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PR-HENKE-XENOPHOBIC-COMMENTS SAPA PR-ACTION SUPPORT CENTRE CONDEMNS PASTOR HENKE'S HATEFUL WORDS |
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Jan 20, 2010 at 04:02 PM |
ISSUED BY: ACTION SUPPORT CENTRE
ATTENTION: NEWS EDITORS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
20 JANUARY 2010
ACTION SUPPORT CENTRE CONDEMNS PASTOR HENKE'S HATEFUL WORDS
ACTION Support Centre, Solidarity and Transformation Agenda Desk
condemns Pastor Frank Henke's xenophobic comments released on page
4 of Cape Argus on 18 January 2010 and the independent online. His
words "we will braai them and turn them into KFC. There's no place
for them" are not only hateful and hurting to the people of
Zimbabwe, including many other non-South Africans and the people of
South Africa but also entrench xenophobia by promoting violence.
Such comments especially from the church leadership can not be
tolerated in our country. Necessary steps through relevant
organizations such as the South African Human Rights Commission are
being taken to make sure Pastor Henke withdraws his words and
apologizes to the residents of De Doorns and the country at large.
In fact he must apologize before legal action is taken against him.
Churches must discipline individuals like these and continue
preaching the gospel of Ubuntu.
We also condemn labour brokers that are operating in the area
and in most of the wine farms. To the people of Stofland and
Ekuphumuleni may understand and collectively deal with the
challenges bedeviling your communities. Let us not allow colonial
borders to separate us. We are all victims of the same systems,
capitalism including labour broking. The challenges we face are
real and the challenges non-South Africans are facing remain
genuine as well. Let us share the little that we have and deal with
xenophobia that continues to haunt us.
We salute organizations that are providing assistance to the
residents of the camp in De Doorns like Passop and others, and
agree that much more still needs to be done. The integration
discourse must informed by wide consultations at grassroots level.
The media remains critical to our work but we appeal to you as well
to cover success stories as well other than focusing on only on the
negative.
It is clear that nothing stands in the way of a new wave of
xenophobia and therefore steps in the right direction are required.
Opportunities exist for communities, organizations, provincial and
national governments to learn lessons from the xenophobic violence;
find common purpose and deal with xenophobia. Time for expressing
horror and shock has passed. Effective dialogue, analysis, studies
and literature on the subject must feed into broader responses to
xenophobia. Community intelligence and peace clubs must be
established, isolation of those bent on campaigns of violence
should be encouraged. Our isolated energies must be harnessed and
short term response must be complimented by medium and long term
response to xenophobia.
We are one! We are one Big African Family!
Issued by ACTION Support Centre
For more information contact
Sipho Theys 082 500 811
Philani Ndebele 076 942 3565
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