The Global Amnesty Watch (London)
has berated the South African Government over the poor handling of xenophobic
attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners in the country.
The group specifically blamed the
South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, for his inaction over the killings of
Nigerians and other nationals in the land.
GAW, in a statement signed by
John Tom Leva, Head of Africa Affairs, urged the Government of Nigeria to
immediately begin implementing long term measures towards a large-scale
relocation of Nigerian businesses in South Africa to Nigeria since historical
records show that these xenophobic attacks have worsened in frequency and
intensity.
While sympathizing with the
families that have been bereaved, lost businesses or forced to flee their homes
because of the attacks, GAW encouraged such families and victims of the attacks
to step forward to document their experiences, which would form the basis of
the petition to be sent to the ICC.
The statement added, “We have
taken the time to observe these attacks, whose pattern suggests that the
perpetrators have a level of confidence that their government is sympathetic to
the crimes they are committing against humanity under the guise of taking
action against migrants. Our team of researchers has observed patterns that are
more disturbing than the attacks themselves
“The attacks are not being
carried out randomly by criminals or drug addicts. Almost all the instances
involved attacks that were well planned and executed, often involving the
participation of entire communities.
“There is a pattern of looting
and invasion of homes and businesses, which suggests that the xenophobic South
Africans behind these attacks had always coveted the assets and property of
their victims.
“The police and other security
agencies in South Africa have practically sided with the xenophobic attackers.
Instances where they stayed aloof while Nigerians, Zimbabweans, Malawians, and
others are killed while in some instances they gave active support to the
attackers.
“Much as the world labeled these
attacks as xenophobic in nature GAW has noted an element of terrorism in the
instances where the attackers created videos of their attacks, publish them
online and go out of their way in order to cause maximum terror and fear in the
heart of migrants.
“The response of the South
African government, considering the history of xenophobia in that country, has
not been encouraging; there is a lethargy on the part of the government in
ordering law enforcement to arrest and prosecute offenders.
“As conspiratorial as it sounds,
there are concerns that the South African Government is allowing the attacks so
that the jobs and businesses that would be left behind by terrorized migrants
(mostly legal and documented migrants) would help it to reduce the unemployment
figures of the country.
“The attacks in South Africa are
beginning to spawn retaliatory attacks in the countries whose nationals are
being killed in South Africa, notably Nigeria.
“Global Amnesty Watch condemns
the senseless attacks on Nigerians and citizens of other countries resident in
South Africa. The attacks are barbaric and stand against the spirit of Africa
integration that generations of visionary continental leaders have been
pursuing as exemplified in an organization like the African Union (AU).
“To the extent that the South
African government allowed the attacks to go on for so long without taking
appreciable steps to stop them, we urge the International Criminal Court (ICC)
to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa vicariously liable for the failure of his
country’s security agencies to rise up to their responsibility of protecting
nationals of other countries who are in South Africa.
“GAW calls on the AU and the
United Nations to weigh in on the situation by imposing targeted sanctions on
the specific persons that have responsibility for preventing the horrific
events of this nature from happening but failed to prevent them. All African
countries are by the same token advised severing all relations with South
Africa until it demonstrates a stronger commitment to rein in the murderous
population of its nationals. This should include a continent-wide boycott of
South African products and services until the country, its government and
nationals become responsible.
“The Government of Nigeria must
immediately begin implementing long term measures towards a large-scale
relocation of Nigerian businesses in South Africa to Nigeria since historical
records show that these xenophobic attacks have worsened in frequency and
intensity.
“The projection is that the
situation will only grow worse over the coming years as South African grapples
with their government’s bad choices and the laziness that has prevented them
from thriving under the same conditions that migrants became prosperous.
“We sympathize with the families
that have been bereaved, lost businesses or forced to flee their homes because
of the attacks. We encourage such families and victims of the attacks to step
forward to document their experiences, which would form the bases of the petition
to be sent to the ICC.”
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