A 24-YEAR-OLD Israeli-German woman was fired from her Ayia Napa job after her employer said he was unable to put an end to the racial abuse she was forced to endure from her colleagues.
Speaking to the Cyprus Mail yesterday Vanessa – not her real name – told how she was repeatedly wished dead by one of her co-workers due to her nationality and yet in the end it was she who was asked to leave her job.
Six weeks ago Vanessa, whose boyfriend is Greek Cypriot, came to the Cyprus to work as an entertainer in the popular tourist district.
Initially she was employed as a singer/entertainer at various clubs until she landed a permanent singing/stand-up comedy gig at a popular club two weeks ago.
Having noticed Israelis were often refused entry into clubs, she decided to ask her new colleagues why that was.
“They said it was because they don’t like Israelis and then asked me why I care, so I told them I’m half Israeli.”
The very next day the abuse started. The culprit was George [not his real name], one of her colleagues.
“He called me a f-ing Jew and said all Jews should be dead. He said ‘it’s a shame Hitler didn’t kill you all. I hate every single one of you as a race, you shouldn’t exist’.”
Vanessa tried explaining she was not Jewish, merely half Israeli.
“My mother is German and a Catholic and I was raised a Catholic. When I tried to
explain I’m half Israeli, not Jewish, he still said he felt sorry for me that I was Israeli.”
Based on this information George and another colleague asked her what her religious beliefs were.
“I told them I believe in God. When they asked me what about Jesus, I said I believe he was a good man, but he’s not [the son of] God and that I have my own beliefs and believe in my own way. They said – half jokingly – if Jesus isn’t your God you’re not welcome here, so get out.”
Vanessa said although two other colleagues, also part of the entertainment act, did not like Israelis, only George was verbally abusive.
“The others were never vicious or aggressive. It was only George, and he was particularly bad when no one else was listening. I told him that he could have his own opinion but asked him to keep it to himself. I told him I felt sorry for him and his narrow mindedness, but he continued his aggression and told me to leave, that he’d get me fired.”
George’s racist comments escalated over the next five days, worsening when the two of them were alone backstage. She said that was when he’d become more vitriolic and would openly wish her and her family never existed, that her race should not exist.
“I’ve never seen someone hate me so much for something beyond my control. I was shocked at his passionate hatred for me and tried to understand it. I asked him why he hated Jews so much. He said it was because when he was in London he was treated badly by Jews. I said was sorry for his experience, but Jews aren’t Israelis.”
Vanessa said she had initially been afraid to turn to her boss, fearing the same racist treatment from him as well.
“But my boyfriend convinced me to tell him what was going on,” she said.
Before approaching her employer she tried talking to George first.
“I told him that as long as he didn’t talk about his feelings for my race and left me alone we could get on fine. I explained I just wanted to work and earn money. He agreed to that, but when I asked him to shake on it, he refused. It was like I was too disgusting to touch. That was when I decided I’d go to my boss.”
Much to her relief her employer told her racism was unacceptable in his club and that he would speak to the other entertainers.
But the following night when she showed up for her work shift, a friend came up and told her she’d been asked to leave. Not believing what she was hearing, Vanessa went to speak to her boss herself.
“He couldn’t look me in the eyes and told me that he’d spoken to the other guys and that they’d said they wouldn’t stop [the racial abuse]. Because they’d been working there for 10 years he said he couldn’t let them go.
“I asked him if he wanted me to leave and he said yes. I was crying and asked for my money, pointing out it was only one of the guys, not the other two and said if he stopped his racial abuse things would be okay… We all have prejudices, but I don’t need to be wished dead every night.”
Vanessa said the racism she’d experienced had been “unintelligent” and thought it was unrelated to “world issues”.
“If it wasn’t for my boyfriend I’d have left Cyprus straightaway. But I know through him and his friends that not all Cypriots are racist.”
Although the 24-year-old had considered legal action she was told without proof or witness testimony corroborating her story she didn’t have a case.
“I don’t think anyone else at the club will back me up even though they know what was going on. Besides I don’t want people to hate me or attack me. I’m afraid of how they’ll react.”
The young woman said since her dismissal she’d moved to Nicosia and had been offered to work with a Lebanese jazz musician, which she was considering.
“I’m never going back to Ayia Napa. I don’t feel welcome there anymore. I’m sick of it. Sick of seeing such aggression.”
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