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Xenophobia in SA -- harmony over hate

To President Jacob Zuma:

As the people of South Africa, we come together as one -- appalled by the wave of xenophobic attacks that is sweeping our country, and determined that our united call for harmony can drown out the hate. As the leader of our nation, we ask that you formally acknowledge that the recent violence is linked to xenophobia. We also call on you to establish a permanent inter-departmental task force to identify and implement long term solutions to this issue. This is not the South Africa that so many people fought and died to create.

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Xenophobia in SA -- harmony over hate
I’m shocked by the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa… and yet I’m not. While many of us may try to practice love and tolerance towards others, xenophobic attitudes remain deep and widespread -- the recent events have just brought them to the surface once again.

I’m angry. Angry that I didn’t send this email three months ago after the incident in Soweto. Angry that the South African government hasn’t done more since 2008 to address this issue. Angry that President Zuma won’t even acknowledge that the violence is linked to xenophobia, while his son stokes the fires of intolerance by telling foreigners to go home. 

And I’m sad, terribly sad, that people can continue to treat each other this way. So sad that I’m crying as I write this and I rarely, rarely cry. People are being attacked, burned, killed. People. Our brothers and sisters. Fleeing their homes, fleeing to makeshift shelters seeking protection from those whose fear has turned to hate and then to violence.

But in the face of such despair, the one thing that gives me hope is that at some point in the past we’ve overcome worse than this. At some point in the past, the prospect of a free and democratic South Africa was nothing more than a dream.

If we come together we can tell a different story -- one of harmony that drowns out the voices of hate. Add your name and we’ll get prominent South Africans to amplify our message in the media and in the streets, and use the pressure to force the government to find real solutions. Please sign now.

Nic and the entire Avaaz team

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