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Matoka attributes xenophobia to economic marginalization

Matoka attributes xenophobia to economic marginalization
By Agness Changala
Saturday June 28, 2008 [04:01]

THE violence in South Africa should be a reminder that no one should be left behind as a country achieves national prosperity, University of Zambia Development Studies lecturer Dr Peter Matoka has said. During the discussion organised by Chevening Alumni Association (CAA) at the British Council whose theme was 'Xenophobia:
economic or conflict', Dr Matoka said it was everyone's obligation to ensure that the less fortunate in society did not feel economically marginalised because that resulted in xenophobia.

"The xenophobic attacks in South Africa, callous and inhuman as they were, are a chilling reminder to all of us that we have an obligation to ensure that our less fortunate brothers and sisters in society must not feel left behind even as we strive to achieve national prosperity," he said.

Dr Matoka said there was need to collectively take measures that would guarantee those families, communities and the country that they would not witness the horrors of xenophobia again.

He said it was naïve and reckless to assume that the occurrences of xenophobia in other countries was a problem which the affected countries would grapple with and contend.

Dr Matoka added that xenophobia knew no borders and its fault line appeared to be spreading even to the most hospitable countries.
He said racial attacks had the capacity to turn a country's well-intended economic and social policies into a fertile breeding ground for conflict.

He urged Zambians to be reminded of the eagle on the flag because it depicted their ability to soar above the challenges faced including xenophobia.

And former Zambezi East UPND member of parliament Maxwell Mukwakwa, who was in the audience, expressed disappointment with the violence in South Africa.

Mukwakwa said African countries must learn to pay tribute to countries that helped them get liberated.

South African High Commissioner to Zambia Moses Chikane partly attributed the xenophobic attacks in that country to economic marginalisation.

British High Commissioner to Zambia Alistair Harrison said political leaders must make sensible decisions to address the problem of xenophobia as it had the capacity to destroy the good relations at regional and continental level.

Labels: ECONOMY, PETER MATOKA, SOUTH AFRICA, XENOPHOBIA

posted by MrK @ 4:31 AM