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Letters | Racism in Hong Kong: time to act on good intentions and reject divisions
- Surveys suggest most Hongkongers are aware of prejudice towards ethnic minority groups and want to know more about their culture
- Being open to learning is a good first step towards a more understanding society, but change needs real public dialogue and civic education
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“No Indian or Pakistani rider.” When customers ordering through food delivery apps Deliveroo and Foodpanda last month put in these special requests for drivers delivering their food, the message was clear: South Asians had become scapegoats for the spread of the coronavirus in Hong Kong.
A recent report in The Washington Post also pointed out the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on the livelihoods and social lives of South Asians in Hong Kong. Even the government seemed to join the blame game. The head of the Health Promotion Branch at the Centre for Health Protection faced a barrage of criticism after publicly remarking that ethnic minority groups were especially susceptible to infection because they frequently shared food and did not wear masks at their cultural and religious gatherings.
Discrimination against ethnic minority groups, especially South Asians, is a long-standing problem in Hong Kong. A study conducted by an NGO between 2007 and 2012 demonstrated that “the darker one’s skin, the less favourably one is perceived”, which implies a sense of racial superiority on the part of the local Chinese.
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Surveys by the Education University on local attitudes towards refugees and asylum-seekers reveal that nearly two-thirds of locals feel Hongkongers are prejudiced towards people of colour, with 59 percent expressing this opinion in 2018 and 49 percent in 2016.
The gulf separating the Chinese majority from ethnic minority groups has undermined the government’s efforts to provide relief from the hardship caused by the pandemic.
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When Yau Tsim Mong district was the first to be placed under ambush-style lockdown, the government distributed instant noodles and canned foods, including luncheon meat. However, many in the area are Muslim and unable to eat pork. This is just one example of how government services are hamstrung by a poor understanding of Hong Kong’s diverse cultures.
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