AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Bishops and African leaders take a stand against xenophobic violence

Wednesday, 11 September 2019 xenophobia violence bishops

SOUTH AFRICA

2024-03-14
Zambian missionary murdered in South Africa

2023-12-21
Almost 30 years after the end of apartheid, social inequalities threaten the national reconciliation process

2023-12-15
Justice and Peace Commission publishes election handbook

2023-10-18
SABC on the conflict in the Holy Land: Bishops appeal for ceasefire

2023-09-04
The Bishops: "Those who denounce corruption must be protected"

2023-08-22
"Justice and Peace" launches collective action in favor of miners affected by diseases linked to coal extraction

Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) - The voices of the Bishops of African countries against xenophobic violence in South Africa are being raised. "South Africans must not forget that other Africans have played a leading role in helping to end apartheid and bring freedom to their country", said His Eminence Cardinal, Peter Appiah Turkson, President of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, at the Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum in Accra. The Cardinal who is also the Goodwill Ambassador of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), also described the recent attacks on other foreign nationals by South Africans as unfortunate . "These incidents can lead to attacks against South Africans in other countries. This is not the first time this has happened. It happened in 2008, 2012 and this year".
The Bishops of Zambia also condemned xenophobic violence. "We are deeply saddened by the occurrence of xenophobic attacks in South Africa", they say in a statement dated 6 September signed by His Exc. Mgr. George Cosmas Zumaire Lungu, Bishop of Chipata and President of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB).
"We fear that if this situation continues it could cause unpleasant consequences for the citizens of South Africa who live in other countries ... we therefore ask the South African government to increase its efforts in handling the situation by maintaining the values of civilization, tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the rainbow nation", the statement said, referring to the concept of a "rainbow nation" expressed by Nelson Mandela at the end of apartheid, in which every ethnic group lives in equal dignity.
The Bishops also warned local political leaders to avoid statements that could incite violence against African immigrants, and urged Zambians to refrain from revenge against South Africans living in Zambia.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian consulate in Johannesburg has announced that 600 Nigerians will be repatriated after the last wave of xenophobic violence that killed 12people last week.
Zambia and Madagascar have canceled football matches against the South African national team while Tanzania has suspended flights to South Africa. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 11/9/2019)