Coronavirus spurs discrimination towards Chinese, migrants, foreigners in Asia: Red Cross
- A survey of people in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Pakistan found half blamed a specific group for spreading Covid-19
- The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned that vulnerable communities are being targeted
The humanitarian agency surveyed 5,000 people in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Pakistan and found about half blamed a specific group for spreading the coronavirus, with many mentioning Chinese people, immigrants and foreigners.
“It is particularly concerning that both national migrant and foreign workers are blamed for the spread of Covid-19 as they are quite vulnerable already,” said Dr Viviane Fluck, one of the lead researchers and the agency’s Asia-Pacific community engagement and accountability coordinator.
Foreigners in Japan face discrimination in pandemic’s wake
She said there should be more focus on combating “rumours that are linked to underlying power dynamics and structural issues of inequality”.
Police said at the time the operation was aimed at preventing people from travelling amid movement curbs.
In India, a traveller from China faces xenophobia and hardship
In all four countries, higher education had a small impact on whether respondents blamed a specific group, with university graduates slightly less likely to hold certain people responsible, the researchers said.