Africa must learn from history or face genocide
Inhumane conditions on the continent need to be addressed or the consequences could be dire, warns the writer
THE DUSTis settling following the xenophobic fallout over the past weeks in South Africa. This sad local episode competed for global headlines with, inter alia, police-protesters clashes across the US, Chile’s volcano eruption, the Nepalese earthquake and African migrants’ misery in Europe.
As South Africans, we must avoid the comfort zone of hiding our shame behind negative headlines from elsewhere. We need to pose the right questions: how did we end here again? What happened to experiences from the xenophobia of 2008, which captured headlines through the horror of a Mozambican being roasted alive?
Today’s narrative – the condemnations and demonstrations, though positive – sound similar to those of 2008. So what ought to change? Are the correct analyses and appropriate solutions being undertaken?
At last year’s Joburg Summit of Global Watch – Say No To Racism-Discrimination in All Sport – xenophobia was central. The summit was addressed by, among others, President Zuma and former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe. It was endorsed by several Nobel Laureates and distinguished luminaries such as Fifa’s Sepp Blatter, Oprah Winfrey, Achmat Kathrada, Navi Pillay and others.
Although GW is focused upon the eradication of prejudices from sport, the summit concluded that these are essentially societal evils. The high calibre of attendees was the world’s reaffirmation of South Africa as the torchbearer against intolerance, as apartheid was defeated here. The Summit Global Charter, states: “Global Watch is concerned about the unsettling and rising trend of social evils… undermining our common humanity. These negatives take the form of, inter alia, racial bigotry, cultural divisions, gender discrimination, religious intolerance, ethnic strife, nationalistic hatred and xenophobia.” Therefore in dealing with the current situation, a leaf may be taken from the proposed three sets of measures adopted at the summit.
These are: education-awareness-advocacy; monitoring-analysing-prevention; cautions-sanctions-legal action. Today many are posing the same question: What is wrong in South Africa? They also recall that the world had in 2001 assembled here under the United Nations Organisation (UNO) for the “World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance”, which produced the UNO Durban Declaration. Therefore the world is indeed justified in expressing grave concern about the turn of events. However, we can state, unequivocally, that constitutionally and institutionally South Africa still remains very much opposed to racism and all prejudices.
Unlike the apartheid crime which was government driven, xenophobia is opposed by the government. The few criminal elements who take advantage of the misery of the poor in South Africa, including economic immigrants, have no place in our society.
The communities, civil society and government, as recently seen, showed a united front against xenophobia. Law enforcement agencies are acting against perpetrators. The concern is the poor number of convictions by the justice system. This ought to change drastically. Notwithstanding, the following issue arises: Despite South Africa being signatory to international protocols protecting refugees, is the policy of border controls and management being appropriately implemented?
Concerning the possible increased inflow of desperate migrants, like in Europe, what plans are there to address the potential refugee crisis to prevent future xenophobic incidents?
Regarding the thorny issue of the “rampagingrhino-in-the-room”, three questions arise: First, hasn’t the time arrived, in all sincerity, to cast the searchlight upon the man-made inhumane conditions prevalent in African countries from where people are fleeing into South Africa and also to Europe?
Second, is it not about time to similarly focus the spotlight upon those responsible for creating such conditions? Third, should perpetrators continue to enjoy the limelight despite numerous condemnatory resolutions of international organisations, like the UNO and the African Union?
Indeed, South Africa owes its development thanks to the many nationalities from across the world. Some arrived as colonialists, others as economic migrants and others as refugees.
However, it has mainly been developed upon the cheap labour of its own people and of fellow Africans.
On achieving independence, African states, like others elsewhere, also provided support to South Africans who fled from the apartheid regime. This history must never be forgotten. The ignorant need to be educated. Hence the call for African solidarity and unity.
Today xenophobia targets those from outside national borders; next, those outside provincial ones; and someday those outside tribal boundaries. It knows no borders.
The grim lessons of Rwanda still haunt us. The xenophobia of today is the genocide of tomorrow. Those who fail to heed the lessons of history are doomed to repeat its terrible mistakes.
The powerful words of Nelson Mandela should be heeded. “Never, never, never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world! Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. God bless Africa.”
NEVER AGAIN SHALL IT BE THAT THIS BEAUTIFUL LAND WILL EXPERIENCE THE OPPRESSION OF ONE BY ANOTHER