Truly, in the Caribbean, we are in shock to see the level of violence that South Africans wage against their neighbors. We are really saddened by the death of over fifty persons from neighboring countries; they died because they were immigrants, not for any crime against South Africa. They are killed because they were searching for life in a place they thought was better than their own. But the people of South Africa told them that to remain there could mean the most humiliating insults and death. We have heard of people being killed and thrown into fire. This is quite symbolic; it means that this place that those immigrants considered their heaven was in fact their hell.
After apartheid South Africa has been considered a symbol of peace and prosperity in the continent, but the latest waves of violence against foreign nationals raise the question of whether or not the south still holds its moral bearings on issues of human rights and social justice, not withstanding globalization which promotes the movement of professionals across borders. What makes the situation more alarmant is that the government of President Mbeki did very little to ensure the safety of those who took refuge under their wings. Now South Africa must be very careful that it does not fall under the same category as to what happened to the Jews under Adolph Hitler. The South African government should have confronted xenophobic violence with the same firmness that it would deploy if the country were attacked by a foreign army.
South Africa reveals itself a weak state, so weak that one should ask if it will be safe enough to host the world for the World Cup in 2010. If you are killing foreigners, how do you expect to host the world for such a big event as the World Cup? What makes those foreigners that you are killing less deserving of your protection? How comfortable will you want the world to be when they invade your hotels during the event? These are among others the questions that the South African government should answer.
Really, the world media must be swift to question the ability of the South African government’s to put certain level of lawlessness under control. In case of violence during the World Cup how long will you take before you act against it? It is really disturbing to many people in the Caribbean who wish to know why nothing concrete was done to stop the xenophobic violence that was waged against immigrants who simply wished they were asked to leave.
South Africa! South Africa! South Africa! Don’t forget the history and the reality that you represent to Africans and to the world! You are a land of inspiration, a land of forgiveness and grace, a land of love and reconciliation.
So when we see you kill 56 immigrants for the mere fact of their status we wonder what has happened to your deep sense of decency and pride. We want to question whether or not you are going to bow to the infamous culture of war and death that has plagued the mother land for many decades.
South Africans, you are strong don’t give in to the weakness of wickedness!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
DARFUR :WILL,WAR,WHEN
Looking at this title on a blog from the Caribbean may trigger an interrogation; what does Darfur have to do with Caribbean issues? Darfur's distance and our lack of media coverage of the prevailing conditions (hunger, rape, and murder) may serve to validate our decision to cast a 'blind eye' on this genocide. Yes, I said genocide; the argument about whether or not it has reached this point is incredible. A recent report by the BBC states that the total number of murders now stands at approximately 300,000 people, not withstanding over 20,000 reported cases of rape and children reduced to their skeletal structure before crumbling to dust while war lords and their legions wrestle for power. This is GENOCIDE!
I could not continue to write about Haiti and other concerns of the Caribbean while our brothers and sisters are living under the threat of extinction. It has been said that 'a nation never dies' but when we consider a situation as the one described above, death is a daily prescription for the nation of Darfur; and this, at the conscious negligence of the most powerful nations on the planet.
Now, we must address the issue of WILL as it happens to be the motivating factor for change. We know without a doubt, that it is the will of the people of Darfur to live and dream, to labor and harvest, to raise their children in an environment of peace, justice and hope. But we are not quite sure whether it is the will of those who have the power, to help trigger the radical changes that are so desperately needed. We see a lack of will because it is not a lack of resource or capacity to bring about a new day for the people and send a clear message that the civilian people of Darfur are precious to the Human family and that the have the right to life. That oppression and misery in one part of our planet is a global threat that we should tackle with decisive action now and always. Let us not reinvent another Rwanda. If the rich nations could unite to fight a senseless war in Iraq, and with all the necessary resource that could be, why is it okay for this genocide to remain in Darfur? And what is the rational for remaining so passive towards it? These are questions that must be answered if we are going to really make poverty and extremism history.
The last question is when? When is the world’s going to see policies that mean real change to their conditions. There are steps that have been taken to find alternative energy such the cultivation of corn for fuel. But why was such decision taken without regard to the survival of the majority of the world’s population that lives on less then $5 a day. Now the world faces a food crisis that announces itself to be deadly. What is going on is world preparing itself for a global catastrophe or famine? What will happen to people in crisis such as those in Darfur, Iraq and many more? It is time create change, but first to scrutinize global leadership and see how they match with the principles of democracy, human right and Justice. We need to act with a sense of urgency because the need of the people of Darfur is urgent.
I could not continue to write about Haiti and other concerns of the Caribbean while our brothers and sisters are living under the threat of extinction. It has been said that 'a nation never dies' but when we consider a situation as the one described above, death is a daily prescription for the nation of Darfur; and this, at the conscious negligence of the most powerful nations on the planet.
Now, we must address the issue of WILL as it happens to be the motivating factor for change. We know without a doubt, that it is the will of the people of Darfur to live and dream, to labor and harvest, to raise their children in an environment of peace, justice and hope. But we are not quite sure whether it is the will of those who have the power, to help trigger the radical changes that are so desperately needed. We see a lack of will because it is not a lack of resource or capacity to bring about a new day for the people and send a clear message that the civilian people of Darfur are precious to the Human family and that the have the right to life. That oppression and misery in one part of our planet is a global threat that we should tackle with decisive action now and always. Let us not reinvent another Rwanda. If the rich nations could unite to fight a senseless war in Iraq, and with all the necessary resource that could be, why is it okay for this genocide to remain in Darfur? And what is the rational for remaining so passive towards it? These are questions that must be answered if we are going to really make poverty and extremism history.
The last question is when? When is the world’s going to see policies that mean real change to their conditions. There are steps that have been taken to find alternative energy such the cultivation of corn for fuel. But why was such decision taken without regard to the survival of the majority of the world’s population that lives on less then $5 a day. Now the world faces a food crisis that announces itself to be deadly. What is going on is world preparing itself for a global catastrophe or famine? What will happen to people in crisis such as those in Darfur, Iraq and many more? It is time create change, but first to scrutinize global leadership and see how they match with the principles of democracy, human right and Justice. We need to act with a sense of urgency because the need of the people of Darfur is urgent.
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