Is This An Harbinger of What'sTo Come To England and Europe?
Edited By Alex Albion
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South Africa anti-foreigner
South Africa anti-foreigner
violence spreads, many flee.
Sun, May 18, 2008 8:03pm EDT
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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Hundreds of foreigners living
Sun, May 18, 2008 8:03pm EDT
***
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Hundreds of foreigners living
in South Africa took refuge in police stations and churches
as week-old violence against them spread further across
poor townships, local media reported on Sunday.
***
Numbers of casualties since the attacks against Zimbabweans
Numbers of casualties since the attacks against Zimbabweans
and other immigrants began a week ago varied, with some
reports on Sunday putting the death toll at around 10.
Some South Africans, especially those living in poor areas
Some South Africans, especially those living in poor areas
of high unemployment, accuse Zimbabweans and other new-
comers of fuelling the high crime rate and taking scarce jobs.
***
The attacks have renewed the authorities' fears that xenophobia
The attacks have renewed the authorities' fears that xenophobia
is on the rise in a country which was once known as one of the
most welcoming to immigrants and asylum seekers, especially
from Africa.
***
Local radio said angry mobs had at first attacked houses
Local radio said angry mobs had at first attacked houses
owned by immigrants from neighboring Zimbabwe,
Mozambique and other countries in Alexandra township.
But now these attacks had spread to other settlements
But now these attacks had spread to other settlements
and Johannesburg's city centre. Properties had been
looted and destroyed.
***
"There have been some incidents in the Alexandra area
"There have been some incidents in the Alexandra area
where police opened fire using rubber bullets to disperse
crowds," police spokesman Govindsamy Mariemuthoo
said on local radio.
***
"There've been problems also in the East Rand. In the
"There've been problems also in the East Rand. In the
Boksburg area some shacks have been set alight," he
added. Mariemuthoo was not reachable for further
comment.
***
The anti-foreigner violence has rattled authorities and the
The anti-foreigner violence has rattled authorities and the
business community, and President Thabo Mbeki urged
police to move quickly to find the instigators. "It's necessary to
move as quickly as possible to establish all the causes and the
players in all of this, so that we can then deal with the matter
more effectively," he said on national broadcaster SABC radio.
"The communities ... should act together with the police and to-
"The communities ... should act together with the police and to-
gether we should say this is very, very wrong. It is unacceptable
that there should be this kind of violence." Medical rights group
Medecins Sans Frontieres -said the situation now amounted
to a humanitarian crisis.
***
"I have been to many refugee camps and situations
"I have been to many refugee camps and situations
and this definitely is along those lines," spokesman Eric
Goemaere told SAPA news agency. "This reminds me of
a refugee situation. I have treated bullet wounds, beaten
people, rape victims and the people are terrified."
***
The violence has also affected businesses owned by
The violence has also affected businesses owned by
immigrants from Asian countries like Pakistan. An
estimated 3 million Zimbabweans have fled to South
Africa as a result of the political and economic
crisis at home.
***
(Reporting by Reuter’s correspondent Stella
(Reporting by Reuter’s correspondent Stella
Mapenzauswa; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
***
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:: NEWS UPDATE ::
At least 42 people have been killed since the
anti-foreigner wave has taken place in South
Africa at where the army has now been brought
in to take control of the spreading protest.
Thousands of foreigners have flee for their
lives since the anti-immigration riots first
began more than 2 weeks ago. Here's the latest
report from the online worldpress reporters:
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