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Xenophobic attacks are a sad indictment on SA,says Levy

Xenophobic attacks are a sad indictment on SA,says Levy
By Mwala Kalaluka
Tuesday May 27, 2008 [04:00]

PRESIDENT Levy Mwanawasa has said the xenophobic attacks on foreigners are a sad indictment on South Africa. Addressing the press at Lusaka International Airport before departing for Japan on Sunday, President Mwanawasa said people perpetrating such attacks should reflect on their actions to see whether they were in line with Africa's goal for unity.

"It is unfortunate and on behalf of Zambians and SADC region, I can only appeal for sense among the criminal elements in South Africa to reflect and to think twice whether their behaviour is in line with the unity we are talking about in Africa," President Mwanawasa said.

"This is why some of us have been against immediate implementation of a united Africa...United Government of Africa, because if things like these when you talk about freedom of movement of persons, how is that freedom of movement of persons going to be possible? Unless our people can accept the fact that we are all Africans and we should see each other as brothers and sisters."

He said people from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and other countries throughout Africa had trekked to South Africa to look for employment and to do business, among other things and that it was sad they were being treated in such a manner.

"Most of them have permits to stay in that country; those without permits, there are laws on how illegal immigrants are dealt with. Now, those with permits they are there because the South African government felt that it could accommodate them; it needed them," President Mwanawasa said. "Now, it must be made clear that the freedom of South Africa was obtained as collective effort between the South Africans themselves and the neighbouring countries."

He said Zambia in particular contributed very much to that country's liberation.
"South Africans today might consider themselves clever, but there will be a time in the future when they will need the people of the SADC and it will be very sad indeed if we were to shun them," President Mwanawasa said.

"What they should also remember is that so many of their nationals are still resident, working and doing business in Zambia, they are not being harassed. There are so many of their nationals in the various countries in this region, they are working and doing business, no one is harassing them."

At least 50 people have died and over 25,000 displaced after a wave of attacks on foreigners in Johannesburg's Alexandra, which have even spread to seven of South Africa's nine provinces.

And President Mwanawasa turned down requests by the University of Zambia Students' Union (UNZASU) to meet him and negotiate the increase of students' meal allowances.
President Mwanawasa said he would not meet the students over the issue that had sparked protests because they were only interested in fighting.

He asked the students to explain why they had opted to block his motorcade, which was diverted into Kamloops Road from the Great East Road, on his return from Mansa last Thursday.

Asked if his government had difficulties resolving the problems at UNZA, President Mwanawasa said the students were the ones with problems and not the government.
"What's happening at UNZA is not helping at all. Anything, which goes wrong, the only answer they consider is actually to throw stones and to engage in all acts of violence.

That motorist who drives across the university is innocent," President Mwanawasa said. "I was coming from Mansa the other day, I had to divert my motorcade and we went to Kalingalinga because the students had blocked the way, because they heard that the President was coming. Now, what was the intention? In as far as I am concerned, I am innocent."

He asked the students at UNZA to explain if they would have regarded themselves as heroes had he been injured by the obstacles they would have thrown and placed along his route.

"After they had blocked my motorcade, I received a message that the students and their representatives wanted to come and meet me so that they can negotiate. I am not going to see them, the students, because what they want is to fight," he said. "The money, which we give to the students is what we can afford, we are not going to print money to satisfy the students.

Those who feel that we are being unfair in the money which is given to the university, please, let them resign and go home so that they can leave peaceful and hardworking students to study."

President Mwanawasa said university students were sent to study and not to start heaping stones with which to fight with.

"It is unfortunate that they were injured and we are lucky, we could have lost a life. Is it really necessary that they should expose themselves in that manner? The answer is that we are not going to pay the students more than we have budgeted for; that is full stop," he said.

President Mwanawasa however said the government regrets the fact that police used live bullets in dispersing the riotous students.
"Now, I asked why it was necessary to use live bullets, I was told that they ran out of teargas and therefore decided to charge with live bullets," he narrated. "That excuse was very stupid...That excuse was very stupid; it would have been better for the police to run away instead of aiming to shoot."

He said the government was investigating what prompted the officer who discharged those live bullets to shoot at a time when he did and action would be taken.

"But there is a strong mitigating factor that the students provoked the situation. If they have a grievance to make, they should choose some other peaceful way," President Mwanawasa said. "The students at University of Zambia, Copperbelt University are reasonably paid. All government-sponsored students are paid on average more than the average general worker in government."

He said it was high time students recognised the taxpayers' sacrifice towards their education.

"We want to see them educated so that they can help us develop this nation," President Mwanawasa said.

President Mwanawasa is attending The International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in Japan.

Labels: MWANAWASA, SOUTH AFRICA, XENOPHOBIA

posted by MrK @ 3:40 AM