Ethiopian immigrant student sues Egged driver for racism

The Egged driver reportedly told the student that blacks were stupid and should be sent back to Ethiopia.

An Ethiopian student is suing an Egged driver for NIS 200,000 damages for racism. The case was filed in the Petach Tikva Magistrates Court this morning by Tebeka, Advocacy for Equality and Justice for Ethiopian Israelis on behalf of Yadeno Varkar against bus driver Nissim Ben-Yakar.

The prosecution claim that Ben-Yakar humiliated the student in front of the passengers and said among other things, 'These blacks. Who brought them to the country? Are you even Jews? All these blacks should be taken back to Ethiopia. I'll send them back to Ethiopia. You are a stupid people, you are damaging our country and don't even belong here."

Varkar, who is a behavioral science student at the Academic College of Management in Rishon Lezion said that the incident happened on August 9 on a bus bound from Rishon Lezion Central Bus Station to Tel Aviv. The driver initially refused to allow her to board but when he stopped at a nearby junction to allow another passenger to board, she jumped on the bus even though the driver allegedly shouted at her, "I don't let Ethiopians on the bus."

The driver has already been fined six weeks salary by an Egged disciplinary committee for unsuitable behavior and damaging Egged's image after the student complained and the Ministry of Transport is also suing both Egged and the driver.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 12, 2010

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2010

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