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23.04.2015 Press Release

United Nations condemns xenophobic violence in South Africa

By United Nations
United Nations condemns xenophobic violence in South Africa
23.04.2015 LISTEN

The United Nations today (April, 22 2015) condemned the wave of xenophobic violence in South Africa that has resulted in the deaths of at least seven people in the past few weeks.

The Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki- Moon in a statement expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

Whilst acknowledging the actions and statements of the President of South Africa and the Government to address the violence, he urged that "all efforts are made to avert future attacks, including any incitement leading thereto, and encourages peaceful solutions".

To this end, the Secretary- General welcomed the public expressions of the many South Africans who have been calling for peaceful coexistence and harmony with foreign nationals.

South African authorities are struggling to contain angry citizens who are hunting down black foreigners in a barbaric manner to register their displeasure over what they describe as “foreign nationals taking over their jobs”.

The dead include Mozambican Emmanuel Sithole, who was stabbed to death in broad daylight at the weekend. Thousands of people have also been injured or maimed.

Over 307 suspects have been arrested by the South African soldiers and police in a series of raids in an effort to curb attacks on foreign nationals and the looting of shops.

So far, more than 5,000people have been left homeless since the xenophobic violence began. Whilst more than 900 people been repatriated back to their home countries.

Fearing for their lives, hundreds of African immigrants have begun arriving in their home countries after fleeing the bloody violence that has swept across South Africa.

Among them were some 400 Zimbabweans – including pregnant women and babies – who were packed onto buses to escape the anti-immigrant attacks that have left seven people dead in recent days.

The army was also deployed during similar violence in 2008, when at least 63 people were killed in Johannesburg.

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