Heartfelt Letters from Nigeria (and Other African Countries) #NoToXenophobia

The last few days have not only been emotional for many South Africans left reeling after the death of five people in brutal xenophobic attacks…but also for our brothers and sisters across our borders. SAPeople has received an outpouring of messages from (angry and) heartbroken residents of other countries in Africa. Below are some of them.

Whilst most South Africans have rallied to support the foreign nationals, visiting and donating to the thousands who have been displaced; and have expressed their disdain for xenophobia with over 10,000 people joining an Anti-Xenophobic Peace March through Durban yesterday – the message that most South Africans are UNITED WITH AFRICA is not getting heard loudly enough by those from other African countries.

Perhaps, as has been suggested, because King Goodwill Zwelithini and the government were a little slow to react.

The Zulu king, whose remarks have been blamed for inciting the fresh spate of attacks, has finally called an urgent tribunal Imbizo for Monday which will probably be held at one of the stadiums in Durban. The King claims his words were distorted and he meant only to call the government to action in dealing with illegal foreigners. (A charge of hate speech and violating human rights has been laid against him by Tim Flack of the SA National Defence Union.)

Watch Video – What King Zwelithini Actually Said

South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation has also met with ambassadors and diplomats from various African countries today to discuss the SA government’s response to the attacks which occurred in KZN and Gauteng.

But still, the damage has been done.

Here are some of the messages:

From a South African Nandi Mthethwa, now in China, to the King…

Dear King Zwelithini, I’m a typical Zulu girl who left South Africa three years ago. I want to be one of the Zulu’s that fights against Racism and Xenophobia…I don’t know what your contribution in this country is, your job is to sit wherever you are and get married to young girls as old as you are…I don’t blame you, because what you know is where you live and you will never have a global view because what you see is what’s in front of you, people like you cannot accept other people.

Do you know how many South Africans live in different countries? Some of them are illegal immigrants and refugees – they left South Africa because they wanted to support their families. I believe that it is alright to be different. Racism and all the other isms grow from primitive tribalism, hostility against those of another race and Nationality, Zwelithini you are a [words removed] selfish old man. I believe in the law and Justice, but I do think that system of justice has been depraved by the government of South Africa. My request I’ve sent to the International Crime Board to take action. I’m fighting for Black consciousness.

From the rest of Africa…

Andy Law‎, Ethiopia:
We shame on your people who have been acting like animals. One day God will give you the response on behalf of our people. It is inhumane & a crime against humanity.

Leopold Ouedraogo, Burkina Faso:
Honte a vous qui brulé vif les autre africain
(Shame on you who burnt alive the other Africans.)

Aman Elias, Ethiopia:
Remember we Ethiopians taught you how to be free from colonization. But you do not allow us to live in your country. Big big shame on you South Africa.

Berima Amo Snr‎, Ghana (now in the Netherlands):
There are no black foreigners in Africa. Same as no white foreigners in Europe. The fact that South Africans call other Africans foreigners is unfortunate. And to barbarically kill them is even more outrageous. How Zuma became president is beyond me. He has no backbone in my opinion. I pray that the next SA president won’t be chosen based on who was imprisoned on Robben Island.

From ‘‎Prophetic Blessings’‎

 Nunush Moges, Ethiopia:

Ghislain Ondele Kanga‎, Republic of the Congo:
All the way from Congo Brazzaville, I will like to share the pain with my African brothers and sisters living their hell, right now in South Africa for nothing. All I know, the day will come, the day which every South Africans involved in these attacks will live to regret these actions. Time will tell.
May God help.

From Idiongo Ebong, a teacher from Nigeria:

Dear South Africans, I know it hurts you to wake-up to the sad reality that your foods and your houses have been taken away by strangers. Every normal person will react to that in order to take back what belong to him/her.

However, in showing your anger, you have to be very careful. Do not be in a haste to forget what you had passed through for decades; how you once marched as brothers and sisters to defeat the great enemy that had made you prisoners in your own land. You were not rich then, with flyovers and skyscrapers, but you had love for each other and you spilled your blood out of love for your country to make it a home for all.

Dear brothers/sisters, remember that love, which you once shared and show that same love to the blood of your strangers. If you must send the foreigners away, let it not be through a blood-bath. If other African countries see you as murderers, it will be very difficult for you to survive independently in the continent.

We all need each other to survive and I am sure you have learnt of the proverb that says ‘no man is an island’. There were many who stood against Apartheid who were not South Africans but who simply felt that they are blacks so they should stand up for their brothers.

Worst of it all, do not let yourselves be hijacked by aimless politicians whose motives are to destabilize the country and later cry for change. Resist, with all your strength, the sycophancy of the greedy and never consider violence as a solution or a means of attracting attention.

Remember the fate of your brothers in Rwanda, Congo, Liberia, et cetera. They thought guns and machetes would save them but they later regretted dancing to the tune of their political leaders.

In Nigeria, many corpses are in the morgue – corpses of those who thought that being a political thug to a certain politician was the only way for them to survive. In my state, a retired army general has been arrested in connection with election malpractices and his candidate has blatantly denied ever knowing him.

Let us not forget our history or be blinded by wealth or our ambitions; let us rather respect our birth and our situation that we do not have any other land to call our own outside Africa.

Let us come together as one and build for ourselves a continent with love as a pillar of our existence.

Your brother,
Idiongo Ebong

Winsome Jowett‎ from South Africa sent this message: “Let’s all Light a Candle on Freedom Day, and pray or meditate for our beloved country.”

Perhaps we can ask everyone around Africa to join us – on 27 April – by also lighting a candle and praying together.

Thank you so much to everyone for sending us your messages. We are all so saddened by what has taken place. We cry together. And we would like to rebuild together.

More…

• Photos of Peace March as President Condemns Attacks
• South Africans Say: Africa, Let’s Unit. More Peace March Photos
• Sad Day for Durban as Xenophobia brings CBD to a Standstill