Xenophobic attacks: SERAP drags S-Africa to ICC

Lagos — The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, yesterday dragged South Africa before the International Criminal Court, ICC, over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners living in the country.

International Criminal Court, ICC

Executive Director of SERAP, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, disclosed this in a petition dated April 23, which he addressed to the ICC Prosecutor, Mrs Fatou Bensouda.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government on Wednesday invited the South African High Commissioner in Nigeria, Lulu Louis-Mnguni, over the xenophobia attacks on Nigerians and other blacks residing in the country.

The attacks, which started last week, followed the hate-speech by the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini, that non- indigenes should vacate their country, accusing them of taking up employment opportunities meant for South African nationals.

SERAP, in its statement, said Bensounda should investigate the allegations of hate-speech by Zwelithini, which resulted in the killing of some Nigerians and other African citizens.

It requested her to probe the complicity and negligence of the country’s law enforcement agencies to prevent these crimes against other countries’ civilian population residing in South Africa.

The group also urged her to bring to justice anyone who was found to be responsible for these international crimes prohibited under the Rome Statute of the ICC.

SERAP said it considered the use of hate speech by the Zulu King to promote hatred or incite violence against non-nationals such as Nigerians, particularly in the media, as a clear violation of the provisions of the statute

It said: “Grave statements by political leaders and prominent people that express discrimination and cause violence against non-nationals cannot be justified under any law.”

“This hate-speech generated fear and hatred that created the conditions for violence and discrimination against Nigerians and other African citizens.

“SERAP believes that this has given rise to individual criminal responsibility under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,” the group said.

It argued that the statement by the Zulu King amounted to a harmful form of expression which incited or otherwise promoted hatred, discrimination, violence and intolerance.

SERAP said: “We are seriously concerned that crimes against humanity are often accompanied or preceded by the kind of statement made by the Zulu King.

“Once the climate of violence has been created, direct and public incitement to crimes builds on it, exacerbating the situation by further heating up passions and directing South Africans’ hatred toward non-nationals such as Nigerians.

“Hate-speech by King Zulu is legally tied to contemporaneous, large-scale violence and inhumane and discriminatory treatment of Nigerians and other African citizens.”

According to the group, the hate-speech by the king amounts to crime against humanity and has directly contributed to an infringement of the rights to life, equality and non-discrimination of Nigerians and other African citizens.

It said that the South African Government had not demonstrated the political will to bring those suspected to be responsible for crimes under international law to justice.

 

 

Xenophobic attacks: SERAP drags S-Africa to ICC

Xenophobia: Concerns grow over ties as angry Nigerians target SA owned-shops in Nigeria

There is growing concern over Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic ties with her South African neighbour as more pictures of xenophobic attacks on immigrants in South Africa appear online on Sunday.

The violence has forced foreigners, especially Nigerians, out of their homes with many ending up in transit camps set up by non-profit groups. The search for greener pastures has turned to search for refuge as some Nigerians may be forced to return home this week.

The xenophobic attacks are coming seven months after Pastor TB Joshua’s Synagogue of All Nations church building collapse in September, 2015 in which 84 South Africans were reportedly killed, causing ripples of tension between the two countries.

Like the Synagogue building collapse, the attack against Nigerians in South Africa is renewing rivalries between the two African giants as several groups, politicians and activists have condemned the atrocities. While some are seeking economic sanctions, others are berating the South Africa’s government MANAGEMENT of the crisis.

The News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday quoted the Nigerian Consul-General in South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, as saying that Nigerian citizens in South Africa had lost more than 1.2 million rand, amounting to over N20m to the violence.

The Nigerian envoy said at Jeppe, a Johannesburg suburb, the mission had helped about 50 stranded Nigerians to resettle.

According to Ajulu-Okeke,   the loss   recorded by Nigerians so far included looted shops, burnt shops, two burnt mechanic workshops, 11 burnt cars and two stolen cars, among others.”

“Nigerians have compiled damage to their property and it is totalling about 1.2 million Rand or N21 million, which will be sent to the Federal Government for further action,” she said.

South Africa’s large INVESTMENTS in Nigeria such as MTN, DSTV, Protea Hotel, IBTC, Shoprite. and Nigeria may suffer a setback as Nigerians at home are already calling for a sabotage.

If it continues, the violence may take its toll on the economic relationship between the two countries.

Xenophobia: Concerns grow over ties as angry Nigerians target SA owned-shops in Nigeria

Video: South Africans march against attacks on foreigners

Thousands of people are expected to attend a march in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban in solidarity with the country’s foreign nationals.

The march, on Thursday, which includes religious leaders and concerned citizens, comes after weeks of attacks against foreign nationals in which at least five people have been killed and 74 people arrested since the end of March, according to Colonel Jay Naicker, the police spokesperson.

Al Jazeera producer Mukelwa Hlatshwayo, reporting from the march in the coastal city of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, said as many as 5,000 people had joined the prosession and that the atmosphere was calm with people ulilating and singing songs of solidarity.

Many shops remained closed in the business capital of the country, Johannesburg in the Gauteng province fearing attacks as well.

Groups of people were said to have travelled to Durban from other provinces to join in the show of solidarity with the foreign nationals.

Messages circulating on social media warned people in Gauteng province and KwaZulu-Natal to be on high alert for possible attacks and to also remain indoors.

Video: South Africans march against attacks on foreigners