I have no doubt that Lucas and co. didn’t intend for the characters to be racist (hard to believe they would), but the simple fact of the matter is they very much appear that way. Whether it was subconscious or simply ignorant, I don’t know. I think Lucas was simply trying to draw from the real world and was unknowingly creating racial caricatures.

Still, just because the actor or someone else says it wasn’t meant as racist doesn’t mean it isn’t. Jar Jar’s basically Stepin Fetchit (I would really be surprised if Lucas was unaware of his work and not influenced in some way). Maybe it’s a coincidence the Nemoidians seem like asian stereotypes but still a decision was made at some point to give them slit eyes and a heavy asian accent. No one’s being evil here it’s just a matter of some unfortunate creative decisions.