The killing of Mr Floyd has put the global spotlight on racism, one that Black Iraqis say has been brushed off by authorities.
Members of Iraq’s black community, estimated to be around 2 million, have shown solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Footage that gripped the world showed a white police officer kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck to pin him to the ground for more than nine minutes went viral.
Getting a job is like a dream, both the government and private sectors see us as second class citizens in the community,” he said. For decades, Black Iraqis have been humiliated, degraded and have had their dignity taken away from them, Abdul Hussein Abdul Razzaq, founder of the People of Brown Skin movement.
“Blacks have lived in Iraq as slaves for centuries, they are among Iraq’s most poorest and vulnerable, which is a testament to the fact that racism in Iraq is worse than what exists in America,” Mr Razzaq said.
“The equality that the constitution talks about is a lie," he said.
Mr Razzaq, who lives in Basra, said the community wanted to hold a vigil for Mr Floyd but due to the coronavirus restrictions they were unable to carry it out.Mr Razzaq, who lives in Basra, said the community wanted to hold a vigil for Mr Floyd but due to the coronavirus restrictions they were unable to carry it out. He has also co-founded the Free Iraqis Movement.
“We continue to receive reports, primarily from Basra, about instances of discrimination against Black Iraqis in the workplace and elsewhere. Nor has there been any major progress at the political level,” she said.
It is still common today to hear references to black Iraqis as “slaves,” whether on the street, in the workplace, or even from official figures, Ms Puttick said.
Ali Al Bayati, a member of the Independent Human Rights Commission in Baghdad said they have taken racist discriminators to court.
The movement calls for an end to racism and police abuse.
Getting a job is like a dream, both the government and private sectors see us as second class citizens in the community,” he said. For decades, Black Iraqis have been humiliated, degraded and have had their dignity taken away from them, Abdul Hussein Abdul Razzaq, founder of the People of Brown Skin movement.
“The equality that the constitution talks about is a lie," he said.
Mr Razzaq, who lives in Basra, said the community wanted to hold a vigil for Mr Floyd but due to the coronavirus restrictions they were unable to carry it out.Mr Razzaq, who lives in Basra, said the community wanted to hold a vigil for Mr Floyd but due to the coronavirus restrictions they were unable to carry it out. He has also co-founded the Free Iraqis Movement.
“We continue to receive reports, primarily from Basra, about instances of discrimination against Black Iraqis in the workplace and elsewhere. Nor has there been any major progress at the political level,” she said.
It is still common today to hear references to black Iraqis as “slaves,” whether on the street, in the workplace, or even from official figures, Ms Puttick said.
Ali Al Bayati, a member of the Independent Human Rights Commission in Baghdad said they have taken racist discriminators to court.
The movement calls for an end to racism and police abuse.
Suddenly, we are all discovering the real power of the people in confronting racial inequalities that have persisted for so long. Time to discard the inferiority complex from sustained stereotyping and institutionalized discrimination against people of other ethnic backgrounds
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