Thousands still displaced in South Africa

(Vatican Radio)  The xenophobic violence which has afflicted South Africa in recent weeks appears to have abated, but not before claiming the lives of three South Africans and four foreign nationals.  Thousands of foreign nationals are still displaced within South Africa and are currently living in refugee camps after fleeing their homes. 

Following the outbreak of violence, foreign governments within Africa arranged for their citizens to be evacuated from South Africa.  Over 2,000 citizens of Mozambique returned to their homeland from South Africa, while hundreds of Malawian citizens took advantage of the buses provided by their government to return home. 

Namibia cancelled an official trip by its Chamber of Commerce in response to the anti-immigrant attacks in South Africa and has announced that there will be no future business delegations until they “are assured that the South African government is in full control of its unruly citizens.'' 

Since the unrest began, more than 300 suspects have been arrested by South African police forces.  Including those photographed by a journalist while they fatally attacked Emmanuel Sithole, a citizen of Mozambique. 

Father Russell Pollitt S.J., the director of the Jesuit Institute South Africa, recently wrote “Some of the scenes flashed across television screens were reminiscent of SA in the 80s.”  In an interview with Vatican Radio last week, Father Pollitt commented that one of the root causes of the violence is that it seems nothing has changed since 1994, when apartheid officially ended, and since then unemployment has risen and the gap between the rich and poor has increased. 

Criticism has also been levelled at the Government for failing to act to prevent future xenophobic attacks after the xenophobic attacks of 2008 where more than 60 people died.