The larger African community has a mixed reaction to the Tanzanian High Commissioner’s diplomatic visit to Bengaluru and the subsequent assurances of the city police brass.
While the High Commissioner, John W.H. Kijazi, on Friday appreciated the assurances given by the police and the Home Minister, it is now learnt that the students, when they met Mr. Kijazi, continued to express serious concerns about lack of understanding and callous attitude on part of the police.
Mr. Kijazi is said to have asked the students to have faith in the system, work closely with the police. He called for a new beginning in harmony between communities in the city and assured the students that the police would also cooperate with the community. He is said to have assured that he would also be pro-actively involved with the city’s student community.
He held two meetings — one with the larger African student community and later with a group of around 50 Tanzanian students from Acharya Institute of Technology and other colleges, at Kumara Krupa Guest House, on Saturday.
James Ajayi, consular in-charge, Medicine and Education, Nigeria embassy, New Delhi, also come down to the city and met a group of Nigerian and other African students on Friday and Saturday.
“I met a lot of students in the two days. Some of them have concerns on their safety. But I think it is possible to live harmoniously again. While our students come here to study, we have many Indians living peacefully in our home countries. I call upon the local community to be understanding and accommodative of our students. We have asked our students to follow the law as well,” he told The Hindu .
