---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dominic Tweedie <[email protected]> Date: 10 February 2012 16:57 Subject: Fwd: CoRMSA condemns the xenophobic violence in the Free State To: [email protected]
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Gwadamirai Nhamo <[email protected]> Date: 10 February 2012 15:47 Subject: CoRMSA condemns the xenophobic violence in the Free State To: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] * * *NEWS RELEASE * 8 February 2012 *CoRMSA condemns the xenophobic violence in the Free State* CoRMSA notes with grave concern the escalating violence affecting non-nationals in the Free State province. Over the last couple of days, the violence targeted towards Bangladeshi business people has deepened, with more than 250 Bangladeshi nationals being forced to seek refuge in storerooms of their shops in and around Bloemfontein. This spate of xenophobia comes hardly a month after the Thokoza attacks directed at Pakistan shop owners, a regrettable fatal incident which left two Pakistan nationals died. This upsurge in targeted violence has seen many Pakistani, Bangladeshi and other non- national shop owners losing their sources of income and has left families economically and physically vulnerable. Some of the families whose livelihoods have been affected by these attacks are also South Africans who work with non-nationals. The recent violence in the Free State started late last week in Thabong, Odendaalrus and Welkom and was mainly targeted at Pakistani and Bangladeshi shops and about 16 shops have been affected. The violence erupted after some youths began protesting over unemployment in the area. CoRMSA would like to reiterate the fact that violence is never an option and calls upon the business people/owners (both local and foreign) to find peaceful means to resolve issues and to also particularly improve communication channels among themselves. This would in turn ensure that there is a peaceful co-existence between the two groups and communities within which they operate. CoRMSA commends the efforts being made by the municipality to engage the concerned stakeholders including the police, in dialogue to find an amicable solution to the rising crisis. CoRMSA further calls upon the provincial leadership to direct state resources towards finding lasting solutions to an ongoing problem of violence, intolerance and prejudice primarily directed at non-national traders. *For more information please contact: Gwadamirai Majange, *Communications Officer Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA); Office: +27 11 403 7560/2 -- The Communist University *Blog* is at: *http://domza.blogspot.com/*<http://domza.blogspot.com/> *Mail Subscription*: *http://groups.google.com/group/Communist-University/*<http://groups.google.com/group/Communist-University/> CU Site for *downloads*: *https://sites.google.com/site/communistuniversity/ * The *CU Africa* blog is at: *http://cuafrica.blogspot.com/* (Subscribe *here<http://groups.google.com/group/CUAfrica> *) The *SADTU* PolEd blog is: *http://sadtu-pol-ed.blogspot.com/* (Subscribe * here <http://groups.google.com/group/sadtu-political-education-forum>*) The *old CU site* is: http://amadlandawonye.wikispaces.com/ Subscription/unsubscribing *difficulties*? 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