—Nigerian at AU-ECOSOCC wants African countries to unite against act
— FG will protect Nigerians there – Minister
By Joshua Egbodo, John Oba and Abdullahi M. Gulloma, Abuja
As a result of the recent xenophobic attacks targeted at Nigerians and other African nationals by South Africans, the House of Representatives has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to recall Nigeria’s High Commissioner from the country.
The House said the action was necessary to pave way for urgent diplomatic consultations with the government of South Africa. It also called the country’s President, Mr Jacob Zuma, to immediately commence an investigation into the matter with a view to adequately addressing it.
Also in its resolution over a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Chairman of the Committee on the Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, yesterday, the House said Nigeria should apply diplomatic reciprocity if South Africa continues to frustrate Nigerian businesses in the country by doing same to its interests in Nigeria.
As members took turns to condemn the recent attacks, which was not the first specifically targeted at Nigerians, the House called on the President of the African Union (AU), Mrs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who incidentally is a South African, to decisively intervene, as it described the attacks as “cruelty being meted out to fellow black migrants.”
Dabiri-Erewa, while leading a debate on the motion, recalled that there had been constant, unwarranted xenophobic attacks against African migrants in South Africa, whereby Africans in South Africa are being slaughtered like animals.
She added that the recent attacks, which left many dead, businesses and shops vandalised, and many beaten up mercilessly, was incited by a statement allegedly made by South African Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini, who told African migrants to go home as they were no longer welcome in South Africa.
She said: “Son of President Zuma, Edward, allegedly echoed the same statement. This ignited a strong debate, and worse still, immediate backlash of violent reactions among the Zulus in Kwazulu, who unleashed terror on foreign immigrants, including Nigerians, in Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria. They steal, break into their homes, businesses, and take their properties, killing them. At least five have been killed in Durban, hundreds stranded and unable to return home.”
She said a similar incident happened in January this year in which four people died during the looting of shops owned by foreigners.
“Also, a similar event occurred in 2002 with about 60 African migrants killed, including Zimbabweans, Mozambicans, Congolese, Malawians, etc.”
Many members, including Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Leo Ogor, Aminu Shagari, Garba Dati, Tobi Okechukwu and Abubakar Momoh, spoke in support of the motion, which they described as timely.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian representative in the African Union, Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) 2nd Permanent General Assembly and the Chairperson, Social Affairs and Health Cluster Committee, Dr. Tunji Asaolu, has called on African countries to unite against the xenophobic violence currently going on in South Africa.
This is even as he called on the South African government do all within its ability to stop the violence and protect all foreigners in the country.
Asaolu, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the violence was unfortunate and should be seriously discouraged.
He said other African countries must rise to support the South African government at this time, adding, “This is not the time to condemn any government but that all should give necessary support to ensure that the government overcomes the crisis and to stop it spreading to other African countries.
“African countries must unite to ensure that there will be no repeat of 2008 scenario, where about 62 people were killed. We understand what the government is going through now and we express our sympathy.
“But we want to encourage the government to ensure adequate protection of all foreigners in the country. Also, the countries should prevail on their citizens to forestall reprisal attack.”
According to the BBC, at least five foreigners, including a 14-year-old boy, have been killed in attacks in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban since last week. Some foreign-owned shops in the main city Johannesburg have shut amid fears that the violence could spread.
Zimbabwe has also condemned the attacks, blamed on locals who accuse foreigners of taking their jobs. Tens of thousands of foreigners, mostly from other African states and Asia, have moved to South Africa since white-minority rule ended in 1994.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has taken measures to protect Nigerians living in South Africa against any form of xenophobic attack, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, has said.
Fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja yesterday, Wali reported that no Nigerian was a victim of the xenophobic attacks yet.
He said the Head of the Nigerian Mission in South Africa had taken precautionary measures by instructing Nigerian nationals to remain indoors and shut down their businesses until normalcy returned.
He said South African authorities have also stepped into the matter with a view to ending the impasse.
The minister said: “With the discussions I have been having with Nigeria’s Head of Mission in Pretoria, no Nigerian has so far been affected. They informed me that they have called the Nigerian community and addressed them and told them to close their shops, stay home and keep out of trouble and obey the laws of South Africa.
“They have also confirmed that the South African authorities have moved in to take actions that would forestall any further disturbance in South Africa. If it gets worse, it is the duty of our country to make sure our people are brought back, and we are taking that duty serious. We are not prepared to allow any of our nationals to be subjected to such inhuman treatment.”