REPORT RPC ON “XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS”
(end july 2008)
Background:
From the beginning on of his ministry Jesus Christ has felt a special affinity with the most marginalized, abandoned and voiceless people and has seen in them most clearly his own face of mercy. In our times, in discerning the situation in our world, according to the example of Jesus Christ himself, the church has identified a special calling to reach out and to care with compassion and love for refugees, displaced people and all those fleeing from suffering, hardship and poverty in their countries and areas of origin.
Since 1990 refugees have been coming to seek refuge in South Africa from troubled spots of the African continent and other parts of the world. The unending wars and stalling peace processes mean that we can expect this trend to continue. Unfortunately in South Africa, these refugees and asylum-seekers have on more than many occasions been confused with other groups of migrants and consequently are exposed to many forms of violations of Human Rights. The atrocities committed on refugees have undoubtedly proved that South Africa is very xenophobic country. There is more racial xenophobia, which has subjected many black African foreigners to maltreatment. Sometimes civil servants and police have harassed them and consequently rendering xenophobia not only racist but institutionalized as dark skinned South Africans being mistaken for foreigners or Kwerekwere.
The attitude most South Africans have towards refugees and the treatment that many refugees have received, is as though South Africans have forgotten or are not aware that many of their political leaders, artists and prominent people were once refugees in many African countries, including those from which refugees are coming. South Africans in exile or when they were refugees were supported and allowed to further their studies. Many in the host countries supported the political cause and struggle against apartheid. Today it is the same support that South Africa should be giving to them. They should especially be given education and training so that when they ultimately return to their countries, they will be able to contribute in the development of their own countries. This would be an investment that South Africa would have made for the renaissance of this African continent.
Evolution number refugees – displaced in RPC:
At the end of its first year 2002 the Refugee Pastoral Care (RPC) registered 1289 asylum seekers and refugees asking assistance, 1048 in 2003, 1119 in 2004 and, 857 in 2005, 653 in 2006 and 1149 in 2007. This gives a total of 6115. 75% of them are originally from the Great Lakes area of Africa (including Tanzania), 20% from Zimbabwe and 5% from other countries. During the year 2007, the RPC received from the 1149 new arrivals: 492 from the DRC = 43%, 461 from Zimbabwe = 40%, 111 from Burundi = 10% and 85 from other countries = 7%.
During the five first months of 2008 the RPC received 1185 new arrivals: 706 refugees and asylum seekers. From the about 2000 displaced people in the Durban area fleeing xenophobic attacks which started on May 18, the RPC and the Cathedral Parish received from 21/05/08 till 31/05/08 479 persons = 24%.
The total so far received by the RPC from 2002 till June 2008 = 6115 + 1185 = 7300.
Report xenophobic attacks:
From the about 2000 displaced people in the Durban area fleeing xenophobic attacks which started on May 18th, the RPC and the Cathedral Parish received from 21/05/2008 until 31/05/2008 479 people. All these people (Displaced-double refugees) arriving in the Refugee Pastoral Care office were traumatized, sick and in need of urgent assistance of food, accommodation, clothing and especially religious assistance. These displaced lived in township communities where xenophobia existed for ages with result these xenophobic attacks of May 18th 2008 all over the country.
When we got news that the xenophobic attacks had filtered into Durban, our committee agreed that the Refugee Pastoral Care office be open round the clock. In the morning of 22nd May 2008 the police started busing in people who were displaced from Bottle blush. Our Emmanuel Cathedral Parish offered us rooms in the Parish centre to accommodate these people.
Material assistance:
Wegot food, blankets and clothing from among others, the municipality, Department of social development, Red Cross, Diakonia Council of Churches, Catholic Parishes, and Methodist and other Churches, the Rotary club, Emmanuel Cathedral Parishioners, UNHCR, and private individuals. The support from our Sisters, Parishes and parishioners has been and still is enormous. The municipality pledged to support with health services. Frequently nurses were coming, working hand in cloves with our Parish nurses. They also hired 6 toilets which were poorly serviced resulting in us requesting their removal. They also hired showers which have never been in use because of the absence of some major components of system. Home affairs also came and did what we can best describe as window dressing of documenting these people as the process never produced a document valid even for one day. (cf. Financial report)
Visits, messages of support and apologies:
Political parties, leaders and government officials made visits to our sites to either distance themselves and their parties from these violent attacks or to encourage the victims to stay on. Among these were Inkatha Freedom Party Leader, Dr. Mongosuthu Buthelezi, and the DA Leader and Mayor of Cape Town. Mrs. Helen Zille. The government task team headed by MEC for local government and National housing came with a message of support to the victims and emphasized that the government’s position was that people were to stay. However, those willing and voluntarily opting repatriation were to be assisted to go back to their countries. The deputy Mayor and other city council officials visited us; fortunately their visit coincided with His Eminence Archbishop Wilfred Cardinal Napier’s visit (24/05/08), and we had a meeting aimed at mapping the way forward, primarily to answer questions as to how long these people were going to be in our custody. The Cardinal spent the whole day with the displaced and all of us. On 29th of May 2008, we were again honored with his visit when he presided over the Eucharist for and with them. The 24 of June Bishop Barry was the whole day with us.
Problems:
During the crisis, we experienced two burglaries, the first one was on 12th of June 2008 and the latest was on 22nd June 2008. In the first incident, Tanzanians who sleep between the Church and Parish centre threw stones into the hall where the displaced people were sleeping, breaking windowpanes. In the second incident they broke into a room in the Parish centre building used as a storeroom and stole blankets. We formally opened cases with the police.
One of the displaced fell ill from an ulcer and died after a few days in Addington hospital and the municipality assisted with the repatriation of the body back to Zimbabwe.
Security matters:
Police co-operated well with us on the whole although there were instances when we felt let down by their lack of response to calls.
Repatriation and reintegration:
A total of 91 out 479 displaced people were repatriated through the initiative of the municipality and the disaster management committee on 13 – 14 June 2008. Of the 91, 58 were Zimbabweans, 32 Malawians and 1 Tanzanian. After this repatriation the Government Disaster Management Committee wanted to take away everybody from all sites, to a site in Inchanga. Contrary to their position we proposed to have those that have been with us to remain in our halls so we can guide them trough re-integration according to the aim of our Refugee Pastoral Care organization.
Pastoral + “Healing Touch of Christ” workshops:
Right from the onset, our emphasis has been pastoral. We had prayers with the displaced everyday in the cathedral at 10h45 a.m. and an evening prayer as well. 112 of our displaced have followed “Healing Touch of Christ” workshops, in an attempt of healing of their trauma, reconciliation and peace building.
Special edition of the xenophobic crisis:
From the onset of the crisis, the Refugee Pastoral Care has had its hands open to everybody. All refugees and displaced people were treated the same regardless of nationality. When we had 479 people 94 of these were from the Great Lakes Region. What became noticeable about those from this area was the demand for handouts. We gave blankets and clothes to them, like to everybody else. After a day they disappeared and we remained only with 2 Congolese & 4 Burundians. Apparently we discovered that these people, contrary to our thinking that they had been absorbed by friends and relatives, had actually moved to other centers. In consultation with other center managers, we established the purpose of this movement was: handouts and to seek avenues to be resettled overseas. When the Cardinal indicated he needed statistics on who wanted to go where, we ended up calling off the exercise of information collection following the removal of the gate at the entrance to the Parish Hall. Since then there has been restlessness among these brothers and sisters. It looks as though this is a volatile situation we are handling and could one day result in an explosion.
Probably to highlight on some of the key incidences would make clear of what the issues are. We got a call from St. Henry (Marist Brothers) that they had 46 Congolese whose presence was disrupting the school’s activities. We appreciated the situation and sympathized with the school and accepted to absorb these people into our centre. We were expecting them on the following Monday but the failed to arrive. On Wednesday of the same week we learnt that they had declined to come claiming the Cathedral was not a safe place for them.
We were on yet another occasion approached by the American Consulate requesting us to take in the Congolese and Burundians at their office. We requested Ladislas (member of our team) to go and see who were there and discovered that the majority of the people there had been at our center in beginning of the crisis. He brought twelve of them to the center and they again disappeared the following day, after receiving blankets. We have had several altercations in the office with Congolese coming to accuse Ladislas for blocking them from going overseas.
The latest range of incidences is where we were approached to absorb people (Congolese) housed at the Dutch Reformed Church in Pinetown. When a meeting was arranged which was attended by Diakonia, Erick from the Municipality, the Dutch Reformed Church and ourselves, it came out that the Municipality wanted to offload all people from other centers to our center. We raised questions about the origin of these people and established that they were not displaced through the xenophobic attacks. Following further revelations we established that in all centers people (Congolese) were focusing on going overseas.
Upon these facts we came to a decision that we could assist with arrangement for accommodation in a “shelter” at the Shelter: Venture Africa, where we send our newcomers. We distanced ourselves from dealing with delicate issues. We made arrangement with the Shelter management. We communicated with Erick (Municipality) who apparently had told those people who were already at the City hall that he was going to take them to the Cathedral and had been responded with a big “NO: we don’t like to go to the Cathedral = our Centre: Refugee Pastoral Care”.
Reports are that when they were eventually taken to the Venture Africa Shelter most of them walked home.
Following the above explanations of these desperate planned or unplanned movements of our brothers and sisters from the Great Lakes, we think and feel we are handling a delicate situation with a potential of exploding anytime.
Conclusion: We more and more are convinced: Xenophobia in this country is from both sites: South Africans as well foreigners: refugees…
N.B.: On 18/07/08 these people, renting flats some paid by Aid Agencies are as a protest in Albert Park in a tent…
Nota (21/08/2008): het gaat hier over slechts 170 kongolezen van de meer dan 5000 bij ons geregistreerden (een kleine minderheid dus). Zij zijn het die door baldadigheden en wangedrag wanorde stichten en vreemdelingenhaat veroorzaken jegens de vluchtelingen die bij ons hun toevlucht zochten....
Dear Friends,
Warm greetings from our Refugee Pastoral Care (RPC)! ‘What a shame’ and ‘How wonderful’! This could be my answer to the xenophobic violence perpetrated in ‘our post-apartheid country’… I write this letter to express on behalf of all our displaced and refugees, our team and myself our gratitude for your prayers and material assistance especially to our “displaced = double refugees”. To accommodate, feed etc. up to nearly 500 people wouldn’t have been possible without your collaboration. Even the collaboration with the Local Government, the Municipality, the Department of Home Affairs, so many ‘churches’, organisations and individuals was and is so wonderful. One again many thanks to all of you and all our collaborators who made this assistance possible.
How many times could we hear people, bringing food etc. to these poor and abandoned people saying:” May this gift be a sign of our regret of what we did to our foreign brothers and sisters”. Or as Mrs. H. Zille exclaimed during her visit on Saturday 31/05/08:” We South Africans are nice people. The perpetrators of the recent xenophobic attacks are only a few people.” Our ‘double refugees’ didn’t only feel welcomed by our Refugee Pastoral Care, the Cathedral Parish and the Archdiocese but as well by all people around our office who brought every time food etc… “UBUNTU”!
Above our humanitarian help we can also be proud because of our moral and religious assistance with our Archbishop Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, our Bishop Barry Wood and Father Stephen Tully with our Cathedral Parish. On May 24 our Archbishop Cardinal spent a whole day with them and all of us. Our Eucharistic Celebration on May 29 presided over by our Cardinal in concelebration with Bishop Barry. Fr. Stephen Tully, Fr. Nkosi and Deacon Mathew was a real encouragement for all of us. Later on Bishop Barry spent a whole with us… Our daily prayer service in the cathedral and evening prayer created faith and hope for a better future. Many of our “double refugees” could be healed from their trauma at least partially through our several workshops of “Healing Touch of Christ, reconciliation and peace building” and could feel the presence of the merciful Christ amongst them. Truly arriving (on May 21 last) in our office after the notorious xenophobic attacks these displaced brothers and sisters traumatised through this xenophobic violence were desperate some were crying. Now, healed and in peace several went home. Others, hoping to be reintegrated again in their local communities went back there or to other places around Durban. These days I received a comment on this “experience”: Christians never dwell on an affliction, but with the Holy Spirit ever go forward in hope.
I am sure with our Cardinal, (e-mail 06/06/08) your answer is: “Even though I am not able to come down personally, I keep you all in my prayer. Keep up the great work!” On behalf of our displaced brothers and sisters, refugees and myself, once again: thank you so much for your prayers and sympathy! We pray for all your intentions. Siyabonga!
Fr. St.Augustijns CSSp / Chaplain RPC
BLOG SPIRITAIN
Introduction générale
(ne changez rien dans ce texte s.v.p.)
Bienvenue sur cette explication générale, partie au nom de "CONG.CSSP" (d'autres parties existent; comme 'Blog Commun' p.ex.)
L'accès (si vous disposez d'une liaison internet) est facile partout dans le monde; déjà à partir de la page d'ouverture du site ( en lecture seule cependant ).
Comment faire pour un accès total ?
1° Contactez http://notoverthehill.com soit directement soit via la routine 5 des sujets intéressants (voir la série accessible via la page d'entrée du website) et introduisez le username qui est BLOGCSSP (mais si vous voulez activer votre blog à vous (blog personnel avec code propre), vous indiquez votre 'username' à vous). L'accès primaire à notoverthehill.com peut être ajouté à vos favoris, ce qui facilitera les accès par après.
Si vous voulez participer activement à une partie commune le tout est fort simple: contactez le responsable ultime qui vous donnera le mot de passe (le mot d'identification ( "username" ) vous le connaissez déjà; c'est => BLOGCSSP).
2° Ensuite vous introduisez le mot de passe (ou le vôtre si vous lancez votre blog personnel). L'accès se réalisera alors. Comme déjà mentionné plus haut, pour obtenir le mot de passe d'une partie commune, contactez l'adresse du responsable mentionnée un peu plus bas. On garde une liste de ceux qui ont le droit d'utiliser ce mot de passe, pour le cas où on changerait celui-ci.
Deux barres se présenteront en haut, avec un choix d'actions possibles (lire ou ajouter des vidéos, vos ou nos messages, etc.). Apprenez à connaître le programme. On pourrait utiliser ce blog pour envoyer un petit message, mais un blog est plutôt un petit 'web-site' et pas un système pour émail.
Cliquez sur MY ITEMS. Ensuite choisissez le blog où vous voulez réaliser des adaptations (ajouts, corrections...) ou que vous voulez lire.
La seconde partie - parallèle à ce texte-ci qui s'identifie comme CONG.CSSP - est ouverte à la collaboration de ceux qui en ont demandé et obtenu la permission du supérieur des Eurospiritains (<= cliquez là ou ici ). On vous donnera, si vous remplissez les conditions, le mot de passe qu'il vous faudra utiliser. Vous de votre côté, vous vous engagez à suivre certaines consignes comme par exemple de ne jamais intervenir dans le texte qu'un autre a déjà introduit dans ce Blog Commun, la première partie CONG.CSSP ou un autre blog. (Si vous voulez répondre à une partie ou un blog précis, le système prévoit lui-même le moyen; et suivez toujours l'étiquette de bienséance.) Rien ne vous empêche d'obtenir pour vous-même, via notoverthehill.com, votre propre blog à vous personnellement, sous votre nom et code à vous; et c'est même recommandé.
"Pourquoi est-ce qu'on insiste ainsi à ouvrir (à participer à) un blog justement dans notoverthehill.com ? J'ai déjà un (des) blog(s) ailleurs !"
Réponse: ceux qui ont un blog au même endroit (notoverthehill.com ici) peuvent voir ce que les autres publient là (pour communiquer réciproquement). En plus, on y dispose vraiment de beaucoup de place, on y propose de loger gratuitement des vidéos et des photos, etc. Et surtout, en commençant, mieux vaut se mettre ensemble pour éviter à tenir compte des adresses et des mots de passe d'une longue série de blogs privés en usage parmi nos amis...
Puisque vous êtes arrrivés à ce texte, vous savez sûrement déjà que si vous voulez voir les vidéos introduits, ou faire plus que simplement lire le blog, il ne faut pas seulement vous inscrire pour obtenir le mot de passe, il faut surtout apprendre à connaître et à maîtriser les possibilités du système (même les adolescent(e)s y réussissent !) et celles des vidéos concernés.
Ainsi pour voir des vidéos, les vôtres ou ceux des autres, il faut suivre une série de manipulations. Toutes les vidéos sont à admirer en cliquant d'abord dans la barre en haut sur le lien VIDEOS; choisissez ensuite la catégorie qui vous intéresse et passez de vidéo à vidéo en cliquant finalement sur l'image du vidéo qui vous intéresse ... Si vous voulez vous limiter à vos vidéos à vous, cliquez sur MY ITEMS, puis sur Manage Videos, et choisissez la vidéo que vous voulez voir en cliquant sur son image.
Notre blog général (que vous lisez en ce moment) utilise e.a. des photos du site spiriphot.eu où il y a une masse de photos généralement assez récentes, des diaporamas et des vidéos qui utilisent ces photos, etc. N'espérez pas y trouver des photos du genre "enfants non admis"... Dans vos textes à vous de même: soyez prudents, on ne reste pas inaperçu ! Ce n'est pas parce qu'on utilise un mot de passe ou que l'on s'est construit un avatar pour 'cacher' son identité réelle, que la police etc. ne puisse pas vous traquer vous et votre (vos) appareil(s) réellement en usage pour tel ou tel message, texte, photo etc. ...
Tout visiteur (membre ou non) peut voir les photos introduites (possibilité ouverte déjà à la page d'ouverture de notre site des Eurospiritains) mais seulement les membres peuvent y introduire ou corriger des textes, des photos, des vidéos etc. ...
Bref et en pratique. Des possibilités on peut vous en proposer trois :
1) demander une identification à vous-même pour être entièrement indépendant (sans identification et mot de passe ce genre de blog est inaccessible). On dispose cependant du moyen de le rendre accessible à la lecture seule dans notre eurosite.
2) utiliser le ' Blog Commun ' lui-même en mettant votre texte à vous parmi les autres.
3) utiliser à l'intérieur du système Cong.Cssp un sous-blog que vous créez à part (blog secondaire tout comme le Blog Commun en est un), accessible à celui qui possède le mot de passe commun (mais de par convention, à part vous personne n'y touchera. Intéressant si vous l'utiliserez fréquemment. En exemple: le blog secondaire (DUCSSP) consacré à un texte paru dans le magazine (hiver 2008) de Duquesne Univerity.)
La plupart de nos vidéos se retrouvent jusqu'à maintenant groupés dans la série "Travel & Places". Ils sont libres d'utilisation et de copie à condition d'en mentionner l'origine.
A BLOG TRANSFORM A SITE IN A COMMUNICATIONS PLATFORM !
Welcome to our blog hosted by the Cloudeight Community Website.
A member can share for free photos, upload and download homemade and other videos, share ideas, create his own page (blog) and more ...
Spiritans and friends of the Spiritan Congregation can click here to obtain the password needed to use our blog (add, correct...).
PHOTOS (groups) : celebrations, nature, religion, tourism etc. ?
See routine at the opening of the website (blog, then clic on GALLERY, and CATEGORY like celebrations, nature... ).
Note: certains sujets pourraient revenir régulièrement (?) tout en étant adaptés ou avec des ajouts.
Online graduate degree