Foto: REUTERS

Police patrol as shacks burn at the Reiger Park settlement near Johannesburg, May 22, 2008.

 

As political science students in college, we studied a lot of topics on governments, wars, cultural diversities and problems that arise with in democratic and dictatorship states. 

Our experience here has been an eye opening life lesson in how these things clash. No longer are we bringing articles into class about international conflicts and comparing theories and ideas about how to resolve thier issues. We are living in the experiment, not judging it from oh-so-safe America. South Africa is the first country in hundreds and hundreds of years to have a complete government turnover that did not result in war… and the non-violent experiment is still going. Until three weeks ago it was working.

We came into town on March 1. Just to the northwest border is Zimbabwe, formerly called “the bread-basket of Africa”. Now that is a lofty nickname- think about all the things that a country has to produce to be called that. But since President Mugabe (Mu-ga-bee) came to power in 1987, Zimbabwe’s economy spiraled downward, leading to food and oil shortages and since they have endured years of hyperinflation. We are talking about people going to the grocery store and having to back their car up to the front doors with the trunks full of bills to buy the food, IF they can even find a store that CARRIES food first!

And that has lead to this: “It is thought that since 2000 between one and three million Zimbabweans have fled to neighbouring South Africa, and form the majority of a foreign national community estimated at between one and 10 million people, most of whom are undocumented migrants. Many of its citizens fled to South Africa because of food shortages, post-election violence and an inflation rate unofficially estimated at 1 million percent.” 

Meanwhile, on March 30- note that date- they held elections for their new president. Obviously, Mugabe has run out of popularity and it is clear that the new guy is going to win it. However, the next morning, they do not announce the results. Or the next day. or the next day. or the next. (You get the picture.) Now, please imagine what America would be doing if that were to happen! Ubsurd! IT WOULDN’T! But, T.I.A. folks. This is Africa. Only on May 23- yes, EIGHT AND A HALF WEEKS LATER… they come to the agreement that there is going to be a re-do. Apparently Mugabe did not like the results and was going to make sure they did not come out. “[The opposition leader] Morgan Tsvangirai has won one election but been denied the result. There is a lot of rigging going on and intimidation and murder.” (SEE BOTTOM FOR MORE)

Now, jump back to the fact that how many people have crossed the border to get away from this guy’s rule? Yes– South Africa has a very serious illegal alien situation on its hands, to say the least. And the local, already poor and struggling citizens have been trying to tell the government that enough is enough. “There are only so many resources available in a shanty township”, but they, of course, have been ignored. So they have been taking things into their own hands now and the xenophobia attacks are the result. 

It started in JoBurg, and there was mass concern. And then they spread to Cape Town. Meanwhile, one of our favorite people we have befriended is a refugee from the DRC (Congo, for those of you not up to speed with world affairs and the ever-name-changing of some countries) and is not only a seriously practicing Christian but quite possibly one of the most brilliant men I have ever met. He cannot go back with his wife, because they will KILL him (for reasons which I cannot name on the web) and now, the place where they have sought political refuge is life threatening. Talk about stress… The locals are burning, beating and killing foreign Africans because they see them as a threat!

So the argument is (from people of every color): ‘Love the immigrants! Stop the violence! We were once in dire circumstances and our neighbors took is in (remember Apartheid?). They are obviously here for a good reason, not because they just wanted to leave home. We need to demonstrate love and acceptance. Africa is for all who live in it!’

Versus: ‘Get real people! Our country is having issues of its own! Mugabe is not our problem. No food for them is not our problem. We are just trying to survive ourselves!’ 

Sound like a familiar situation? Only, none of us can relate on this level. But we should get a gut check and reassess where our values lie. What if you had been born in Zimbabwe?

For more follow up, PLEASE read these articles. That’s right- get involved mentally with the international community and educate yourself. 1) Public Response to Xenophobia 2) What will happen to Zimbabwe? 3) A blog by a local South African with some insight and pictures.