By Francis Sadhere
As condemnationhas continued to trail the spate of the gruesome killing of foreigners, mainly Africans in South Africa, A Niger-Delta based Non-Governmental Organization, Center for Peace andEnvironmental Justice (CEPEJ) expressed rude shock over the xenophobic attacksby the South African rampaging youths.
ItsNational Coordinator/ CEO, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, described as barbaric attacks on other Africans residing in South Africa as cruel, blaming the perpetrators for being cold hearted in carrying out such depraved acts.
ComradeMulade who stated this in a statement issued in Warri yesterday expressed dismay on the attacks on fellow Africans by the South Africans and questioned the spirit of unity and oneness as espoused by African Union charters.
He charged the South African government to rise to the occasion by deploying more securityoperatives on the streets to protect the lives and property of the foreigners, sayingthat the present efforts by the government were inadequate to stem the tide ofthe nefarious activities of the youths.
‘’CEPEJ is deeply saddened by the current spate of gross misconduct, astonishing cruelty and brutal attacks being perpetuated by certain unscrupulous elements of the South African populace which has led to the loss of lives and property of foreigners carrying on legitimate businesses and living peacefully within stipulated confines and provisions of the laws of the South African Government,” Mulade said.
Mulade also charged the Nigerian government to put machinery in place to ensure thatNigerians who are willing to leave South Africa are flown back to the country.
He recalled the enormous contributions of other African countries particularly Nigeria to end the apartheid regime that lasted several decades in South Africa.
‘’We note that this was done in the spirit of solidarity and brotherhood and we are deeply concerned about the spread of the attacks that have shocked the very existenceof humanity in the name of xenophobia,” he added.
He therefore called on the South African governmentto probe the incident with a view to bringing the masterminds to book to serveas a deterrent to others who may be nursing such invidious thoughts to attack other Africans in the future.
Healso advised the African Union to summon an emerging meeting of African leaders to brainstorm on this issue and find a lasting solution to forestall a reprisal attacks on South Africans and their investments in other Africancountries.
