Africa calls Trump racist after 'shithole' remark

Africa calls Trump racist after 'shithole' remark

JOHANNESBURG(LUSAKA): African political leaders labelled United States President Donald Trump a racist on Friday after he was reported to have described some immigrants from Africa and Haiti as coming from “shithole” countries.

Sources told Reuters on Thursday that Trump had questioned why the United States would want immigrants from “shithole countries” like Haiti and some other African countries during a briefing on a draft immigration legislation.

Trump denied on Friday using such a derogatory language and showing a critical and disrespectful attitude, but he had already been widely condemned in many African countries and by international rights organizations.

“Ours is not a shithole country and neither is Haiti or any other country in distress,” Jessie Duarte, the deputy secretary general of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress told reporters at a news conference in East London.

“We would not deign to make comments as derogatory as that about any country that has any kind of socio-economic or other difficulties,” Duarte said, adding that much like their African counterparts millions of US citizens were affected by problems such as unemployment and other issues.

Botswana’s foreign ministry urgently demand the US ambassador in protest and called the comments “highly irresponsible, reprehensible and racist.”

UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva that Trump’s comments were “shocking and shameful” in that means.