalin.
I decided not to intervene as I had been in Lima less than one week and was not very fluent in Spanish. (forty years is a long time!)
I was surprised that such behaviour was tolerated in public. I looked at the faces of the two Bank staff and the other people in the queue. Although one could see by their body language that they were not that pleased, I could see that no-one was going to intervene.
In Stratford, London, the Bank staff would have called for the Manager to deal with the situation and the maid would have been asked if she wanted to report the matter to the police.
I think the worst of this story was the the manner in which the 8 or 9 year old daughter then instructed their maid to follow her. For all she cared, she could have been talking to her dog. Actually, she may have been kinder if it was her dog!
I was also struck by the manner in which the maid meekly accepted the abuse. Can you imagine how she must have felt? I dread to think how she must be treated in the home if this was how she was treated in public!
Town Hall guy in Caraz (in the Andes)
This event concerned the behaviour of a "white" Town Hall employee who regularly had breakfast at the hotel.
I was sitting alone in the breakfast area and he walked in and immediately instructed the waiter to turn on the TV and get him his "usual" breakfast, and complaining about "this and that". A very un-savoury person and I took an instant dislike to him.
His manner was "commanding" and the waiter "rushed here and there" as instructed.
When I suggested to this man that we turn off the TV, as the reception was so bad that one couldn't understand it, the man politely agreed with me.
His manner with me was courteous, in complete contrast to how he spoke with the "non-white" waiter.
I was so disgusted by this man's behaviour that I had a word with the waiter afterwards and suggested that he should not allow himself to be spoken to in this manner.
I knew that it would make no difference.
Night Club taken to court
This concerns the prosecution in 2007 of a Night Club in Miraflores for discrimination.
I include it to demonstrate that Racism is against the law in Peru and is supported by the Judiciary.
The complaint of Discrimination was up-held and the night club was fined S/. 70,000. (approx $23,000 US).
Maids banned from Beach (at "Asia", a Beach resort South of Lima)
(Click to read the full article. This will open a new browser page)
"Apartheid-like laws passed by homeowners associations in Asia forbid maids and nannies, or domestic employees, as they are called, from swimming at the beach between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m"
Feb 13, 2009. This is a good description in English
"Leddy Mozombite, the General Secretary of Peru's union for housekeepers reported today from London that one maid was raped almost every day in the Andean country".
Feb 4, 2009
I suggest you read the comments. There are mixed views, but it gives some insight into the racism/segregation/exclusion that exists in Peru.
You will see that not everyone treats their servants badly - we didn't!
My visit to British Embassy in Lima
This was very un-pleasant.
You must remember that I have lived in the UK for some 40 years.
The media in the UK is strong. We have a view that politicians work for us and are accountable to all of us. You need only look at the reactions by Members of Parliament to the "relatively small" recent "Expenses Corruption Scandal" to confirm this.
The UK ranks as one of the least corrupt countries.
In day to day life we individually feel that we have "rights" and behave accordingly. Nope, it isn't all "rosy and perfect", but it works.
People in positions of power, (Politicians, Civil Servants, Local Government Officials and employees), generally behave courteously to the public irrespective of their race, colour, sexuality or creed.
As such, I was disgusted by the "welcome" I received by the security guard on my arrival at the Embassy.
His manner was offensive and rude.
My visit to British Embassy in Lima (contd)
When I stood back in surprise, he looked at me and said "Are you British"? I replied "Yes".
"Oh, good morning sir, please come in and take a seat", he said politely.
My observations:
• he originally greeted me in his "normal" behaviour, that which he kept for the lower income level
Peruvians and, I guess, applying for a Visa.
(There were three people already seated that fitted this stereotype).
• he was black; poacher turned game-keeper.
One sometimes finds that people who don't belong to the "white" group tend to behave even worse
than the "whites" themselves when working in a "white" environment. They feel that they have
something to prove so that they are accepted! (Didn't I read somewhere that some women also
face a similar dilemma in a male dominated working environment? Lol !)
• I believe that the British Embassy is British soil. As such, British practices should prevail and this
would be a good place for the British in Peru to demonstrate the good multi-cultural values we
practice in the UK. I hope that the British Ambassador to Peru takes note and does some re-
training.
Talk by Peruvian in London
On my return to London I attended a talk given by a Peruvian who was part of an enquiry into the deaths that had occurred in Peru during the 1980s. The talk was hosted by a prominent NGO.
The meeting was attended by some 20 people. All were "whites" that had some connection with Peru.
I was about to ask a question about the alleged killings by the police when the speaker made a passing reference to racism in Peru in response to a previous question.
Instead of asking my original question I asked if he would be prepared to expand on his reference to racism.
I was conscious that this was a sensitive issue to many "whites".
To my surprise he talked passionately and at length for some 4 minutes on the subject.
In summary, his basic message was that racism was endemic in Peru.
The attendees sat in an awkward silence and there were no follow-up questions.
I thanked him for his full reply.
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The first is to be located in a disadvantaged district of Lima - Villa María de Triunfo.
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