Like many black Tunisians, 26 year old Nebras Magnnah has been fearful since waves of racist attacks targeting sub Saharan African migrants were unleashed after incendiary remarks by President Kais Saied. Ever since Saied last month ordered urgent measures against sub Saharan migrants over a purported criminal plot to change the North African country s demographic make up, Magnnah said she has been insulted on the street. Magnnah, a college graduate working as a waitress, said the speech incited physical and verbal violence with openly racist actions taken without fear of reprisal. Leave, what are you still doing here? , she said people shouted at her in the street. Saied s comments have fuelled attacks, evictions and other retaliation against migrants, international rights groups have said, and West African countries flew home hundreds of their fearful nationals. Tunisia s already disadvantaged black minority has also been hit. Black Tunisians make up some 10 to 15 percent of the country s 12 million people, many with centuries old roots in Tunisia from ancestors who arrived during the slave trade. Saadia Mosbah, who heads the anti racism campaign group Mnemty, pointed to five or six attacks on black Tunisians in recent weeks. After the speech, I noticed that black Tunisians were also afraid, said the 63 year old former flight attendant, whose campaigning led to an anti discrimination law being passed in 2018. Racist green light Mosbah has also been insulted online and on the streets with many telling her to go home . But that did not stop her from showing solidarity with the sub Saharan migrants. Mosbah helped provide necessities to the most vulnerable among the more than 21,000 sub Saharans living in Tunisia, according to the latest official figures, many of whom recently found themselves without work or housing. Mosbah had previously argued that the Tunisian state was neither racist nor segregationist , but after the president s comments, racism that was more or less hidden has rapidly risen to the surface . Saied s speech was like a green light from the political power to racists , she said. Even more surprising, she found, was that among those who expressed racist comments were the country s so called intellectual elite .

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Like many black Tunisians, 26 year old Nebras Magnnah has been fearful since waves of racist attacks targeting sub Saharan African migrants were unleashed after incendiary remarks by President Kais Saied. Ever since Saied last month ordered urgent measures against sub Saharan migrants over a purported criminal plot to change the North African country s demographic make up, Magnnah said she has been insulted on the street. Magnnah, a college graduate working as a waitress, said the speech incited physical and verbal violence with openly racist actions taken without fear of reprisal. Leave, what are you still doing here? , she said people shouted at her in the street. Saied s comments have fuelled attacks, evictions and other retaliation against migrants, international rights groups have said, and West African countries flew home hundreds of their fearful nationals. Tunisia s already disadvantaged black minority has also been hit. Black Tunisians make up some 10 to 15 percent of the country s 12 million people, many with centuries old roots in Tunisia from ancestors who arrived during the slave trade. Saadia Mosbah, who heads the anti racism campaign group Mnemty, pointed to five or six attacks on black Tunisians in recent weeks. After the speech, I noticed that black Tunisians were also afraid, said the 63 year old former flight attendant, whose campaigning led to an anti discrimination law being passed in 2018. Racist green light Mosbah has also been insulted online and on the streets with many telling her to go home . But that did not stop her from showing solidarity with the sub Saharan migrants. Mosbah helped provide necessities to the most vulnerable among the more than 21,000 sub Saharans living in Tunisia, according to the latest official figures, many of whom recently found themselves without work or housing. Mosbah had previously argued that the Tunisian state was neither racist nor segregationist , but after the president s comments, racism that was more or less hidden has rapidly risen to the surface . Saied s speech was like a green light from the political power to racists , she said. Even more surprising, she found, was that among those who expressed racist comments were the country s so called intellectual elite .