AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - “As Christians is it our duty to welcome Zimbabwean refugees ” says President of Southern African Bishops

Thursday, 13 December 2007

Pretoria (Agenzia Fides)- The Southern African Bishops have denounced the discriminate treatment given to emigrant citizens of Zimbabwe in South Africa due to the serious political and economic crisis in their country. In a statement sent to Fides Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, of Johannesburg and President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference says Zimbabweans “come to South Africa seeking the possibility of a sustaining themselves and their families. They are more than Migrant workers. These men, and increasingly, women and children, are refugees from the economic and political crisis in their own country. Their goal, for the most part, is to preserve their lives and those of their families through access to food, medicine and work to pay for these items-- and not to become South African permanent residents.”.
Archbishop Tlhagale describes the situation in Zimbabwe: “ In the 9 months since our last statement on the situation in Zimbabwe, things in that country have not improved. In fact, the living conditions for people in Zimbabwe have deteriorated to the point where continued survival has become a struggle for the majority of people. In Bulawayo, for example, there were only 50-60 burials in July and August 2006. In July 2007 there were 746 burials and in August 867!”.
“Despite the dire circumstances in Zimbabwe, these people are not welcomed when they arrive in South Africa” says the President of Southern African Bishops. “We complain of them taking jobs and food. We accuse them of being criminals. Our police harass them and demand bribes. We make them feel unwelcome in our churches and communities. We exploit them by paying wages well below minimum and then threaten to report them to police when they complain of our practices”.
“As Christians, what should we be doing? How can we respond? What is the demand of charity?” Archbishop Tlhagale asks. Citing the Gospel phrase “I was a stranger and you welcomed me ”, (Mt 25,30), the Archbishop of Johannesburg replies “ Jesus urges his followers to do the right thing - to welcome stranger and to clothe the naked. The Zimbabwean refugees are today’s strangers. They are naked, often having nothing but a few scraps of clothes.”.
“Our response as a Church and as a nation had to be one of charity and concern . Each of us can make a small difference to their lives by welcoming them and assisting them to the extent our individual circumstances allow. Each of us can teach ourselves and those around us that we must look at the Zimbabweans first as brothers and sisters in great need rather than as some sort of threat. Even small gestures of welcome and compassion will make a difference. If we all do something small to help our sisters and brothers, we may be welcoming Jesus” Archbishop Tlhagale concludes. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/12/2007 righe 29 parole 395)


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