By Teddy Nwanunobi (Sundiata Post)
Abuja – As the incessant killings in xenophobic upheavals, masterminded by black South Africans, continues to gain momentum, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has criticised the weakness of the Federal Government for its inability to confront the South African government for doing practically nothing to put to a permanent end to the periodic xenophobic violence that is mostly directed at Nigerians in South Africa.
This criticism is coming at a time that the House of Representatives has passed a resolution, condemning the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
In the last year in South Africa, no fewer than 20 Nigerians were killed in xenophobic attacks.
In an emailed statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA urged the Acting President, Yemi Osinbanjo, to summon the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria to protest the incessant killings in xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in South Africa.
HURIWA also asked the United Nations Security Council to send its peace keeping missions to black townships in South Africa to prevent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other black Africans by black South Africans.
“Because the South African police in the last decade and half has failed to stop these killings and prosecute and punish the perpetrators,” it said.
HURIWA, therefore, called on the Federal Government to invoke sanctions against South Africa.
“The group is of the considered opinion that, in addition to the international mechanisms to check the spread of the violent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans, the Nigerian government needs to adopt a number of measures, including downgrading the diplomatic relationship with South Africa and to severe trade exchanges to demonstrate Nigerian government’s sensitivity to the wellbeing of Nigerians living in South Africa, who are on the front line of xenophobic attacks over the last 17 years.
“HURIWA also think the docility of the ordinary Nigerians in Nigeria in the face of the frequent xenophobic attacks directed at Nigerians in South Africa is disheartening just as the Rights group asked Nigerians to organise themselves in Abuja and Lagos and proceed on peaceful protests to the High Commission of the Republic of South Africa in those cities and consider boycotting South African telecommunications and satellite television services until the South African government put an end to these killings,” it said.
HURIWA further lambasted the Nigerian government for handling the important issue of preventing genocide in South Africa by black South Africans with kid gloves.
It particularly wondered why the Federal Government would only send “a timid letter from a low rated Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs, Abike Dabiri“, when Osinbajo, who is the highest political authority in Nigeria today, would have acted promptly since the strategic foreign policy objective of Nigeria is threatened.
“We are shocked that the Nigerian government has not prioritised the protection of the sanctity of the lives of Nigerians in South Africa in the same way that most civilised democracies handle the wellbeing of their citizens in foreign jurisdictions.
“We are disappointed that the hard earned property of Nigerians and precious lives of Nigerians in South Africa are put in danger since last weekend but till date all the major South African businesses in Nigeria are going on as if the lives of Nigerians matters very little.
“Again, the Nigerian Federal government has not thought it wise to convoke an emergency Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on this xenophobic attacks against Nigerians by black South Africans with a view to adopting a definitive stance against this genocide,” the statement said.
HURIWA urged the Federal Government to report the South African government to both the African Union (AU), and immediately approach the United Nations Security Council to demand that the United Nations immediately takes diplomatic measures and military measures to put an end to the serial xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other black Africans.
According to the Rights group, quoting documentary sources, “We are worried that from recorded history, prior to 1994, immigrants from elsewhere faced discrimination and even violence in South Africa. After democratisation in 1994, contrary to expectations, the incidence of xenophobia increased. Between 2000 and March 2008, at least 67 people died in what were identified as xenophobic attacks. In May 2008, a series of attacks left 62 people dead; although 21 of those killed were South African citizens. The attacks were apparently motivated by xenophobia. In 2015, another nationwide spike in xenophobic attacks against immigrants in general prompted a number of foreign governments to begin repatriating their citizens”.
The Rights group asked Osinbajo to act now to protect Nigerians particularly because of the Constitutional obligation enshrined in Section 19 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended).
It states: The foreign policy objectives shall be – (a) promotion and protection of the national interest; (b) promotion of African integration and support for African unity; (c) promotion of international co-operation for the consolidation of universal peace and mutual respect among all nations and elimination of discrimination in all its manifestations; (d) respect for international law and treaty obligations as well as the seeking of settlement of international disputes by negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and adjudication; and (e) promotion of a just world economic order.
HURIWA also noted that the constant xenophobic attacks against Nigerians are clear signs that the citizens‘ diplomacy and the critical foreign policy blueprints of the Nigerian government has failed the test of time making it categorically imperative that steps are adopted to prevent the mass killings of Nigerians in foreign jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, the Green Chamber has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to recall the country’s ambassador to South Africa ahead of a major anti-Nigerians rally planned for Friday.
The resolution followed a motion by Rita Orji (PDP, Lagos State), who decried how Nigerians are being unjustly targeted in that country.
Another lawmaker, Sergius Ogun (PDP, Edo State), said the poor treatment being meted to Nigerians was particularly troubling giving the role Nigeria played in ending the South African Apartheid regime.
“I want us, as a House, to condemn it, and I also want our government to take a stand on it.
“How can we say that we are the giant of Africa when in other African countries, our citizens are being killed?” he asked rhetorically.
In her contribution, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP, Abia State), said Nigeria should take extra-diplomatic measures in dealing with the latest deadly assaults.
“(Because) the attacks on Nigerians in SA (South Africa) have persisted, despite all diplomatic solutions explored by the government,” she noted.
Minority Leader, Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta State), said it was time for all stakeholders to call a spade a spade.
“This isn’t the first time this is happening. South Africans continue to kill Nigerians for no justifiable reason and this is completely unacceptable,” Ogor said.
He urged the South African government to take up its responsibility of securing lives and properties within its borders.
The South African government has also condemned the attacks, saying it will introduce teaching of history in schools to help South Africans understand the roles Nigeria and other African countries played during the apartheid struggle.