Skinhead racist murders in Russia spark protests from foreign students

[Thom Little]

Like thousands of Africans every year, Kanhem Leon came to Russia in search of the education that would give him a better life back home in Cameroon. Instead, the devout Christian was stabbed by a gang of skinheads in St Petersburg on Christmas Eve and left to die in the snow.

Elsewhere, such a brutal attack might be regarded as a random act of violence. But not in Russia’s picturesque second city. Mr Leon, 28, was the second African student in as many months to have been murdered by skinheads in St Petersburg, and dozens more have been beaten or injured in knife attacks.

.......

Several hundred African, Arab and Asian students are expected to stage a protest in St Petersburg today to demand that local authorities punish Mr Leon’s killers and prevent further racist attacks. They have little cause for optimism, however, in a country where the police treat such assaults as “hooliganism” rather than racially motivated crimes, which carry a heavier penalty.

Aliu Dumkara, head of African Unity, a pressure group for African students in St Petersburg, said that many foreign students would be too scared to attend today’s protest.

“The Government is doing nothing. It seems to me they have no interest in this theme at all,” said Mr Dumkara, who has lived in St Petersburg for more than 20 years. “Racism is getting worse. The skinheads walk through the streets openly in groups of ten or more, wearing combat uniforms.”


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1959622,00.html

[GrumpyGreg]

1. Why would any of these African kids want to go to Russia if it

is known that racism is so rampant?

It seems to be an ongoing problem.

[wickerwoman]

2. There aren't any good universities in Cameroon

and they can't afford to study in the U.S. or Canada?

My Peruvian uncle studied computer engineering in Moscow because a degree from a Peruvian university wouldn't be worth the paper it was printed on and he didn't have the money to study in a more developed Western country.

[LisaL]

4. To get an education.

[Cerridwen]

6. You said it much nicer than I would have. Thank you. n/t

[fujiyama]

3. Russian skinheads/neonazis

Talk about the dumbest fucktards on the face of the earth.

I think these people need to be reminded of what the nazis did to the Russians. Then again, I doubt they care.

Then again, this seems to be the problem with a lot of former Soviet block areas. I've heard that racism and neonazism is a much bigger problem in what was East Germany (the more economically depressed areas) than it is in the Western part.

[Blue_Tires]

5. yeah, eastern eurpoe can be dangerous now for nonwhites