Nyimas Bantaba on the Ukraine Crisis: Discrimination and double standard in the Media and Society
The war in Ukraine has made double standards toward refugees and migrants once more apparent. Media narratives have been particularly disappointing. As Angelo Boccato writes, “Many remarks (…) aim to diminish the experiences of other refugees, by dividing them between “real” and “false”, pointing out that members of the latter group are supposedly not fleeing from a conflict and therefore should not be helped. (…) Though it may go unspoken, underpinning this broadly welcoming attitude [towards Ukrainians] is the fact that most of the refugees from Ukraine are white and Christian. (…) This discourse takes many forms, across different countries and sides of the political spectrum, making visible the pervasiveness and persistence of racism and Islamophobia within European identity.”
In this second special edition of Nyimas Bantaba for Get The Trolls Out!, show host Nyima Jadama invited Marianna Karakoulaki (Communications Manager at Media Diversity Institute), Jennifer Kamau (activist) and Alexander Gorski (migration lawyer) to discuss double standards in reporting and in welcoming refugees around Europe.
Marianna Karakoulaki already sees a shift in narratives about Ukrainian refugees, as in 2015 when public opinion turned from compassion to rejection towards Syrian refugees.
Jennifer Kamau comments on the persistence of anti-black racism on the 10th anniversary of the Oranienplatz movement, made evident by reactions towards Ukrainian refugees upon the realization that black refugees were amongst them.
Alexander Gorski, who offers free legal counselling every Wednesday, especially to young people of colour, sees a chain of discrimination starting when people have to flee (through border controls, profiling, and permits…). The good migrant / bad migrant narratives stem from racism and geopolitical interests and are embedded in international refugee law.
You can find the full recording on YouTube and the ALEX Berlin Mediathek.
About the producer
In her TV talk show at ALEX Berlin, Nyima Jadama wants to give migrants and refugees a safe place where they can voice their problems and get involved in society. “Nyimas Bantaba” is a place for migration and women’s power. The word Bantaba comes from the journalist’s mother tongue, Mandinka, spoken in West Africa. Bantaba is a big tree under which the community in the Gambia gathers to talk about the concerns of society. You can find more information about Nyimas Bantaba here.
ALEX Berlin
ALEX Berlin is the cross-media community broadcaster that makes Berlin’s content visible. On-site or in the new Open Space, online, on TV or the radio. ALEX Berlin supports and promotes media makers in the production and distribution of their content. ALEX Berlin sets priorities: on the topics of digital society and local politics, in the field of (pop) culture and with the promotion of media competencies. ALEX Berlin is an institution of the Medienanstalt Berlin-Brandenburg and is financed by the broadcasting fee.
