Source: Vanguard
The Senate, yesterday, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to recall
Nigeria's High Commissioner to South Africa, following the wave of
xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.
It also hinted that the Federal Government would formally file a
criminal case at the International Criminal Court, ICC, Hague, against
the Zulu King, who was believed to have instigated the uprising through
inciting comments.
The Federal Government also lodged a formal protest to the South
African government, demanding compensation for victims of the attacks.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro,
summoned South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Lulu Mnguni "to
register Nigeria's protest over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against
fellow Africans in South Africa."
A statement from the Public Communications Division of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, in Abuja yesterday said: "During the meeting with
the envoy, Ambassador Obanikoro condemned the attacks on foreigners in
South Africa, expressing concern on the fate of Nigerians and other
nationals, who are migrants in the country.
"South Africa needed to take concrete steps to quell the unrest and
bring the culprits involved to book to act as a deterrent and prevent
further violence."
He also called on the South African authorities to compensate the
victims of these attacks, stressing that since South Africa was a major
player in the continent, it should have its nationals live in peace in
other countries.
South African envoy reacts
Mnguni, according to the statement, informed Obanikoro that the South
African government was doing everything possible to address the attacks
and prosecute those behind it.
Mnguni expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the manner it had handled the crisis so far.
Soldiers were said to have been deployed overnight to tackle gangs
hunting down and killing foreigners after about seven people had died in violence in the last few weeks. Yesterday, Police said 11 men were arrested in a raid in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, after an open demonstration of its anger against the
government and people of South Africa over the xenophobic attacks,
Senate, yesterday, asked President Jonathan to immediately recall
Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, for urgent consultation.
This was just as it summoned the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before it for a possible briefing on, not only the situation, but also measures being taken to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians in South Africa.
The Red Chamber also hinted that the Nigerian government would formally file a criminal case at the ICC against the Zulu king, believed to have instigated the uprising through inciting comments.
These decisions were sequel to a motion, tagged Rising Incidence of Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa, sponsored by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, PDP, Cross River Central and 107 others, and presented for debate during plenary, yesterday.
This was just as it summoned the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before it for a possible briefing on, not only the situation, but also measures being taken to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians in South Africa.
The Red Chamber also hinted that the Nigerian government would formally file a criminal case at the ICC against the Zulu king, believed to have instigated the uprising through inciting comments.
These decisions were sequel to a motion, tagged Rising Incidence of Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa, sponsored by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, PDP, Cross River Central and 107 others, and presented for debate during plenary, yesterday.
In the motion, the senators said South Africa was ungrateful,
regretting that despite the sacrifices made by Nigeria to put an end to
Apartheid and ensure the emancipation of South Africa, the people of
South Africa continued to maltreat and humiliate Nigerians without just
cause.
The Senate urged Federal Government to mount pressure on South
African government to bring the perpetrators of the act to justice and
ensure adequate protection of Nigerians and their investments, as well
as compensate families who lost members and property.
Commends Nigerians' maturity
It commended Nigerians for their restraint in the face of the
attacks, just as it noted that the xenophobic attacks were precipitated
by the comments of the renowned Zulu King.
The Senate, insisted that it was concerned that Nigerians living in
South Africa have been seriously affected by the crisis "as no fewer
than 50 have been reportedly rendered homeless after being displaced by
these attacks and about 300 others displaced near Johannesburg."
"By the last count, property and Nigerian businesses worth millions of naira have been destroyed," the Senate added.
All the senators, who contributed to the debate during the day's
plenary went emotional, expressing surprises that South Africans could
maltreat foreigners, especially Nigerians, who they noted sacrificed so
much to see a new South Africa.
In his remark, after taking contributions from senators, Senate
President, David Mark, warned that Nigeria may not wait to see the South
Africa stretch it beyond its limit.
He said: "What is happening in South Africa is totally unacceptable;
it is unexpected and my humble suggestion will be that South Africa
should not stretch us beyond our elastic limit on this matter.
"There is a limit beyond which the nation will not accept what is
happening in South Africa and if we go beyond that limit, Nigeria will
be forced to act.
"All of you have very clearly enumerated the assistance we gave to
South Africa to liberate them when they had their crises. Students
contributed, we accommodated so many of them, we gave the scholarships.
"For them to repay us this way, I think it is totally unacceptable
and uncalled for; we need to stand up also for all other Africans in
South Africa.
Mark on Zulu king
"The African Parliament must take this up seriously; we cannot have a
situation where one king gets up and begins to say that people should
go away. That is preaching hatred and is unacceptable.
"I agree with most of you that we have a responsibility to protect
our citizens, in fact, that is our first responsibility and we must do
that without thinking twice.
"South Africa must show Nigeria and the rest of Africa that they have
taken legal steps against those who are involved," he insisted, just as
he said the Senate should also transmit its resolutions to the South
African Parliament.
Senator Ganiyu Solomon, APC, Lagos West, said: "This is not the way to pay us back after our fights in liberating South Africa.
"We are wasting too much time; we should have recalled our High
Commissioner even if we will still hold further discussions. This thing
has happened before and it will be endless except something drastic is
done."
On his part, Senate Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi, recalled the roles
some of them played as students in Ahmadu Bello University to champion
the cause of South Africa.
He said: "Some of us had to contribute money out of very tight budget
to emancipate South Africa. We had to house some of them and contribute
money to some of them."
Other senators, who spoke against the xenophobic attacks, were
Senator Helen Esuene, Labour Party, Akwa Ibom South; Senator Boluwa
Kunlere, PDP, Ondo South; Senator Enyinaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia South, and
Senator Ita Enang, APC, Akwa Ibom North-East, among others.
Reps meet with Mnguni
Meanwhile, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora has called
on the South African government to immediately compensate Nigerians, who
are victims of the xenophobic attacks.
The committee's Chairman, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the call
yesterday, while presenting the resolution of the House to the South
African Ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, in Abuja.
She said apart from putting an end to the provocative and barbaric
attacks on immigrants, the South African government should compensate
survivors.
She expressed regrets that the attacks had undermined the unity, which African Union had fought for over the years.
The High Commissioner apologized for what had happened.
He said: "The issue of compensation has been raised on a number of
fora, but threat to life still remains our concern for now. We want to
secure life and livelihood and stabilize the situation."
He said plans were in place to include in South African schools
syllabuses the roles of African countries in anti-Apartheid fight, so as
to change the orientation of post-Apartheid generation.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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