Qualified, but with manual work: how Congolese ‘discover racism’ in Brazil

Hundreds of thousands of Congolese have already left their country to flee the violence of local conflicts, but those who come to Brazil are dealing with a problem they have generally not experienced: racism.

Prejudice means that many are forced to live on odd jobs and live in slums, even if they are educated and in a legal situation, say experts heard by BBC News Brasil.

They are also targets of hostility and aggression and can even lose their lives, as was the case with Moïse Kabagambe, who was beaten to death on 24 January.

The boy was 24 years old and had arrived from Congo in 2011 with three brothers. His mother came later.

The family says that he worked at a kiosk on the beach at Barra da Tijuca, in the West Zone of Rio, and would have gone to collect the payment of two late days of work, which totaled R$ 200, for services provided at the establishment.

Möise then allegedly argued with one of the employees responsible for the kiosk and was assaulted by several men.

Police say they are listening to witnesses and analyzing security camera footage. No one has been arrested so far.

“Brazilian racism explains many things in the case of Möise”, says Bas’Ilele Malomalo, a Congolese professor of International Relations at the University of International Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusophony and a researcher on African migratory movements in Brazil.

“It explains his death, because one arm of racism is genocide, it’s killing the other, especially when he’s black, but racism also prevents these Congolese refugees — and Africans, in general — from getting a job.”

Malomalo explains that most immigrants who come from Congo have completed high school and, in some cases, have gone to college.

“It is qualified immigration. We are not talking about illiterates. In general, most African immigrants have finished school, are hardworking, have accumulated knowledge”, says the researcher, who has lived in Brazil since 1997, where he came to study Theology.

“But when they arrive here, they have difficulties in the job market. Our society does not hire this Congolese. Even if he is qualified and has work experience, he cannot find a job.”

This is the same assessment made by Aline Thuller, coordinator of the Refugee Assistance Program at Cáritas RJ, an assistance organization of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro.

The social worker explains that the majority of Congolese who have sought refuge in Brazil in the last two decades have settled in the city of Rio de Janeiro and that “99% of them” live in favelas.

The difficulty in having enough income to live in other places is behind this.

“Many of them had a good condition, they were pedagogues, photographers, worked with computers. But, because of racism and xenophobia, it is very difficult for them to get an opportunity that is not heavy work, which requires physical strength, and is not poorly paid. “, says Thuller.

Bas’Ilele Malomalo says that, in some cases, the way out for Congolese refugees is to start their own business.

“If you go to Brás, in São Paulo, or to Rio Branco, in Rio, you will find young Congolese who have opened restaurants, beauty salons, are creating jobs, contributing to the country,” he says.

Thuller says that many have indeed brought with them knowledge of traditional cooking and crafts that are successful here and turn it into a new way of surviving.

“But it’s not the majority, because entrepreneurship is not simple”, he says.

His experience shows that refugee workers, especially Africans, must constantly fight to have their rights respected.

“That’s what happened to Moïse, who was fighting for his right to a salary, something basic for anyone who works, and the consequence of that was that he died.”

African immigrants still often have to deal with a stereotypical view that they would be less civilized and less educated.

“Racism is something they didn’t know about and they’re going to find out here, unfortunately,” says Thuller.

The social worker remembers the case of a company that had some vacancies to fill and that asked for candidates to be nominated.

“We sent a lot of Africans, mostly Congolese, but they didn’t hire any saying they had to look good. I wonder what they had to look like to get that job.”

Even when that refugee is hired, he or she is not without problems, says the social worker.

There have already been cases attended by Thuller in which the person was paid less than other colleagues or worked longer, for example, and it was necessary to demand a dignified treatment in court.

Thuller says that there are employers who take advantage of refugees because they think that these people do not have the same rights as a Brazilian or do not know the law.

“Or they think they are poor people who need work and pay R$ 35 for a cleaning that normally costs R$ 200 or they offer room and board but do not give a salary. It is an exploitation disguised as help”, he says.

“People rarely make these proposals to Brazilians, but they think they can do this kind of thing with refugees.”