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Self-respect and respect for others define us as human |
| We hereby add our voices to those of fellow South Africans who have unreservedly condemned the violent outbreak of apparent xenophobic attacks on the African immigrant and refugee communities in our country. We are appalled and outraged at both the indiscriminate nature and brutality of the attacks. We apologise to fellow Africans - men, women and children - for the inhuman and cruel treatment they have been subjected to in our country. While we recognise the nature and extent of the socio-economic challenges facing our country, and the pressure this places on poor communities, we firmly believe that violence, murder and mayhem is an unacceptable response. Nor does such action reflect the broader South African thinking on how these issues should be addressed. We wish to make clear that the attacks on both foreigners and South Africans cannot - and should not - be explained away. There can be no excuse or rationalisation of murder, rape and looting. These attacks target and affect the most vulnerable among us. The intent of the perpetrators is simple: apart from causing mayhem and confusion, these horrendous acts of criminality are designed to instil fear, fan mutual distrust, cause shame and, ultimately, push us to a point where we begin to chip away at the very foundations of our freedom. A great deal is at stake. In 1994, emerging from decades of struggle against apartheid, we joined hands and marched to the polls to usher in a new dispensation we had dreamed of for generations. With our votes we made clear that we wanted a South Africa that is inclusive, nonracial, nonsexist, democratic and, importantly, less chauvinistic. In 1996 we cemented all these values when we adopted our new Constitution and Bill of Rights as the foundations on which we would build our future. All this flowed directly from the Freedom Charter's core principle that "South Africa belongs to all who live in it". Not only those who were born here; nor those who live in suburbs. This visionary proposition is as relevant today as it was in 1955, 1994 and in 1996. Our history, and what we stand for as South Africans, has seen us host the people of the world, under the auspices of the UN, standing against all forms of discrimination, racism and xenophobia. Moreover, in just about two years we are to host - on Africa's behalf - the world's most spectacular football tournament, the Fifa World Cup. Among others, this well-deserved honour was awarded to us in recognition of our triumph over racism, our genuine embrace of diversity, and a recognition of the African continent. The Pan-African Parliament is based in our country, tasked with charting a democratic path for the whole continent. And as part of Africa, on Sunday 25th May, we joined fellow Africans in commemorating Africa Day. The above reflects our commitment, as South Africans, to build a prosperous, democratic country that is an integral part of the African continent's drive for peace, prosperity and a democratic future. The criminal violence of the past few days endangers this rich legacy and promising future We hereby commit ourselves anew to the dreams of the architects of our freedom. We call on fellow South Africans to join us in our pledge to: Act in support of diversity, whether race, ethnicity, gender or nationality; Work to restore the spirit of ubuntu and respect for life, dignity and freedom from want and fear in all spheres of our activities; and Recognise that our commitment to human rights is unshakeable and fully commit to the protection of the rights of refugees, under the Geneva Convention of 1949. We also call for immediate action in providing: In-kind and cash donations by civil society, business and the state to the charitable organisations providing food and temporary shelter to all victims of this violence; Help law-enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to book; Call on the media to restrict the use of anyone's nationality (particularly by using their places of origin) in their stories; A deepened commitment to accelerate service delivery by all stakeholders; and The necessary support to efforts to eliminate all the factors, including corruption, that are causing tensions among diverse communities who have lived together peacefully for years We call on fellow South Africans to stand together and reject violence as a means of advancing any cause or as a solution to problems. Today the violence is perceived as xenophobic, but there is no doubt that, if allowed to continue, the unbridled aggression can as easily turn against fellow South Africans based on ethnicity or race. There is enormous goodwill in civil society, the private sector and religious communities that should be drawn upon in this time of need. South Africa stands at a crossroads. Now is the time for courageous leadership. The violence, in all its brutality, has to be decisively ended. Self-respect and respect for others is what defines us as human. It is when we define fellow human beings as "other" - whether based on race, gender, ethnicity or nationality, that terrible crimes are committed. This can't be allowed to happen. The authors The authors, who write here in their personal capacities, include: Maria Ramos, Wendy Luhabe, Gill Marcus, Mamphele Ramphele, Sibongile Khumalo, Cheryl Carolus, Basetsana Kumalo, Irene Charnley, Redi Direko, Miriam Altman, Monhla Hlahla, Wendy Lucas-Bull, Nomkitha Nqweni, Wendy Appelbaum, Sonja Sebotsa, Tina Thomson, Dorianne Weil, Dudu Thabede, Sarita Martin, Precious Moloi, Marlene Bethlehem, Lael Bethlehem, Louise Bethlehem, Raisibe Morathi, Nolitha Fakude, Ulpha Robertson, Jennifer Preller, Kgobati Magome, Brigalia Bam, Polo Radebe and Pulane Kingston. The Star 27/05/08e1 Click here to respond to this article - Your responses will get vetted and printed on "Have your Say" |
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